The use of indigenous plants as food by a rural community in the Eastern Cape: Tuku 'A' Village, Peddie

In this short contribution the author, a Masters in Environmental Education student, introduces his research into a rural community's knowledge about, attitudes towards and extensive use of plants which grow wild in their locality, with specific reference to their diet. Taking an ethnographic approach to the study of people's relationships with plants, Shava spent a number of weeks in a village in Peddie, South Africa. Here he learned that some young people still know much about wild plants and their uses, but that these plants are playing a decreasing role in their diets. He attributes the growing negative attitudes towards wild plants to modernisation, the non-supportive role of formal education, and advertising which encouraged people to rely on store-bought foods. Environmental educators should consider paying greater attention to the role of "wild" foods in the diet. Such attention can contribute not only to the conservation of biodiversity, but also to greater food security and health

Reinforcing the Role of ICT in Enhancing Teaching and Learning Post-COVID-19 in Tertiary Institutions in South Africa

The use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in higher education is becoming more and more prevalent with the over-proliferation of technological development we find ourselves in. The educational landscape in South African tertiary institutions has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in increased use of ICT. In turn, this has transformed these institutions' teaching, learning, and research. Central to this transformation has been challenges facing both teachers and administrators, including the need for a great demonstration of the value of ICT through improved output on teaching, learning and research. This paper examines the use of ICT in enhancing teaching and learning in South African tertiary institutions during and post COVID-19. Using an extensive secondary review approach, the report observes that ICT has been widely embraced in tertiary institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. However, a minority of students and lecturers still lack the technological expertise to utilise modern technologies. In addition, limited funding in some rural universities hinders the purchasing of modern ICT equipment to support teaching and learning in tertiary institutions. The paper recommends increasing the value of ICT usage in the teaching and learning process post-COVID-19. Regular workshops and in-service training of both teaching staff, students and administrators in pedagogical issues and administration should be increased

Power/Knowledge in the Governance of Natural Resources: A Case Study of Medicinal Plant Conservation in the Eastern Cape

This article explores the power/knowledge relations at the knowledge generating interface between a modern community development organisation and a traditional health practitioner community in a town in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, through the lens of Foucaldian governmentality. This case study is part of a broader study which explores power/knowledge relationships in the representation and application of indigenous knowledges in selected environmental education and community development contexts. This study traces the various loci of power/knowledge and their implications in a project focusing on the conservation of traditional medicinal plants in which the community development organisation and traditional health practitioner community were involved as key partners. The case study provides a micro-setting to analyse natural resource governance, which reveals how power located in modern institutions is reinforced by the generation and accumulation of disciplinary (scientific) knowledge as a hegemonic regime of truth that is applied in the governance of medicinal resources. It also reveals the location of power within the traditional healer community on the other hand and how this is maintained by the resilient cultural retention of medicinal knowledge and related practices within the community against a background of dominant Western medical practice

Perceived importance of national occupational CADD skill standards among faculty of NAIT accredited institutions

This study presents a descriptive survey that examined the importance and relevance of National Occupational CARD Skills based on the perceptions of faculty teaching at National Association of Industrial Technology (NAIT) accredited institutions. The major goal of the study was to determine what National Occupational CADD Skill Standards are relevant and important to faculty teaching CARD courses. The study was also designed to determine ratings of the perceived importance and relevance of National Occupational CADD Skill Standards by faculty teaching CADD courses at NAIT accredited institutions based on their area of specialization, professional ranking, and teaching experience. This study provided NAIT accredited programs, professionals, and affiliated organizations a reflection of CADD standards developed, adopted, and practiced by faculty teaching CADD courses at NAIT accredited institutions in relation to National Occupational CADD Skill Standards. The population used for this study includes faculty teaching CADD courses in various Industrial Technology programs. For testing hypothesis I, a single sample was used for survey responses. Independent samples were used for survey responses in hypotheses II, III, and V. A single survey instrument was developed for this study. The survey instrument has five sections representing: demographics, fundamental drafting skills, fundamental computer skills, basic CADD skills, and advanced CADD skills. A research hypothesis (H1 : μ ≠ 3) was established for hypothesis I for each item. Research hypotheses (H1 At least one pair of the category means would be different) were established for hypotheses II, III, and IV. Hypothesis I was tested using a single sample t -test at the .O5 level of significance for each of the CADD skill standard item. The ANOVA was used to test hypotheses II, III, and IV. The results of the statistical analyses were used to arrive at inferences on the importance and relevance of National Occupational CADD Skill Standards developed by National Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing (NACFAM) by faculty teaching at NAIT accredited institutions. Statistical analyses also checked on the balance of opinions on importance and relevance of National Occupational CADD Skill Standards between industry and educators. Statistical analyses failed to establish significant mean differences on how faculty teaching CADD at NAIT accredited institutions perceive the importance and relevance of National Occupational CADD Skill Standards in the four hypotheses tested. The four hypotheses are stated in Chapter 1 of the study. Recommendations for further studies are provided in Chapter 5

Viewpoint: Environmental Education Policy Development in Zimbabwe- An Educational Experience

National environmental education policy is essential for guiding and coordinating environmental education activities within a country. The Zimbabwean Environmental Education Policy development process took place between 2000 and 2001.This paper looks at stages in the policy development process, the factors that influenced it and the lessons learnt from the process

Enhancing learner achievement through professional development: The Zimbabwean experience

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Sociological and gender issues in smallholder horticulture: the division of labour and horticulture in relation to household welfare and nutrition

A research paper on gender disparities in the horticultural industry of Zimbabwe.Understanding sociological and gender issues is the key in developing the scale ol' horticultural production among smallholders. This paper is based on practical experience in working with smallholders in Zimbabwe, available information sources and personal experience from a communal upbringing. To date horticulture remains a small operation for most smallholders in Zimbabwe. Even in areas with irrigation facilities and well developed infrastructure, the scale of operation remains well below its potential. To understand this there is need to realize that horticulture is viewed by the smallholder as only one of myriad of other operations that demand his attention. The time and effort therefore given and the scale at which the operation is done depend on the importance rating attached to each enterprise. Horticulture, although a high input enterprise in labour and investment, still has a subsistence rating among many smallholders. With the high quality demanded for export it is rather viewed in terms of the hassle involved. Women smallholders find this more so as they have to shoulder more family responsibilities and jobs than their male counterparts

Black Economic Empowerment in South Africa: Challenges and Prospects

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to assess if the Black Economic Empowerment act has brought new economic horizons for the historically disadvantaged South Africans, or it has contributed to further impoverishmentof the lower classes in communities. The paper based its argument on an extensive literature review which envisaged that, despite many years of its implementation, BEE has caused the emergence of classes resulting fromfraud and corruption, fronting, difficulties in registering status, political interference, and poor accountability strategies. The paper interrogates the implementation strategies of BEE in the local government context to assess whether historical imbalances have been addressed or not. The paper concludes that the government needs to revisit BEE as an economic empowerment policy to see whether it has benefited the black majority or not. The paper reiterates further that, BEE as a black economic emancipation blueprint requires proper implementation and alignment with other economic policies such as the National Development Plan to accelerate economic opportunities for the black majority. The paper recommends the government of South Africa through local municipalities to exercise monitoring and evaluation in the BEE procurement systems are prerequisites in safeguarding the manipulation and corrupt tendencies arising from the awarding of tenders in the local government.Key words: Black Economic Empowerment, South Africa, Challenges, Prospect