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Background: Basic palliative care teaching should be included in training curricula for health care providers (HCPs) at all levels of the health service to ensure that the goal set by the South African (SA) National Policy Framework and Strategy for Palliative Care, to have an adequate number of appropriately trained HCPs in South Africa, is achieved. Furthermore, palliative learning objectives for nurses and doctors should be standardised. Many SA medical schools have integrated elements of Palliative Medicine (PM) teaching into undergraduate medical training programmes for doctors; however, the degree of integration varies widely, and consensus and standardisation of the content, structure and delivery of such PM training programmes are not yet a reality. Aim: This joint position paper aims to describe the current state of undergraduate medical PM teaching in South Africa and define the PM competencies required for an SA generalist doctor. Setting: Palliative Medicine programme leads and teachers from eight medical schools in South Africa. Methods: A survey exploring the structure, organisation and content of the respective medical undergraduate PM programmes was distributed to PM programme leads and teachers. Results: Responses were received from seven medical schools. Through a process of iterative review, competencies were defined and further grouped according to suitability for the preclinical and clinical components of the curriculum. Conclusion: Through mapping out these competencies in a spiralled medical curriculum, the authors hope to provide guidance to medical curriculum designers to effectively integrate PM teaching and learning into current curricula in line with the goals of the SA National Policy Framework and Strategy on Palliative Care (NPFSPC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interrogating the White Paper 3 of 1997 which upholds academic freedom, institutional autonomy and public accountability, I make the case for justice through higher education using public accountability. I argue that the higher education system in South Africa is capable of fulfilling such a role in the context of extreme injustices but not without a critical engagement of the extent and causes of these injustices and an understanding of their implications for academic curricula, practices and deeply embedded conceptions of knowledge. A redefinition of higher education institutions' public accountability in terms of responsibility to their 'institutional locale' or community (the populations whose needs they should be meeting) can be an effective 'proactive tool' with which higher education can redress social injustices. This requires an interrogation of the social, political and economic conditions of possibility that either inhibit or aid educational desire and attainment. An investigation of this nature entails a rigorous reappraisal of all three of the key principles within which higher education systems operate—academic freedom, institutional autonomy and public accountability—if they are to guard against the continued perpetuation of epistemic and social injustices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we argue that in South Africa the current format of legitimised participation and practice in the examination papers for Mathematical Literacy restricts successful apprenticeship in the discipline of scientific mathematics and limits empowered preparation for real-world functioning. The currency of the subject, then, is brought into question. We further argue that the positioning of the subject as a compulsory alternative to Mathematics and the differential distribution of these two subjects to differing groups of learners facilitates the (re)production and sustainment of educational disadvantage. We draw on Dowling's theoretical constructs of differing domains of mathematical practice and positions and focus analysis on a collection of nationally set exemplar Grade 12 examination papers to identify legitimised forms of participation in the subject. We conclude by arguing for a reconceptualised structure of knowledge and participation in Mathematical Literacy and make preliminary recommendations in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as well as data analysis to gain a better understanding of the existing perception on the education system. 45,278 tweets were downloaded and processed. Using a lexicon-based approach, examining the most frequently used words, and estimating similarities between terms, we detected that a predominantly negative perception of the education system exists in most of the analysed countries. A positive perception is identified in certain low-income nations. Men exhibit a more positive sentiment than women as well as a higher subjectivity in some countries. The countries that exhibit the most positive perceptions India, Canada, Pakistan, Australia, South Africa and Kenya are also those that manifest the highest subjectivity.

This essay examines the changing range of descriptors available for black South African experience from the 1960s through to the present and shows the changing implications of "black", "African", "citizen" and "human being", with particular reference to the formative structures of education, and the enabling (or disabling) effects of literary studies in their Eurocentric and Afrocentric forms. In a general continental context in which the post-colony replicates the oppressive structures of the extractive instrumentalization of colonialism, it argues that emphasis is now best placed on ideas of the human being and citizen. [This paper was presented as the Keynote address at the 40th African Literature Association conference at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 10th April 2014.]

Epidemics of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are presently emerging and on the increase in South Africa. It is increasingly recognized that the occurrence of adult chronic disease are influenced by factors operating from childhood, which are sustained throughout the individual's life course. Increased risk may start in infancy or even before birth and will continue to be influenced by health related behavior during adulthood. The academic level of people in the community influence the level of their health status. Commitment to the promotion of health through prevention, education, and suitable management is the building block for creating a healthy society. The community must make strides to shift from traditional knowledge and medication, and seek new innovative ways of addressing issues facing the population with regard to obesity, overweight, hypertension health, smoking cessation, alcohol abuse, and low physical activity in line with a healthy living lifestyle. The NCDs pose health problems in South Africa and deserve more attention. Poor control of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, to name just a few, only adds to the current problems. The South African government and the business sector of South Africa should provide safe walking/riding trails in the cities and in rural area to combat emerging NCDs that are killing our community members indiscriminately without considering race, gender, age, and place of residence. Compulsory introduction of physical education lessons to all public schools cannot be over emphasized in the current escalating NCD situation in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how two Britons, working in Western Australia and Natal, respectively, engaged with ideas about the civilisation and education of Indigenous people. It is argued that concepts of civilisation were debated by missionaries, researchers and members of the public. Using the correspondence, publications and private journals of two educators, Dr. Henry Callaway, Church of England missionary in Natal, and Ann Camfield, teacher in Western Australia, the paper draws attention to their respective approaches to education. Each contributed to broader imperial debates concerning the meaning of race in relation to educability. Education in both places, while connected to these global ideas, was also profoundly influenced by local context. 'Civilisation' and the 'civilising mission' may have been unifying goals for missionaries in different sites of Empire, but understandings of what civilisation should inculcate, or do, varied according to particular circumstances. These histories are best understood in transnational and comparative perspective.

This paper examined the role of male partners in modern contraceptive use by women across clusters in South Africa. Its main objective was threefold. First, the present paper sought to test whether South African married women's modern contraceptive use is related to the influence of their husbands or male partners. Second, it examined whether modern contraceptive use is similar within clusters. Third, it tested whether group effects are spatially dependent among neighbouring clusters. It used the recent Demographic and Health Survey for South Africa as the data source to carry out the empirical analysis. On the one hand, the results confirm a positive and significant relationship between South African married women's modern contraceptive use with their partners' secondary education level, irrespective of the cluster in which they reside. On the other hand, the hypothesis that spatial dependence of random effects is not confirmed, leading to the conclusion that space only matters when it comes to spatial heterogeneity or group effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical information systems (GIS) were phased into the geography curriculum of South African schools from 2006-2008 as part of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) for grades 10-12. Since its introduction, GIS education in schools across the country has been met with a number of challenges including the cost of purchasing the hardware and software required to elucidate the basic concepts of GIS to learners. This article examines the introduction of GIS education in schools in South Africa. The development and distribution of a paper-based GIS educational package for resource-poor schools in the country is also highlighted. Preliminary educator and learner evaluations of the paper-based GIS package are discussed and the broader learning opportunities and benefits associated with flexible teaching mechanisms are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public perception of "declining standards" in school-leaving examinations often accompanies increases in pass rates in schoolleaving examinations. "Declining standards" to the public means easier examination papers. The present study evaluates a South African attempt to estimate the level of difficulty, as distinct from cognitive demand, to exit-level examination papers in Life Sciences. A team of four expert raters assigned a level of difficulty ranging from 1 (easy) to 4 (very difficult). Invalid items were assigned a difficulty level of 0. The reference point was "the ideal average South African learner." Discussion and practice was conducted for 12 examination papers, followed by individual analysis of four examination papers. Inter-rater agreement for the final four papers was low. Raters assigned most items to difficulty levels 1 and 2, indicating that unreliability may be caused by the instrument having too many levels. Raters' predictions of levels of difficulty supported the actual mark distribution for private school candidates, but not for public school candidates. The "ideal average South African learner" is an unsuitable reference point in the unequal educational landscape of the public school system. We recommend that the instrument be modified by reducing the number of levels of difficulty and removing the hypothetical reference point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxonomies of cognitive demand are frequently used to ensure that assessment tasks include questions ranging from low to high cognitive demand. This paper investigates inter-rater agreement among four evaluators on the cognitive demand of the South African National Senior Certificate Life Sciences examinations after training, practice and revision. The taxonomy used was based on the cognitive dimension of the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy, with analysis, evaluation and synthesis combined into one category. Descriptors from the Revised Bloom's taxonomy were slightly modified to suit Life Sciences. Inter-rater agreement was poor to fair, but pairwise percent agreement did not reach acceptable levels. Evaluators found it difficult to assign cognitive demand to examination items, and constantly referred to the descriptors. We question the usefulness of a taxonomy of cognitive demand when individuals differ in their interpretations of the levels of cognitive demand. The results indicate that standards of Life Sciences examination papers cannot reliably be assessed by evaluating cognitive demand using Bloom's Taxonomy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the intergovernmental transfer systems in South Africa, more specifically, the underlying determinants and formula of the unconditional grants of the education component of the Provincial Equitable Share (PES). The PES formula is a weighted shares formula that depends on the demographic shares of the provinces (population) to determine the equitable share outcomes to be transferred to individual provinces. We find that the variables used have two main weaknesses: Firstly, the enrolment variable, which could be contaminated with school repeats and dropouts, is too broad to be an effective measure for representing the real beneficiaries of the transfers. Secondly, infrequent updates about the school-age cohort population variables render the desired PES grant transfers for education outdated as well as serially inconsistent. The paper also provides an analysis of the PES formula's mathematical construct, followed by a few suggested variables to improve the relevance and accuracy of the formula of the revenue transfer. One such improvement is demonstrated by the inclusion of the Enrolment Survival Measure (ESR). More research and data are required to extrapolate nuanced results and to understand the socio-economic impacts of adopting these new variables in the PES formula going forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa has one of the highest reported rates of youth unemployment coupled with poverty and inequality in the world. These challenges have recently been worsened by the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the economy. Unemployment rates have remained stubbornly high in the country and have been a consistent concern for government and policymakers. In light of the South African Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, the purpose of this paper is to analyse South African youth employment recovery in the post-Covid-19 economy. In particular, this paper analyses the potential role of education and training in the recovery of youth employment. Document analysis and a critical literature review were conducted to address the objective of this paper. In the research that informed this paper, firstly, a Google search was conducted to obtain relevant documents and publications on the South African Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. Secondly, a comprehensive literature search across 10 scholarly databases was conducted to obtain relevant recently published articles. Documents and scholarly articles were analysed through thematic analysis. The results indicate that Covid-19 has contributed to the overall surge in job losses. However, the impact of the pandemic on youth unemployment itself is minimal, as youth unemployment was already high in the pre-Covid-19 economy. Further results show that addressing youth unemployment largely depends on economic growth. In particular, "appropriate" education and training, as part of the recovery plan, can play a key role in economic growth stimulation and job creation. These results call for collaborative efforts from different stakeholders, not only to implement programmes and policies that contribute to economic growth, but also to develop an education system that addresses the labour market needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe the negative impact of teenage pregnancy on learners’ academic performance in one district of education in South Africa. Teenage pregnancy was argued in the literature as the main source contributor to learners’ low academic performance, especially in disadvantaged schools in South Africa. For example, teenage pregnant learners missed classes owing to absenteeism as they will be visiting clinics. Their performance rate fluctuates as this depends on their periodic mood swing, which they experience from time to time. In some cases, these teenage pregnant learners drop out of schools. The study followed a qualitative research approach where purposive sampling was employed to select two educators per institution from three selected schools. Pseudonyms were used to protect the participants from being known and encouraged them to participate freely. Trustworthiness and ethical considerations were adhered to. Open-ended questions were prepared and administered to the selected educators to find out the impact of teenage pregnancy on scholastic performance. The study findings established that a sense of knowledge and respect of rights need to be promoted since these pregnant learners have the right to education and must receive the same education as other non-pregnant learners. The study, reported on this paper, further recommends that all stakeholders should discourage teenagers from watching television with sexual content that might tempt them to engage in sexual activities that can lead to teenage pregnancy, which will end up affecting their academic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigates the role of Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) Colleges in the provision of higher education in South Africa. The Technical Vocational Education Training Colleges are classified with universities as providers of higher education in South Africa's education system under the Post School Education and Training (PSET) system. The status of a Technical Vocational Education Training College as an institution of higher learning is very questionable, however, many scholars do not prefer to enter that terrain of the argument. In this paper I argue that the TVET colleges do not seem to clearly fit the profile of institutions, offering higher education in South Africa. Higher education institutions, such as Traditional universities, Universities of Technology and Private universities, have certain standards of competencies, adhered to promote students to the next level of knowledge, which are similar, but highly different from TVET colleges' promotion standards. The TVET Colleges are governed primarily through the Continuing Education Act, while the Universities are governed through the Higher Education Act 101 of 1997, which is a clear separation of their educational mandates. The paper argues that TVET Colleges are not institutions of higher learning and are not capable of providing education at the level of higher learning, considering the academic competencies in the sector and the level of knowledge, expected to be produced. They are indeed self-styled Basic education institutions, operating wrongfully as institutions of higher learning in the South African Higher education band. The paper concludes that if TVET colleges are to be transformed into institutions of higher learning, all standards of competencies of both students and staff will have to be overhauled to fit the level of expertise to produce a higher education graduate, fitting the standard of an independent graduate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifies policy issues that tend to be neglected in the debate on the future of the educational system in the KwaNatal region of South Africa. Conflict of visions; Constitutional limitations on education; Regional rights; Structural inequality.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought myriad challenges to South African public schools based in rural areas. The recurring concern is that those challenges might negatively impact the performance and progress of learners in rural areas. This should be understood within the context that most schools in rural areas are characterised by a lack of resources, such as modern technological resources. This paper aimed to find ways to enhance teaching practices during and after the COVID-19 crisis in a rural context. The objectives of the paper were to discover the impact of COVID-19 on learning and teaching practices and recommend ways to enhance such practices during and after the pandemic. Weiner's Attribution Theory of motivation and emotion was used to identify and address the underlying factors that may contribute to a learner's academic success and how they act or behave in certain ways towards the teaching practices. Methodologically, the study adopted a qualitative approach, and the purposive sampling technique was employed to draw data from participants through interviews and observations. The collected data was analyzed through thematic content analysis. The study found that psychosocial factors such as lack of positive mindset towards the curriculum, lack of motivation, family challenges, environmental challenges, and anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder and phobias caused by covid 19 pandemic, affect the cognition of learners and hinder the learning process. Therefore, it is recommended that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) consider implementing some psychological assessment programmes as a way to prepare learners and teachers for learning and teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore youth graduate unemployment and unemployability as a development problem in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach: This exploratory study applied a qualitative research method to elicit the perspectives of youth graduates regarding their unemployment and unemployability. A total of 30 face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with unemployed youth who recently graduated from five South African universities. Findings: The results indicate that, as youth graduate unemployment increases in South Africa, graduates become hopeless in terms of securing employment. The participants attributed their unemployment to multidimensional factors that include limited demand in the labour market, skills mismatch and lack of work experience. Research limitations/implications: This research exclusively focused on graduates from five South African universities; hence, the results of this small qualitative study cannot be generalised to the entire South African population. However, this paper offers important insights that may form the foundation for a nationwide study on a related topic. Originality/value: This paper presents important insights that influence policy makers, government and other relevant stakeholders to develop alternative solutions to youth graduate unemployment. This paper recommends that government should play a critical role in bridging the gap between higher education and industry in order to address youth graduate unemployment. It also calls for a more cooperative effort between government, higher learning institutions and employers in order to create job opportunities for youth graduates in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symbolic violence is (re)produced within families at the nexus of blame and shame. This paper presents an understanding of symbolic violence that extends beyond processes of internalisation, in which shame is directed against the self, to questions of processes of reproduction within families, in which shame is externalised through blame. Drawing on mother-tongue life-history interviews with mothers and grandmothers in rural KwaZulu-Natal, the paper explores how this nexus of blame and shame is situated at the intersect of race and gender. It is bound by intergenerational poverty and educational exclusion that span the apartheid and post-apartheid eras in South Africa. Our understandings of gendered poverty thus need to attend to these intergenerational processes of shaming, in which pervasive neoliberal discourses around individual effort and success mask structural constraints, potentially damaging relationships within families and across social networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to education for undocumented migrant children in South Africa remains a significant challenge. While the difficulties related to their inability to access education within the country have been highlighted elsewhere, there remains a lack of clarity on an approach to how this basic human right can be achieved. In this conceptual paper, we draw on the distinction between equality and equity, and describe the various ways in which education has been conceptualised in the South African Constitution – which in part contributes to the existing confusion on education for various groups, including undocumented migrant children. In this paper, we critically reflect on the need to develop an integrated approach for creating a platform that allows all undocumented migrant children access to education in South Africa. We argue that an integrated approach – which entails ways through which access to education can be delivered through the lens of equity – will enhance the right to education for undocumented migrant children in South Africa. We conclude that the South African government must urgently consider this integrated approach to enable access to education for undocumented migrant children, so that they can achieve their full educational potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper examines the changing patterns of social inequality and stratification in relation to migration, ethnicity, gender, class, and education. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Changing patterns of social inequality and stratification are influenced by migration, ethnicity, gender, class, and education. Migration can lead to economic disparities for immigrants, either through improved opportunities or exploitation. Ethnicity remains a significant factor, with ethnic minorities facing discrimination and limited access to resources. Gender inequality persists with disparities in pay and leadership roles, while class-based inequality continues through inheritance and income distribution. Access to quality education plays a vital role in social mobility, but disparities in resources and rising tuition costs can limit opportunities. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Intersectionality theory, Human capital theory & Transnationalism theory may be used to anchor future studies on changing patterns of social inequality and stratification in relation to migration, ethnicity, gender, class, and education. Organizations and institutions should implement diversity and inclusion programs that go beyond tokenism. Develop and implement comprehensive immigration reform policies that address the rights and social integration of migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Reducing the gender gap in poverty remains a priority for South African policymakers. Using the 2018 General Households Survey (GHS), this paper examines gendered multidimensional poverty in post-apartheid South Africa. The analyses draw on Alkire-Foster multidimensional poverty methodology to present multidimensional poverty measures for men and women. The dimensions and indicators used in this paper are slightly adapted to reflect the socioeconomic realities and circumstances that are unique to South African households and individuals. The results show a persistence in multidimensional poverty among women, as the magnitudes of multidimensional poverty measures remain higher for women than for men. Further findings show that the economic activity and health dimensions contribute substantially to poverty among men and women. Notably, contributions of unemployment and the presence of chronic disease(s) indicators for gendered multidimensional poverty are more considerable for women than for men. In order to further reduce gendered poverty, this paper recommends strengthening a social policy review that strongly promotes more job creation, health-enhancing interventions and potent 'gender sensitive' ideologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2015, South Africa, along with other United Nations (UN) member states, adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To achieve the SDGs, the South African government requires relevant capacity and skills to enhance existing policy and strategy, implement and support programmes, and monitor and report on progress. This paper focuses on SDG 4 (specifically Targets 4.3, 4.4, and 4.7), which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. This paper is based on research that was undertaken to inform South Africa's Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority on how it can enhance its support through public sector skills development of South Africa's policy direction and priorities associated with the UN's SDGs. A quantitative research approach was adopted with desktop research undertaken to better understand South Africa's SDG status and to identify international examples of good practice. Interviews with public sector stakeholders were undertaken to inform skills demand to support target delivery. The study concludes that skills required to deliver Targets 4.3, 4.4, and 4.7 need to be linked to activity coordination, policy and programmes development and implementation, management, monitoring and reporting, partnership, and skills development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this essay I offer an imaginary of postgraduate student supervision focusing on sceptical encounters with the other. Drawing on the seminal thoughts of Harvard philosopher Stanley Cavell (1997), particularly on his ideas on "living with scepticism", I argue that postgraduate student supervision ought to be an encounter framed by scepticism. I point out that supervising students sceptically might engender moments of acknowledging humanity within the Other, attachment to the Other's points of view with a readiness for departure, and showing responsibility to the Other.

Background: Female entrepreneurs often take on a role as "social change agents", and yield innovative solutions to the social problems in the communities where they live and/or work. Entrepreneurial women in developing contexts are often challenged with limited resources when they attempt to solve these social problems in their communities. The paper focuses on the role education plays (if any) in women's ability to solve complex problems and create social value. Research objectives: The primary aim of this paper is thus to explore the influence that education has on social entrepreneurial women in Africa's social value creation. Research design and methods: For this study, we followed a quantitative research method. The population consists of all female social entrepreneurs (FSEs) from Africa that are Ashoka Fellows (142 persons). Data were analysed in the SPSS). We made use of descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Results: This insight enables us to make recommendations for the social entrepreneurial realm in terms of the importance of education and training programmes for social entrepreneurs but in addition make recommendations based on the good practice of social entrepreneurs. Conclusions: We argue such social entrepreneurial women have to apply their knowledge in innovative ways in an attempt to solve complex problems in communities in order to create social value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Educational games have been proven to support the teaching of various concepts across disciplines. Plagiarism is a major problem among undergraduate and postgraduate students at universities. Objective: In this paper, we propose a game called Plagi-Warfare that attempts to teach students about plagiarism. Methods: To do this at a level that is beyond quizzes, we proposed a game storyline and mechanics that allow the player (or student) to play as a mafia member or a detective. This either demonstrated their knowledge by plagiarizing within the game as a mafia member or catching plagiarists within the game as a detective. The game plays out in a 3D environment representing the major libraries of the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. In total, 30 students were selected to evaluate the game. Results: Evaluation of the game mechanics and storyline showed that the student gamers enjoyed the game and learned about plagiarism. Conclusions: In this paper, we presented a new educational game that teaches students about plagiarism by using a new crime story and an immersive 3D gaming environment representing the libraries of the University of Johannesburg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The indigenous sub-Saharan African philosophy of ubuntu that comes down to the expression: "I am a human being because of being with other human beings", developed over centuries. This philosophy, embodying the notion of deep respect for all human beings, is rooted in a humane inclination towards kindness and sound relationships among all people. Before its adoption as a principle in the South African Interim Constitution of 1993, ubuntu had never been referred to, or codified in any statutory format. Since then, however, although not mentioned in the final Constitution of 1996, the humane undertones of the ubuntu philosophy have often surfaced in South African jurisprudence, particularly in cases involving citizens' Constitutional right to human dignity (section 10). This paper examines the phenomenon that the actual modern-day practical, day-to-day life in South Africa does not seem to attest to application of the ubuntu ideal of maintaining and improving the human condition. After examining a number of possible reasons for this phenomenon, ubuntugogy is presented as a possible remedy for this condition. This paper reports on an interdisciplinary analysis involving philosophical, societal, anthropological, legal and pedagogical perspectives. A mixed method research methodology in the form of a social science based interpretive-constructivist qualitative approach combined with a legal approach was followed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to examine the challenges of remote learning that were faced by students in four rural institutions of higher learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It is well documented that in South Africa as well as globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the teaching and learning in higher institutions of education. A call was made by the Department of Higher Education and Training that mandated universities to adopt remote learning to save the academic year. That call was a blanket statement that did not consider the context of different universities, given the inequalities that existed prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 between the historically disadvantaged universities and the well-established ones. The study adopted a qualitative approach that made use of a desktop research methodology, as well as the media (Television, radio and newspapers), and social media as sources of data gathering to document the challenges. One of the key findings was that some students studying at rural institutions of higher learning experienced challenges of limited skills as well as the convenience of and access to technology and other tools of trade. The paper concludes that such students were proposing that, 'we are together but not together". The root of such grievance is that they were grossly affected by the geographical and historical position of the universities they were enrolled at and the situation was deepened and exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper recommends the equal redistribution of resources especially to previously disadvantaged Black universities. The paper further recommends that the Department of Education introduce online learning to students from as early as high school so that there will be continuity and ease in remoting learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.2, South Africa's National Development Plan commits to providing high-quality early childhood education to all children by 2030 to drive improved child outcomes. Prior to 2016, South Africa lacked reliable, locally standardised, valid, and cross-culturally fair assessment tools for measuring preschool quality and child outcomes, suitable for use at scale within a resource-constrained context. In this paper we detail the development and evolution of a suite of early learning measurement (ELOM) tools designed to address this measurement gap. The development process included reviews of literature and other relevant assessment tools; a review of local curriculum standards and expected child outcomes; extensive consultation with government officials, child development experts, and early learning practitioners, iterative user testing; and assessment of linguistic, cultural, functional, and metric equivalence across all 11 official South African languages. To support use of the ELOM tools at scale, and by users with varying levels of research expertise, administration is digitised and embedded within an end-to-end data value chain. ELOM data collected since 2016 quantify the striking socio-economic gradient in early childhood development in South Africa, demonstrate the relationship between physical stunting, socio-emotional functioning and learning outcomes, and provide evidence of the positive impact of high-quality early learning programmes on preschool child outcomes. To promote secondary analyses, data from multiple studies are regularly collated into a shared dataset, which is made open access via an online data portal. We describe the services and support that make up the ELOM data value chain, noting several key challenges and enablers of data-driven change within this context. These include deep technical expertise within a multidisciplinary and collaborative team, patient and flexible capital from mission-aligned investors, a fit-for-purpose institutional home, the appropriate use of technology, a user-centred approach to development and testing, sensitivity to children's diverse linguistic and socio-economic circumstances, careful consideration of requirements for scale, appropriate training and support for a non-professional assessor base, and a commitment to ongoing learning and continuous enhancement. Practical examples are provided of ways in which the ELOM tools and data are used for programme monitoring and enhancement purposes, to evaluate the relative effectiveness of early learning interventions, to motivate for greater budget and inform more effective resource allocation, to support the development of enabling Government systems, and to track progress towards the attainment of national and global development goals. We share lessons learnt during the development of the tools and discuss the factors that have driven their uptake in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years Geography Information System (GIS) implementation in schools has emerged as one of the most important threads deserving academic inquiry globally. This paper seeks to draw lessons from the South African experience on GIS implementation by engaging in an in-depth documentary analysis of the Geography syllabus in the updated Zimbabwe curriculum and the South Africa (SA) Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) Geography syllabus. This paper draws from the Normalisation Process Theory (2009) and the Extended Normalisation Process Theory (2013). The researcher purposively selected the Ordinary Level Geography Syllabus in Zimbabwe and CAPS Geography Syllabus Grade 10 - 12. This paper argues that there are numerous lessons that Zimbabwe can draw from South African experiences. Among the lessons that can be drawn from the CAPS Geography syllabus are the following; the fusion of GIS across Geography topics instead of taking GIS as a standalone topic; allocating adequate financial resources to schools, allocating GIS more time in the syllabus among others. The researcher recommends that Zimbabwe adopt a paper-based GIS educational package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is conceptual and uses a desktop survey to gather literature about the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), its advantages and disadvantages, and its impact on the South African job market. The paper intends to uncover the impact of the 4IR on the South African job market. In an attempt to deal with one of South Africa's triple challenges (poverty, inequality and unemployment), namely unemployment, South Africa finds itself in the introduction of the 4IR, with which it must acquaint itself. It is, however, worrying when looking at the year-by-year escalation of South Africa's high unemployment rate. When looking at the dire status and escalation of the unemployment rate (which is affecting South Africans, most particularly the youth), it is not ironic that South Africa is inadequately prepared and inept to embrace the changes that the 4IR brings. While the country is making amendments in the education sector in terms of preparing the youth for the skills that will be relevant to the changes and give them access to employment, this has come a bit late to be able to address the high unemployment rate. There is already a high rate of retrenchments within the banking sector, which is cause for concern in terms of labour unrest that the country is (in)famous for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers insights into the establishment of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Chair of Open Distance Learning (ODL) at the University of South Africa (UNISA). The aim of the UNESCO Chair is to stimulate ODL research at UNISA. The paper briefly describes UNISA, which is the largest dedicated distance education institution on the continent of Africa, with student enrolments in excess of 300,000. Notwithstanding its size and mandate to provide expanded access to quality higher education to previously excluded blacks, UNISA is hampered by a lack of capacity in ODL research in the form of articles, the UNESCO Chair at UNISA was established to respond to this challenge of a lack of ODL research capacity. The paper (1) provides a brief outline of the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme; (2) outlines the objectives of the Chair in relation to UNISA's challenges of capacity for technology-assisted teaching, learning and research; (3) maps out the imperative for technology-supported teaching, learning and research at UNISA with respect to digital literacy, digital proficiency, and digital fluency; and (4) closes with some concluding remarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, children have been put at greater risk of school drop-out, as well as food insecurity and emotional health deterioration. This paper considers these issues as they have occurred in South Africa. We use all waves of the National Income Dynamics Study–Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey to estimate non-return to school, access to school meals, and household well-being. The number of learners not attending school in 2021 is estimated to be close to quadruple pre-pandemic levels. Combined with estimates of learning lost, we can conclude that the pandemic has worn away at two decades of progress made in basic education. Evidence also indicates that school feeding has been slow to recover to pre-pandemic levels. Deepened levels of household hunger combined with a lack of access to free school meals is indicated to contribute to significantly greater levels of caregiver anxiety and psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This leading article to this special issue on "COVID-19: Opportunity to rethink and to restructure education in the world" is an overarching position paper, drawing on contributions made in papers in this issue, to argue the case that there is a compelling need to overhaul education research, in South Africa in particular, and that the COVID-19 pandemic has created an opportunity to do so. The South African education scene is surveyed and the survey reveals enormous challenges along all three dimensions of education supply: quantitative, qualitative and equality. The education sector in South Africa is clearly in need of guidance from the education research community. Education research activity, globally and in South Africa in particular, is surveyed and found to be seriously wanting in terms of the lack of theory, autochthonous and a unified, coherent theory, the small scale and fragmented nature of many research projects, the lack of practical impact, education scholars eschewing subscription to and building a normative superstructure in their research and the concrete problems of the education faculty regarding heavy teaching loads and difficulty in attracting funding for education research. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ravages it has brought to education have created the need and the opportunity to urgently and enthusiastically attend to these desiderata in Education scholarship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusive education has featured strongly in the South African education landscape since it was first incorporated into policy in 2001. Although parents are key stakeholders in the successful implementation of inclusive education, there has not been much research exploring parents' understanding within this space. Therefore, this study aimed to explore parents' understanding of inclusion and exclusion in education from seven primary schools in the Johannesburg area. This paper is based on the qualitative data drawn from a larger mixed methods study where 559 written responses exploring parents of primary school learners' understanding were analysed and 13 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the results. Four core themes were identified, namely, inclusion/exclusion criteria, levels of inclusion and exclusion, effects of exclusion and the effects of inclusion. Sub-themes of interpersonal and extra-personal characteristics emerged for the theme of inclusion/exclusion criteria, while further analysis of levels of inclusion/exclusion resulted in the sub-themes of formal and epistemological access. It was clear that parents' understanding of inclusion and exclusion was grounded more in the practices of inclusion/exclusion as opposed to a more abstract, theoretical understanding. These results are discussed within the context of the SASA and Education White Paper 6 policy within South Africa, as well as literature around the types of educational access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa faces several massive, interconnected challenges that reverberate through its political economy, society and education system. This paper offers lessons for the current conjuncture by exploring radical democracy and educational experiments in two other contexts: Brazil, as a point of close comparison, and Rojava (northern Syria), as a point for dissimilar comparison but which offers a "real utopia". The Brazilian student movement (2015–16) involved several waves of mass school occupations in the "student spring" (primavera secundarista), with students demanding free, quality public education and, within the occupations, experimenting with democratic, dialogical, caring educational spaces. The Revolution in Rojava, emerging in 2012 and continuing to date, offers an alternative model of social organisation guided by women's liberation, ecological harmony, and "Democratic Confederalism", a form of anti-capitalist radical democracy. It has provided fertile ground for a profoundly different education system from the statist, authoritarian models previously imposed in the region. This paper draws out several prominent themes from each context, drawing these into conversation with the contemporary South African context. First, the movements demonstrate the pedagogical importance of language and culture, history and social dynamics, the decommodification of education, feminism and ecology. Second, they highlight the political importance of education for self-organisation in relation to broader processes of social transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Class size reduction is frequently argued to be a cost-effective way to improve learner outcomes. In the South African context, most studies conclude that greater class sizes are associated with poorer educational outcomes on average. However, given the country's bimodal education system, it is plausible to believe that such a relationship may depend on where learners find themselves in the system. This paper merges newly available data from the 2017/18 School Monitoring Survey with external administrative data to investigate whether the relationship between class size and learner outcomes varies by school socioeconomic status. Although extreme class sizes are concentrated in poorer schools, class size is only negatively associated with learner outcomes in wealthier schools. This finding is robust to several robustness tests. This does not imply that class size does not matter. Rather, reductions may only be effective in the South African context once other school quality-related factors are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extreme inequality in South African education is well-documented by researchers. There is also a rich literature concerned with education for sustainable development (ESD) in the country. The relationship between these two phenomena has, however, been sparsely investigated. Drawing on biopolitical theory and fieldwork conducted in South Africa, this paper queries how ESD programmes handle the lifestyle gap that separates rich and poor populations. The article demonstrates how ESD, through ostensible sensitivity to local 'realities', is adjusted to comply with different socio-economic living conditions, and how different roles are assigned to rich and poor in the quest for sustainable development. This differentiation, it is argued, can be understood biopolitically. The paper further argues that the differentiation between populations in rich and poor settings implies a depoliticized notion of local 'realities' as something isolated and given, rather than relational and produced. While the overall findings suggest that ESD unfolds through a regime of practice wherein inequality has become effectively normalized, the paper also points to rare disruptive moments where the normal is rendered abnormal. Ultimately it is argued that the South African case is a useful entry-point for discussing generic problems of globally implementing ESD in an enormously unequal world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify and highlight the key constructs of an enabling policy environment and their probable impact on development and implementation of recognition of prior learning (RPL) process in higher education and training in South Africa with reference to library and information science (LIS) field. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted quantitative methods, and utilised questionnaires and document analysis to collect data. The study used a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data from all the ten LIS schools in the South African higher education and training landscape. The questionnaire was used as the main data collection tool to collect quantitative data through a survey research design. In addition, the researcher employed content analysis to analyse qualitative data collected from institutional RPL policy documents. Findings: The study found that the LIS schools have aligned most of their institutional RPL policies and procedures with South African Qualifications Authority's national RPL policy (2013). However, in terms of the institutional RPL policy environment, the study found that there was a low level of compliance regarding certain aspects of the policy environment among LIS schools despite their express explicit commitment to the principles of equity of access and redress. Research limitations/implications: In-depth interviews were not conducted to ascertain the reasons for low level of compliance regarding certain aspects of the RPL policy. Practical implications: This study is valuable for higher education institutions, policy and governance, government and other stakeholders to assess the level of compliance to legislative and regulatory framework in RPL implementation in higher education and training in South Africa. In addition, the study was important for LIS schools in particular as RPL can be used as a tool to open access and increase participation in learning programmes to counteract low level of student enrolments in this field. Originality/value: There is very little published concerning compliance to legislative framework RPL implementation in higher education and training. Furthermore, most published work relate to RPL implementation in higher education and training in general. The paper describes compliance to legislative framework to RPL implementation in higher education and training in South Africa with special reference to LIS field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the history, current status and possible future directions for intellectual disability (ID) policy and practice in South Africa (SA). Design/methodology/approach: The paper was developed by academics and practitioners in the field of ID in SA. A review of the literature, accompanied by a joint writing and discussion process was carried out to identify critical issues in the development of ID services, specifically facing the challenge of moving from racially based provision towards equitable services for all citizens with ID. Findings: Progressive policy has replaced practices of scientific racism which were previously used to support the establishment of white supremacism. This positive move is still in process and has not resulted in the immediate establishment of human rights. A vibrant civil society is engaging with this task currently. Research limitations/implications: The findings point to the need for a human rights approach that takes into account the postcolonial context of SA. Practical implications: There is a need for continued advocacy that is inclusive of people with ID and their families. Social implications: Continuing engagement between government and civil society is recommended to ensure the achievement of human rights for citizens with ID. Originality/value: This paper is of value to ID researchers and practitioners from the global South as it describes a non-western context that might have resonance with other low and middle income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper uses co-ownership as a proxy for determining the extent of collaboration on LibGuides in public universities in South Africa.Design/methodology/approach This is a quantitative study that uses webometrics techniques to establish collaboration on LibGuides among librarians in public universities in South Africa. The LibGuide pages of all public universities in the country are visited. Co-ownership of those LibGuides is established by going through the list of co-owners usually situated on the right-hand side menu bar. The data are divided into 16 Excel spreadsheets, each representing a South African public university with LibGuides.Findings The results show that only 8.1 per cent or 95 of 1,166 LibGuides are co-owned, whereas in 9.4 per cent (109 of 1,166) of LibGuides, the ownership reverts to the host library, as there are no authors indicated. Only 34 of 95 or 35.8 per cent of co-owned LibGuides are cross-campus or inter-campus collaborations suggesting that there is very little cross-pollination of ideas between different campuses of the same universities in South Africa.Research limitations/implications This study will lead to a better understanding of the extent of collaboration between librarians in Africa, generally, but specifically in South Africa. In addition, it poses a challenge to library managers to develop strategies that promote and nurture a culture of collaboration between and among librarians to avoid unnecessary duplication. The recommendations of this study can be used to improve collaboration between and among librarians. The biggest limitation of this study is that it did not look into the attitudes, constraints and impediments of collaboration between and among librarians. This area, however, is recommended for further research.Practical implications The implication of these results is that there is a duplication of LibGuides, effort and time across different campuses of the same universities, as some universities have a number of LibGuides on the same subject areas across the institutions. There is very little cross-pollination of ideas between various universities as reflected by a lack of inter-university LibGuides in the country.Social implications Duplication of LibGuides does not assist the users as it only adds to the information overload rather than assisting them by streamlining the information.Originality/value This study may well be the first study of its nature in the world. It is the view of the authors that this study will not only close the gap in the literature on LibGuides but also explain the use of Web 2.0 tools in libraries in developing countries as collaboration tools. It will add another perspective to the discourse about the collaboration in library and information science generally. This paper may lead to further research on the collaboration efforts of practising librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Despite agriculture being the largest employer of young people, South Africa faces a youth unemployment crisis. The youth are increasingly disinterested in agriculture and often view it as a last resort in the absence of alternative employment opportunities. This paper explores strategies to change these negative perceptions and attract young people to agriculture. Drawing on twenty-two studies conducted over the past decade, national grade 12 statistics, University enrolments, yearbook reviews, and twenty job advertisements, I identify five key areas for intervention. First, the youth interested in agripreneurship need support to access financial and physical resources. They also need training offered jointly by tertiary institutions and the government. Second, agricultural education in primary and secondary schools will likely attract and retain youths to agriculture. Third, we need to reform the education system at all levels to ensure holistic student development opportunities, including the technical and soft skills required by agricultural sector employers. Fourth, our marketing strategies need reform; collaboration with the media is necessary to increase awareness and change youths' perceptions about agriculture and agricultural careers. Five, we need to strengthen the role of agricultural associations to bridge the gap between the agricultural sector and secondary and tertiary education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite high rates of education expenditure, South Africa's education system remains sharply unequal and underperforms overall compared to other countries. One approach to addressing education inequality and underperformance is community-based peer mentorship. This paper presents evidence from the Nine Tenths mentorship programme in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) as a way to improve academic performance among matric students in under-resourced secondary schools. Using school matric pass rates from 2012 to 2021 and student admission metrics for participants in 2020–2022, a strong association is found between the activities of Nine Tenths and improved academic performance. No-fee schools where Nine Tenths is active record pass rates that are 28 percentage points higher on average than schools without Nine Tenths. Matric students who participate in Nine Tenths increase their Admissions Points Score (APS) by 4.23 points on average, and every student between 2020 and 2022 earned a bachelor pass. While the evidence suggests that Nine Tenths is effective, the programme operates on a relatively small scale and is not broad-based in its implementation. The programme shows is a promising example of community-based interventions to address schooling inequality independently and more efficiently than the current education policy in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the profound connection between race, gender, and culture in post-apartheid education at a public Afrikaans dual-language school in South Africa. Illustrating how the residues and remnants of apartheid legacies propagate arcane constructions of whiteness through interwoven racial and gendered stereotypes, this research maps the dynamic motility of local regimes of power that erase students' individuality, discipline their agency, and influence their identities through their everyday school experiences. Using a critical race theory approach, Foucauldian theoretical frameworks and Bourdieu's notions of cultural capital, this critical ethnographic case study draws on observations and interviews with students and teachers. Written from the positionality of a US researcher, with the critically reflexive view of an outsider to the Afrikaans culture and the South African educational system, this paper considers the power of remaining constructions of whiteness to dominate, reproduce and fortify demoded and baneful gender regimes and racial hierarchies in educational spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper was motivated by the anecdotal experiences of the lead author on the views of middle-class Black African parents who did their schooling under apartheid and who were parents of high school learners in contemporary post-apartheid South Africa. In this paper narrative inquiry was used to engage with ten purposively selected Black African parents. In the process their narratives of schooling under apartheid and the parental choices they made on the subjects their children studied were constructed. As a theoretical lens Critical Race Theory was used to allow the parents to tell their counter-stories. These parents were adamant that their children should not study history. This was partially rooted in their own apartheid-era schooling experiences. For the most part the Black African parents tried to live their unfulfilled dreams and ambitions through their children by getting them to study science and mathematics as this was directly linked to upward-mobility, middle-classness, prosperity and success. While school history in the post-apartheid context was lauded and appreciated, the prevailing sentiment was that their children should steer clear of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A conceptual confusion of theory exists in South African Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) research in which the concept is used with borderline, related, contrary, invented, or illegitimate concepts such as a model, approach, construct, hypothesis, theoretical framework, or conceptual framework. As a result, some researchers choose not to apply theory, apply a narrow definition, or risk their manuscripts being rejected when theory is inadequately applied. This article seeks to expand the understanding of the concept theory in South African ODeL research. In particular, the purpose of the paper is to clarify the meaning and reduce ambiguities surrounding theory, as well as promote consistency in using the concept in South African ODeL research. Subsequently, the article develops a conceptual framework through a comprehensive literature review, and through the application of the eight steps for a concept analysis. This framework consists of six conceptual components related to the application of theory in order to meet the expected outcome of a particular ODeL research project. Four of the components that are deemed more important include defining attributes, identifying model cases, antecedents, consequences and empirical referents. The conceptual framework serves as a thinking tool for an integrated and deepened understanding of the concept theory and for enhancing the appropriate use of theories in South African ODeL research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]