South African Journal of Education

Exploring socio-demographic factors associated with poor school attendance among secondary school learners in South Africa

Viome Amakuro Showers — 2025-04-01

The Department of Basic Education in South Africa acknowledges that 99% of primary school-aged children attend school, but attendance at secondary school level is not yet universal. Low levels of secondary school attendance contribute to poverty and unemployment. We investigated the socio-demographic elements associated with school attendance among secondary school-aged learners in South Africa. We adopted a quantitative research approach and a cross-sectional design. The positivist research paradigm was applied, and the 2019 General Household Survey data (nationally representative survey) were used. The family socialisation theory and household production framework were embraced as the theoretical framework in this study. Descriptive analysis and cross- tabulations were conducted, and a Chi-square test was performed to measure the association between school attendance and learners’ characteristics. Furthermore, logistic regression was conducted to explore the factors associated with school attendance. Study findings agree with the assertions of the family socialisation theory and household production framework. We found that the overall school attendance level was 93.5% and older learners had significantly lower levels of school attendance. High levels of educational qualification of household heads inspired higher school attendance as the odds of school attendance for learners quadrupled when household heads attained secondary education relative to those with unschooled heads (OR = 4.1; p < 0.001). Being a Coloured learner, being part of a large household, being an orphan, and living in a low-income household were associated with reduced levels of school attendance. We recommend targeting and supporting learners who are over-aged for their grades, Coloured, and with poor or educationally low family backgrounds via conditional cash transfers to improve school attendance in the South African population.

Teachers’ attitudes and challenges towards the implementation of entrepreneurship education in Limpopo primary and high schools

Samuel Ntsanwisi — 2025-04-01

With this study we aimed to investigate teachers’ attitudes and challenges towards the implementation of entrepreneurial education in South African primary and high schools in the Mopani district of the Nkowankowa circuit in the Limpopo province. Simple, random sampling was used to select 101 teachers from 25 rural schools. The quantitative method was employed to investigate teachers’ attitudes and challenges towards the implementation of entrepreneurial education. A questionnaire was used to collect data on the teachers’ attitude towards entrepreneurship education. In this article, 2 factors – teachers’ attitudes towards entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurship education challenges within school constructs – are discussed. The statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS), with the aid of descriptive statistics, was used to analyse the data. The Cronbach alpha scores for all internal consistency scales were 0.90. The reliability test indicates that 0.80 and above is more reliable, and 0.90 offers the best scores. Face validity was established by determining the factor structure of the instrument. Concerning Bartlett’s test of sphericity, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) was found to be 0.805, and it was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Literature reports that KMO values between 0.7 and 1 indicate that the sampling is adequate. The results show that 96% of teachers felt that the challenge with regard to the implementation of entrepreneurial education was a lack of training. The results disclose that the majority of teachers (93.1%) indicated that entrepreneurship education was relevant in schools. Based on these findings, we propose that entrepreneurship should be implemented as a standalone subject within the basic education curriculum. In support of this vision, financial and physical resources are a vital propellant in achieving this trajectory.

The moderating effect of school climate on the relationship between school belonging and delinquent behaviour in high school students

Latife Kabaklı Çimen — 2025-04-01

With this study I investigated the moderating effect of school climate on the relationship between adolescents’ school belonging and their delinquent behaviour. For this purpose, the relational survey method, 1 of the quantitative research methods, and the bio-ecological framework was used. The participants in the study were a total of 698 high school students, of whom 326 were female and 372 were male. The school belonging scale, delinquent behaviour scale, and school climate scale were used in the study. The IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Amos version 25 program was used to analyse the quantitative data obtained. I applied correlation analysis and moderating analysis to determine the relationships between high school students’ perceptions of school climate, their school belonging, and their delinquent behaviour. According to the research results, a significant and negative relationship exists between students’ school belonging levels and delinquent behaviour. The results also show that school climate moderated the negative relationship between school belonging and delinquent behaviour. The school climate strengthens the significant negative relationship between school belonging and delinquent behaviour. Based on the findings, I suggest that educators should actively monitor and improve the psychosocial aspects of the school climate to increase students’ school belonging and reduce their delinquent behaviour.

Exploring the effects of rotational models on the implementation of the progression policy with the view to providing curriculum support

Makobo Lydia Mogale — 2025-04-01

The global outbreak of COVID-19 aggravated inequalities in the basic education sector in South Africa. The pandemic necessitated mechanisms to advance learning while safeguarding against the spread of the life-threatening virus. To pursue teaching and learning, rotational school attendance models were introduced. However, the notion of “no child left behind” remains a concern due to the complexities of the rotations. A progression policy that encourages curriculum support to bridge the content gap was introduced to remedy unnecessary school dropouts that emanated from continuous retention. Progressed learners require catch-up programmes outside of normal school hours. With this study we sought to explore the effects of rotational models on the implementation of the progression policy with the view to providing curriculum support. Using a qualitative research approach, we focused on curriculum support for learners progressed to Grade 12 at 1 secondary school. Purposive sampling was used to select 6 teachers who accommodated 5 or more progressed learners in their classrooms. Data were collected through document analysis and individual semi- structured interviews. The findings reveal that rotational learning has resulted in a learner articulation gap. Therefore, there is a need for curriculum support for progressed learners to assist them in coping with mastering new concepts and the curriculum in the new grade. We conclude that teacher professional development is essential for relevant curriculum support of learners. We propose the need to rethink and reimagine the implementation of the progression policy during and after the pandemic to reshape it to address the learner articulation gap.

The influence of teachers’ ethics accountability system on teachers’ ethics anomie behaviour

Jianshan Cheng — 2025-04-01

In recent years the Chinese government and its educational administrative departments and schools have been emphasising the need to give top priority to the development of teachers’ ethics, and have introduced a 1-vote veto system for teachers’ ethical performance. However, the 1-vote veto system that strengthens the follow-up management of accountability results is only an expedient measure to eliminate teachers’ ethics anomie behaviour. Developing and completely implementing a teacher’s ethics accountability system is the fundamental policy to govern teachers’ ethics anomie behaviour. To analyse the influence of the ethics accountability system on teachers’ ethics anomie behaviour a questionnaire survey was conducted with 1,548 teachers in Chinese primary and secondary schools. The results show that the subject of accountability, the school’s emphasis, the legal norms at the national level, and the effect of accountability results have a significant impact on teachers’ ethics anomie behaviour. In order to improve the teachers’ ethics accountability system and reduce teachers’ ethics anomie behaviour, education administrative departments and schools should reasonably set up accountability subjects, increase schools’ emphasis on accountability, enhance the operability of accountability content, and ensure the fairness of the results of accountability and the subsequent management.

The effectiveness of social story interventions presented with the Orff approach in acquisition of musical skills by developmentally disabled children

Didem Mutlu Karsiyakali Dogan — 2025-04-01

In this study the effectiveness of social story (SS) interventions combined with the Orff approach in teaching musical skills to children with developmental disabilities (DD) was examined. Three middle school children – 2 girls and 1 boy with DD between 11 and 13 years old participated in the study. In this research, a single-subject with multiple-probe design with probe trials across subjects was employed. The research findings demonstrate that SS interventions combined with the Orff approach play an effective role in acquiring musical skills in children with DD. The results also show that all children could maintain and generalise their acquired musical skills. Finally, children and their families’ opinions about the social validity were positive.

Creating capacity for change through short learning programmes for professional learning for inclusive education of teachers in South Africa

M.D. Sepadi — 2025-04-01

Teachers are critical to any new initiative to take root in schools. Therefore, creating capacity through learning and professional development is fundamental to any change in schools. With this article we analyse teachers’ experiences of taking a short learning programme (SLP) for the implementation of inclusive education in the Limpopo province, South Africa. We used a qualitative research methodology and adopted a case study design. Ten teachers were recruited through purposive sampling to participate in the study. The selection criteria included teachers who had at least 10 years of teaching experience. The data collection process involved conducting individual semi-structured interviews, and the subsequent analysis was undertaken using Luckett’s (1995) theory of modes of learning. The findings of the study indicate that teachers articulated a need for learning and professional development programmes. They expressed satisfaction with the SLP strategy, the knowledge acquired within the programme and appreciated the quality of facilitation and facilitators. These findings have influential implications on how learning and professional development programmes should be structured to advance inclusive education in South African schools.

Analysis of prospective teachers’ opinions on linguistic communication competence: A comparative view

Antonio Luque de la Rosa — 2025-04-01

In recent decades we have witnessed the progressive implementation of a culture of inclusion making it is essential to provide teachers with training in generic and specific competencies, being the reinforcement of attitudes and views regarding attention to diversity that will be fundamental to ensure the effective implementation of this educational model. Although the study of teachers’ views regarding inclusive education has been the subject of much research, we did not find an extensive wide repertoire concerning the opinions of university students on educative attention to specific educational support needs centred in the field of competence in linguistic communication. Thus, with this study we aimed to analyse the opinions of trainee teachers on the development of this key competence in primary education and their training at university. For this, 2 university realities in different international contexts were compared through a mixed descriptive categorical analysis. The main conclusions are that, although there is a consensus about the importance of developing linguistic communication competence, there are considerable differences between the 2 contexts in terms of attention to diversity, teacher education and training, and the provision of resources for its promotion in the classroom.

Perceptions of English language learning and teaching: Implications for social justice in Chivi district primary schools, Zimbabwe

Khama Mashuro — 2025-04-01

In this study we critically investigated English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) in the Chivi district (Zimbabwe) and the implications of its use as the LoLT for social justice education. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus-group interviews, observation and document analysis. The results show that social justice education is achievable when both learners and teachers have equal access to the language of their choice in teaching and learning. The findings further reveal that English as the language of instruction is considered to be a threat to people’s culture and identity. With this study we contribute to the existing body of knowledge by advocating for social justice within the education system in the Chivi district of Zimbabwe.

School principals’ leadership development: Lessons from the ACE school leadership programme on leading during the COVID-19 pandemic

Ephraim Matala Kgwete — 2025-04-01

The COVID-19 pandemic presented the world with many challenges – some of which were unprecedented challenge for school leaders. The South African Department of Education (DoE) introduced a new threshold qualification, an Advanced Certificate in Education (School Leadership) (ACE), which was the first concrete step towards implementing a compulsory professional qualification for principalship. In this study I employed qualitative case study research methods and procedures to investigate the influence of the ACE programme on leadership practices. Six township secondary school principals from the Mpumalanga province, South Africa, who had completed the ACE programme were purposively selected. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. A thematic approach was used to analyse the data. The findings display ample evidence of the nomothetic dimensions of the social systems theory, outweighing the ideographic dimensions in the preparation programme for principals. The study revealed that the programme mostly developed principals’ management practices and needed to develop principals’ leadership skills as well. Furthermore, the study revealed that principals were able to apply the management skills gained from the ACE programme during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Altering students’ attitude towards learning mathematics through project-based learning: A mathematics project

Nadia Rehman — 2025-04-01

Project-based learning (PBL) is increasingly recognised as a transformative alternative to traditional, instructor-centred education, fostering positive student attitudes towards learning. However, public schools in Pakistan largely adhere to conventional teaching methods, contributing to poor mathematics achievement and negative student attitudes. In this study we explored the potential of PBL to enhance attitudes and mathematics performance among students in Pakistani public schools. Grounded in constructivist learning theory, which emphasises active, experiential learning, we employed a quasi-experimental design in this study. The experimental group received PBL-based instruction, while the control group was taught using traditional methods. Pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments were conducted for both groups to measure attitudes and achievement. Quantitative data were collected through an attitude scale and an achievement test, and qualitative insights were gathered via structured interviews. Statistical analysis of the quantitative data, using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and independent sample t-test, revealed a significant improvement in the experimental group’s attitudes toward mathematics learning (z = -4.570, p < .001) and achievement (p < .001). Thematic analysis of qualitative data further highlighted that PBL positively influenced students’ perceptions and success in mathematics while receiving favourable feedback from both teachers and students. These findings underscore the potential of PBL to improve mathematics instruction and student outcomes in primary education. Future research should examine the applicability of PBL across diverse school settings, grade levels, and age groups to establish its broader efficacy in varied educational contexts.

Perceptions of Grade 10 to 12 adolescents on contextual situations that contribute to their psychosocial development challenges

Gift Khumalo — 2025-04-01

Adolescence is a complex developmental stage with challenges that affect transitioning to adulthood. The success in managing the transition depends on personal capabilities, circumstances, and support systems. Contextual situations in adolescent development are understudied in developing countries. In this qualitative study, we explored what South African Grade 10 to 12 adolescents perceived to be the factors influencing their experience of psychosocial challenges at home and at school. Participants (22 Grade 10–12 learners) completed an open-ended survey structured as a written interview. Thematic analysis of the data revealed 2 main themes: home life situations (household financial difficulties, unfavourable living conditions, time-inflexible house chores, poor parent-child relationships, lack of support from families), and school life situations (peers’ inappropriate behaviour, perceptions of ineffective school leadership, teachers’ low work enthusiasm and commitment, insufficient school resources, unsafe and unfavourable geographical conditions). The findings suggest a need for psychosocial intervention by school social workers at family and school levels to support adolescents in negotiating their psychosocial developmental transition to young adulthood. The departments of education, social development and health, the police services, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) should collaborate to establish school programmes addressing learners’ disruptive behaviour and school safety concerns.

Novice teachers’ professional discourse on teaching natural science in the Foundation Phase in the Western Cape, South Africa

Elizabeth Joy Fredericks — 2025-04-01

In this article we report on the initial professional discourse on teaching natural science (NS) in the Foundation Phase among a sample of novice teachers in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The sample comprised 7 novice teachers (NTs) with 3 or fewer years of teaching experience. We investigated the NTs preparedness to teach NS, exploring their interpretation of the foundation phase (FP) life skills (LS) curriculum and assessment policy statement (CAPS). We identified and examined gaps in the NTs’ understanding and knowledge of teaching NS to formulate an intervention programme (IP), and an 8-week IP integrating theoretical and practical elements was subsequently developed. The data collection instruments included a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. Inductive and deductive analysis were employed in coding the data, defining common trends and categorising these into themes. The findings highlight the teachers’ lack of content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for NS teaching. The study underscores the need for effective approaches to teaching NS, such as a pedagogy of inquiry with specific strategies to foreground learner agency. Instruction in these approaches should be incorporated into teacher training curricula at higher education institutions (HEIs), which is recommended as a topic for future research.

The early childhood teacher’s pastoral role in supporting parents of traumatised children: A neuroscientific perspective

C. Meier — 2025-04-01

Childhood trauma as a consequence of complex social challenges is prevalent in South Africa. The pastoral role of the early childhood development (ECD) teacher includes the support of parents with children who have suffered trauma, to promote the well-being of both the child and the parent. Underpinned by the framework of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a systematic literature review was conducted to investigate the contribution of neuroscientific theory to understanding the scope and the effects of childhood trauma to devise evidence- based parental support strategies for ECD teachers. Using a hermeneutic inquiry methodology, 4 key topics identified through the literature review were analysed: understanding trauma and its impact on children; the neurobiological effects of trauma on brain development; the ECD teacher’s pastoral role in supporting parents with traumatised children; and neuroscientific perspectives on parental support for traumatised children. The study provides insights into how various forms and causes of trauma intersect with their neurobiological impacts on children, and how ECD teachers’ pastoral roles may be leveraged to support recovery. This understanding led to the development of practical strategies for teachers and parents that may significantly contribute to establishing a nurturing environment that promotes recovery and growth in children who have experienced trauma.

Scientific work independence to support the implementation of science integrated learning at various education levels

Parmin — 2025-04-01

With the research reported here, we specifically aim to develop application products of scientific work independence instruments through science integrated learning (SIL) for various education levels (elementary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, and universities). The SIL model was applied in learning to determine specific indicators for scientific work independence following learners’ development through the application of the research and development methodology. Product testing was conducted in elementary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, and universities. Based on the research results, SIL V1.0 App, an acronym for science integrated learning application, was developed based on mobile apps in the form of Android applications that may be installed on devices with Android operating systems (OS). The scientific work independence instrument was developed based on Piaget’s theory, which states that the level of independence at each stage of scientific work is based on the development of children’s learning psychology. The scientific work independence application has precise boundaries because it is adjusted to children’s psychological development. The differences in learning independence levels occur because of the age difference.

The mediating effect of teacher collegiality on the relationship between calling and teacher efficacy

Hye Won Lee — 2025-04-01

In this study I investigated the relationship between sense of calling and efficacy among South Korean early childhood teachers, and whether this relationship was mediated by teacher collegiality. A total of 228 South Korean early childhood teachers completed 3 questionnaires regarding calling, teacher efficacy, and teacher collegiality. The results demonstrate that calling had positive relationships with teacher efficacy and collegiality. In addition, collegiality partially mediated this relationship. These results indicate that an increase in the sense of calling enhances teacher efficacy when an environment of cooperation is created.