Factors influencing lecturer’s retention in a South African University

University stakeholders are a united entity; whenever one party does not hold up their end of the deal, it eventually becomes a challenge for all the stakeholders. In this case, universities that are struggling to retain lecturers pose a challenge to the universities’ goodwill. Accordingly, this study examines factors influencing lecturers’ retention in a South African university, and the guidelines for the universities to enhance lecturer retention policies are investigated. Herzberg’s two-factor theory was adopted as the theoretical framework for the study. The qualitative research approach was adopted within the Transformative paradigm using Participatory case study as a research design. A total of 14 participants were selected using a purposive sampling method amongst a pool of university stakeholders. As a result, semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data was analysed using thematic analysis. The study found that less promotional opportunities and less recognition are factors influencing lecturers’ retention in a South African university. In addition, flexible work arrangements together with the promotion of teamwork, were suggested as guidelines for universities to enhance lecturer retention. Therefore, promoting deserving lecturers, counteroffers, recognising hard-working lecturers, flexible work schedules and promoting teamwork are the recommendations to transform retention problems in universities

The Effect of Batho Pele Principles on Mediating Internally and Externally Directed Knowledge-sharing Practices in Public Schools

All public service organisations in the world use social policies as a guide to render services for the greater good of their citizenries. Operating in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) implies that schools need to reinvent their role (administratively, pedagogically and otherwise) to ensure that they become catalysts for transferal of context-specific knowledge, problem-solving skills and creative thinking. Also, amidst a growing call by indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) scholars, governments and tribal authorities throughout the continent for African organisations to consider infusing indigenous epistemologies into their daily professional practices, this qualitative study investigated how Batho Pele (a Sotho word meaning “people first”) principles moderated participants’ execution of internally and externally directed knowledge-sharing practices at three selected public schools in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The sample constituted 20 participants, namely teachers, heads of departments, administrative clerks and principals. Based on a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews and documents, the study found that two of the selected three schools did not consistently comply with the Batho Pele principles (BPPs) of (a) consultation, (b) access, courtesy and redress, (c) encouraging and rewarding excellence in innovation, and (d) leadership and strategic direction. Only one school was found to have satisfactorily complied with all the prescribed BPPs in how it fostered internally directed (or collegial) knowledge-sharing practices. However, in so far as the infusion of BPPs in externally directed knowledge-sharing practices (more especially towards parents, educational officials, stakeholders from the public and private sectors and the school community at large) was concerned, all three schools were found to have satisfactorily engendered a climate of (a) consultation, (b) access, courtesy and redress, (c) information, openness and transparency, and (d) value for money. The study recommends that the fervency with which schools practise externally directed knowledge sharing must also be replicated in internally directed knowledge-sharing practices

Legal Remedies for Teachers as Victims of Workplace Bullying in South Africa

Workplace bullying is a serious issue among teachers in South Africa, with detrimental effects on their physical and mental health, job satisfaction, and overall wellbeing. This article examines the legal remedies available to teachers who are victims of workplace bullying. These remedies include delictual liability, vicarious liability, constitutional claims, dispute resolution mechanisms, constructive dismissal, criminal law, and civil law, each of which provides a different avenue for teachers to seek legal redress. These approaches include compensation for damages, protection of their constitutional rights, and criminal charges against the person(s) accused of bullying. However, barriers such as lack of legal literacy, fear of retaliation, and cost and time constraints, may prevent teachers from accessing legal support. To address these barriers, teachers need adequate legal support and resources. This process includes legal aid services and training programmes on constitutional rights and procedures. This study utilizes a document analysis approach to examine relevant laws, policies, and case law related to workplace bullying. Future research could explore the effectiveness of different legal remedies in addressing workplace bullying among teachers. It could also explore both the facilitators of legal support and the barriers to accessing such assistance. Policy development could focus on strengthening legislative protection for teachers and victims of workplace bullying. This practice could include the development of specific legislation or regulations that address workplace bullying and provide clear guidelines for instigating legal action. This study found that the legal resources available to teachers who are victims of workplace bullying in South Africa offer different avenues for seeking legitimate redress. As indicated above, these processes include compensation for damages, protection of constitutional rights, and criminal charges against the perpetrator(s) of intimidation. However, obstacles preventing teachers from accessing legal support include a lack of legal literacy, fear of retaliation, and cost and time constraints. Overall, this article contributes to a better understanding of the legal framework surrounding workplace bullying in South Africa. It provides insights into the ways in which legal remedies can be utilized to protect teachers' rights and prevent workplace bullying

Entrepreneurial Learning: Creating Value towards Social Justice

Economic equality contributes towards social justice through equal access to opportunities for employment, income generation, or starting businesses. Entrepreneurship is often viewed as the panacea for job creation and reducing unemployment. Entrepreneurship education, therefore, supports the development and expansion of learners’ knowledge and understanding of entrepreneurship. The notion is that when more learners opt to become entrepreneurs, economic inequality will be reduced. Entrepreneurship education continues to be studied for its contribution towards attaining social justice through economic equality. Recent literature, however, indicates a notable shift towards embracing a broader perspective of entrepreneurship education rather than only lauding it for its economic value creation. Numerous contemporary publications use the term entrepreneurial learning rather than entrepreneurship education. This shift emphasises the role of learners to learn self-directedly so as to think entrepreneurially or behave in an entrepreneurial manner rather than educators teaching them to “become entrepreneurs” (i.e., starting a business). Entrepreneurial learning intends to benefit not only the entrepreneurship learner but also purposefully endeavours to create value for others. The current conceptual paper focuses on this broader value-creation purpose of entrepreneurial learning and how this different view can contribute to attaining social justice if embedded in the South African school curriculum using a socio-constructivist theoretical framework. Conceptual recommendations are made for the optimal construction of entrepreneurial learning in upcoming curriculum adaptations to buttress its broader value-creation purpose in support of social justice

Calibrating the lives and lived experiences of teachers in India: A plea for research

The purpose of this study is to highlight the insufficient understanding of the lives and concerns of government schoolteachers in India, who are often blamed for the deteriorating state of public schools in the country.  It examines previous studies on the subject and contends that they have not adequately represented the teachers' perspectives and voices. In order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Indian teaching workforce, it is crucial to conduct research that delves into the personal lives and experiences of Indian teachers. To this end, this review paper adopts a hermeneutic approach to select relevant studies for analysis. We explore the evolution of research on the lives of teachers as a distinct field of study, and introduce several prominent studies in this area to provide a foundation for future research in the Indian context. Ultimately, we identify several key questions that can be addressed through an examination of the lives of Indian teachers

The Role of School Leaders in Developing Teams: Sources and Triggers in School Health Promotion

Although teams are the cornerstone of school health promotion, sources of team learning and the role of school leaders in developing such teams is unknown. It is important to understand the sources and triggers of team learning in order to establish the role of school leadership in the development of such teams. The investigation adopted a qualitative approach and a single case study design. Six members of the school management team and 12 teachers from one school participated. Eight of the 12 teachers were members of health committees responsible for the implementation of health policies in the school. Data were gathered by means of individual and focus group interviews. The findings revealed three sources of team learning that may be regarded as triggers: routine health promoting activities in the school, policies and guidelines for implementation of health programmes, and collaboration with other role players. School leaders were found to play an essential and multi-faceted role in team development, in that they were responsible for establishing developmental training programmes including creating opportunities for evaluation and reflection, managing interpersonal relationships and roles, articulating a vision, and facilitation of an open dialogue about the implementation of the health policy

Dilemma of School Management Teams in Balancing Discipline and Multiple Deprivations among Learners through Integrated Management Approach

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) has emphasized the paramount importance of ensuring the safety and protection of children globally. In alignment with this goal, the South African government took a proactive step by prohibiting corporal punishment as a means of disciplining learners within schools. However, this prohibition subsequently led to a resurgence of learner indiscipline within the educational system. The objective of this study was to delve into the experiences of School Management Teams (SMT) employing an integrated management approach to maintain discipline in an environment marked by multiple challenges. Through qualitative research methods involving interviews and document analysis, this study gathered insights from purposively selected participants, including teachers (2), SMT members who are also parents (2), and student leaders (4). Thematic analysis was conducted on the data and findings were categorized based on the emerging themes. The outcomes of this research shed light on several critical factors affecting discipline within schools. Firstly, the leniency exercised by teachers was identified as a significant factor undermining the enforcement of the school code of conduct. Secondly, overcrowded classrooms emerged as a substantial obstacle, making it arduous for teachers to offer individualized attention and promptly address behavioural issues. Lastly, inadequate support from the Department of Basic Education was recognized as a clear barrier to effectively upholding discipline in schools. In light of these findings, it is imperative to advocate for comprehensive training programs and adequate resource allocation for school management teams. These initiatives would equip SMTs to navigate the unique challenges associated with multiple deprivations and effectively manage disciplinary matters. Such investments are indispensable for fostering an environment conducive to effective education and overall growth of learners

Revisiting 'Great Media Debate': Technology-Mediated Learning and Ground Realities Across the Indian Institutes of Technology

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, curriculum planners are giving more weightage to online learning. However, it would be incomplete to re-imagine curricula without considering the factors impacting learning. In this context, the ‘Great Media Debate’ (GMD), initiated between Richard Clark and Robert Kozma in the 1990s, discusses the factors influencing learning. While Clark focuses on instructional methods, Kozma posits that both methods and media impact learning. Our study re-visits the GMD in the present context of online learning and extends it, making it more heuristic by adding a specific contextual social factor, i.e., Availability and Accessibility of the Internet (A2I) at the individual/ household level to the debate.  We build our proposition based on the 11,489 learners’ responses collected as a part of the Pan-IIT study in India and focus on the case study of one specific institution, IIT Jammu. The analysis using chi-square tests, Fisher’s exact tests, and descriptive statistics finds strong evidence for A2I to impact online learning, thereby broadening the GMD. A2I also influences the media by shaping the learners’ preferences for the media used in traditional classrooms. Finally, it brings out the rural-urban divide due to unequal internet distribution, raising the possibility of a more exclusionary curriculum for the learners. We conclude that there is a need for the contextual social factor, i.e., A2I, among others, to be strongly acknowledged in the GMD, enabling it to take a more comprehensive form and consequently, holding the potential to enrich the curricular reimagination

Constructing a Social Justice Curriculum Policy in the 21st Century

In the dynamic and ever-changing educational landscape, it is crucial to rethink and construct social curriculum policy in the 21st Century. At the same time considering integrating skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving into the curriculum, and reflecting the evolving needs of a dynamic society. The endeavour of developing a robust social justice curriculum policy requires a clear understanding of the diverse and ever-changing needs of learners and education practitioners, as well as the commitment to fostering inclusivity, equality, equity and empowerment within educational systems. There are twelve articles published in this special issue. We believe that these articles will assist policymakers in various countries, provinces or states, and districts to frame and construct the socially justice curriculum policy for 21st Century

Legal Execution of Curriculum in Primary Schools: School Management Teams’ Perspectives

In terms of curriculum management in primary schools, the study's main goal was to examine the roles and experiences of school management teams (SMTs). Therefore, it was intended to look at the functions of SMTs as instructional leaders. A qualitative research strategy was adopted, and data were gathered through non-participant observation, individual interviews, focus groups, and document analysis. The participants' meanings of their lived experiences were described using the interpretivist paradigm. The management of curriculum implementation was viewed through the lenses of instructional leadership and traditional management ideas. SMTs, or participants with plenty of information, were chosen through purposeful sampling. It was discovered that the SMTs must apply both management and leadership constructs to manage the execution of the program effectively. Ineffective management and leadership prevent effective teaching from taking hold in classrooms. For schools to be effective, leadership and management must be of a high calibre. Additionally, it was discovered that while SMTs were able to recognize their tasks, some of them lacked expertise in managing the execution of curricula.   Only primary schools were examined, and the study mostly relied on the opinions of the SMTs, which include the principle, deputy principal, departmental heads, subject heads, and senior teachers