Experiences of diversity in a South African public school

For many observers - both inside and outside the country - South Africa’s bloodless transition from the minority white domination of the apartheid era to democracy represented a political miracle of no mean significance. An important difference between the period before 1994 and the subsequent period is that the old divisions into which society was compartmentalised - Whites, Blacks, Indians and Coloureds - have disappeared. In their place there is a more integrated society, albeit with multiple diversities. Theoretically, therefore, the contours and racially-based dividing lines which were artificially created by apartheid have ceased to exist. Practically, however, such divisions still persist - both at societal and at school levels. The reason for this is that the deep-seated distrust of the ‘other’ could not be wiped out overnight - nor could integration take place without deliberate state intervention. Thus, using an ethnographic case study research design, this thesis - Experiences of diversity in a South African Public School - contributes to the contemporary debate on desegregation, racial integration and cultural diversification of the learning environment. It traces the progress of a former Whites-only Afrikaans medium high school to determine the success or failure of the education department’s declared goal of ensuring racial integration at school level. The study concludes that contrary to the findings of other recent research projects on desegregation in South Africa, school integration and the social cohesion of learners are possible if a proper enabling environment is created. Undertaken at a specific school, the study does not claim that the findings are a trend in other schools as well, although that cannot be totally ruled out in schools similar to the one studied. Most learners at this school have, reasonably, crossed the racial divide and have realised that they cannot exist independently from one another anymore - even when this seems to contradict the expectations of their parents.Thesis (PhD (Education Management, Law and Policy))--University of Pretoria, 2007.Education Management and Policy Studiesunrestricte

Academic mobility and the experiences of foreign staff at South African higher education institutions

This article analyses patterns of international academic mobility and the experiences of foreign staff at South African higher education institutions. Using the “pull and push factors” as a conceptual framework, it argues that the patterns of international academic staff mobility follow the pattern of international cross-border migrants. These are driven mainly by the pull factors which include quest for better opportunities in life including education. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods to uncover the motivations and experiences of foreign academics in South Africa. The article uses three sources of data namely documentary analysis, statistical data from the Department of Education’s Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS), and data from questionnaires that were distributed to foreign academic staff at the three South African universities; namely, the University of Pretoria, University of South Africa, and University of the Witwatersrand. For the foreign academic staff working in South Africa, it was demonstrated that they have both positive and negative experiences. The negative experiences seem to be related to the major nation building project to overcome racism and xenophobia. The principles of non-racialism and, non-discrimination need to be promoted in order to build an inclusive and socially coherent society.https://www.journals.ac.za/index.php/sajhepm2020Education Management and Policy Studie