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The paper contributes to current debates about decolonising curriculum and advancing corresponding 'humanness pedagogies' in South Africa by developing a capabilitarian approach and foregrounding epistemic justice capabilities. This is aligned with and to fostering a shared African ethic for individual transformation-in-context and for building universities which benefit communities and societies. It is proposed that epistemic justice capabilities are foundational to decolonising curriculum and foundational for pedagogies which mediate disciplinary content and the dismantling of comparative inequalities among students in order to foster humanness. The capabilitarian framework seeks to secure the expanded wellbeing, co-flourishing and agency of all, in this case in and through higher education and a quality, decolonising curriculum oriented to an ecology of knowledges and a generous, inclusive humanity. The paper concludes with suggestions regarding a way forward to dismantle an exclusionary 'epistemic line' and associated oppressions.

This paper investigates in-service intermediate phase mathematics teachers' metacognitive awareness based on their engagement in a professional development intervention in two rural and one township school in South Africa. Professional teacher development interventions should be structured and collaborative as teachers tend to revert to traditional modes of teaching when interventions are brief and sporadic. This research was scaffolded across the zone of proximal teacher development (ZPTD) as conceptualized by Warford (2011). The aim of the study was to investigate how metacognitive awareness facilitated intermediate phase mathematics teachers' ZPTD, i.e., from their actual knowledge to "proximal development". 10 intermediate phase mathematics teachers participated in the qualitative research (n=10). The professional development intervention was conducted on two consecutive Saturdays, infused with an adapted lesson study approach. The data was collected through (i) individual interviews, (ii) reflective prompts, (iii) observations, and (iv) reflective journals. The data from each data source were coded and categorized and were triangulated to answer the research question. Participants deemed the professional development intervention and the accompanying materials as supportive and showed increased metacognitive awareness of their personal teaching praxis during and after the intervention, hence growth along the ZPTD occurred.

Education policies in South Africa are aimed at redressing the legacies of under- and inequitable development, and at making learning opportunities available to all the citizens of this country. The "Amended Norms and Standards for School Funding Policy (2006)," which also outlines the no-fee policy, should be implemented in South African schools to promote the well-being of learners. The purpose of this conceptual paper is to shed light on capabilities needed for the implementation of the policy in South African schools. The paper proposed the implementation of Amartya Sen's "Capability Approach," which is a broad framework that can be used to evaluate various elements of well-being and in terms of the no-fee policy. A capability analysis was applied and key capabilities were identified in the no-fee policy of 2006. The paper suggests that capabilities such as autonomy, accountability and knowledge be implemented by principals of schools to cultivate a conducive school environment for the more effective implementation of the no-fee policy. The findings show that if principals apply the identified capabilities, learners' well-being might be enhanced. The results indicate that an application of a capability approach framework may be deemed desirable for the effective implementation of the no-fee policy.

Background/Aims: Extensive research focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of various positions throughout active second stage labour, but there is limited focus on midwives' practice. This study aimed to explore midwives' practice of maternal positions throughout the active phase of second stage labour. Methods: An integrative review of three databases was carried out for research papers published between 2015 and 2022. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis and synthesis. Results: Five eligible research papers were included. There were four key findings: maternal positions practised by midwives, midwives as the prime decision maker, midwives' personal convenience and comfort, and barriers to practising maternal positions. Conclusions: Midwives were seen as prime decision makers, who hindered informed decision making on maternal positions during active second stage labour. Inadequate knowledge, skills and confidence were barriers to practice and attributed to midwives adopting positions that were convenient and comfortable for themselves. Strategies are needed to enhance practice through review and evaluation of current clinical settings, regular updates to evidence-based practice and refreshing essential midwifery skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persons with disabilities still experience challenges in obtaining employment even though obligations associated with their employment are in place in legislative frameworks that strive to support transformation within the labour market. This paper explores employers' perspectives on the employment of persons with disabilities in South Africa identified in a case study. The influence of social capital on disability inclusive employment was explored from the perspective of two employers who employed trainees who completed an auxiliary training programme for persons with disabilities, which provides opportunities to facilitate pathways to economic inclusion and/or employment. Findings reveal that despite the call for increased labour inclusivity, the development of social capital is not clearly apparent when persons with disabilities are considered for employment. Organisational attitudes and beliefs seem to stem from the obligatory standpoint of the organisations. The paper highlights the need for employers to look beyond impairments so that employment goals are shared and re-enforced by understanding and possibly re-evaluating their views on their organisation's obligations, norms, values and mission, and goals. Insights can guide employers to think more holistically about ways to facilitate the economic inclusion of persons with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the influence of social capital in the training of persons with disabilities. The expansion of social networks is regarded as a central principle of the rehabilitation agenda and thus is a central concept that may influence the training experiences of persons with disabilities. Absent from much of social capital research is its influence on skill development and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. Social capital has the potential to play an important role in the livelihoods of persons with disabilities who are at high risk of being marginalised. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore and critically examine the experiences of persons with disabilities who participated in an auxiliary skill development programme, to determine whether and how it has strengthened and expanded their social capital to advance their opportunities for economic inclusion and/or employment. There is currently no convincing practice available, particularly in the South African employment landscape, around how social capital can be incorporated in the employment of persons with disabilities. An intrinsic case study approach was utilised as it allowed for the identification and description of an employability-related skill development programme for persons with disabilities. In this paper, we argue that the transfer of skills alone is not enough for persons with disabilities to gain employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review explores the professional literature in allied healthcare to determine which self-assessments of mentor skills are the most valid and reliable for use in occupational therapy doctoral capstone programs. The aims of this scoping review include mapping evidence related to mentor assessments in healthcare, exploring implications for occupational therapy doctoral mentor training programs, and identifying common characteristics of mentor self-assessments for occupational therapy programs to consider when developing capstone mentoring resources. Researchers applied and reported via PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A librarian and authors formulated keywords and database selections to search PubMed/MEDLINE/PMC, and Embase were searched from across healthcare professions for training outcomes, mentor self-assessment, mentor attributes, and use of researcher-developed assessments. The search was limited to English publications from the last 20 years. Data were extracted for quantitative information regarding study characteristics and qualitative information about mentoring skills. A total of 852 results were delivered across all databases. Nineteen papers met the final eligibility criteria and were included in the data extraction. Populations were included from several healthcare professions, including 11 nursing, four healthcare researchers, one pharmacy, one midwifery, one medicine, and one medical dietetics. Countries included the United States (n = 7), Finland (n = 5), United Kingdom (n = 4), Japan (n = 1), South Africa (n = 1) and Canada (n = 1). The authors identified four valid self-assessment tools, demonstrating III and IV levels of evidence, that may be implemented by occupational therapy programs as they develop resources for mentor programs. Occupational therapy programs can use the mentor attributes found in this scoping review to create their own mentor assessment measures or may choose to use a validated tool. The authors recommend additional research in mentor education and mentor skill acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - South Africa as a country continues to rank low in the world of competitiveness. It is the aim of this paper to focus on the need for South African organisations to perceive competitive intelligence (CI) as one of the most important tools to improve their competitiveness through a systematic, practical approach to make the CI cycle worthwhile, especially through skills development. The paper intends to identify the skills CI professionals in South Africa need in order to conduct the CI process in organisations effectively, thereby improving the country's competitive position. Design/methodology/approach - The research for the paper is based on an extensive review of literature to identify the skills needed by CI professionals. A survey was conducted, by questionnaire, among organisations in South Africa with existing CI units in which the respondents had to identify the skills they deemed necessary for the CI professional to run the CI process effectively. Findings - Findings suggested that the majority of respondents were 40 years and older, in the top structure of larger organisations and had been using CI for longer than five years. The overwhelming result is that there are skills inequalities between what skills respondents view as crucial and those that rated highest in their self-evaluation. Skills identified as most important include, among others, networking, research skills and analytical abilities. Research limitations/implications - CI in South Africa is still in its infancy and in 2008 no professional CI groups existed. As a result, there is no recognised list of practising South African CI professionals available in South Africa. For this reason the respondent database consists of attendees of CI courses, workshops and seminars held by the Department of Information and Knowledge Management at the University of Johannesburg. Practical implications - The research indicated that where CI had been established in certain organisations for at least five years, it did not reflect positively overall on South Africa's current competitive situation. Where there is a systematic CI approach, however, problem-solving is easier to address and negatives could be turned around. With this in mind and a proper "buy-in" into skills development, it will have a very positive outcome for all the organisations that wish to improve their competitiveness. Originality/value - For a country such as South Africa (and other developing countries) this research is of extreme importance as the country is facing a serious shortage of skills. Skills development of CI professionals can create a strategic advantage for the country and increase South Africa's competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the first democratic elections in 1994, vocational education and training (VET) in South Africa has undergone major changes in order to equip the country to enhance its skills base, and to face post apartheid and globalization challenges. Part of the change has involved the adoption (by some players) of ‘Mode 2’ ideas of knowledge production as suggested by Gibbons and those studying the sociology of knowledge in modern societies. Mode 2 production is trans-disciplinary and uses socially accountable forms to generate scientific knowledge in contrast to ‘Mode 1’ which is mainly based on single scientific disciplines and knowledge generation by the scholarly community. The objective of this adoption in the South African context is to enable a variety of stakeholders to be involved both in enhancing research in South Africa and responding to the needs of different economic sectors. However, the dynamics of stakeholder interaction can be complex. In this paper, we report on a skills capacity building intervention involving the application of Systems Thinking approaches and methodologies in a South African setting. Our intervention was informed by the use of soft systems methodology (SSM) as a means of assisting different groups of researchers firstly to share their perceptions about research in the skills development context, and secondly to collaborate together in generating suggestions for improvements. A key objective was to improve the interactions between researchers and other stakeholders in the organization of skills development research projects. The use of SSM methodology enabled us to ‘qualify’ the nature of these interactions. It also gave us clues about particular issues (e.g. power) that need to be tackled to improve capacity building in this area. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries look to borrow those educational systems that have been successful at meeting particular needs in other parts of the world. However, whether looking to Europe, Asia or the United States, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes are not easily replicated in a new context. Even with well-intentioned government policy and support, they become more or less successful when aligned with the needs of industry, how TVET is viewed and utilized, and cultural and societal impacts of how youth transition to work and career. This paper presents an aspect that is often missing from the literature onthis subject: anexamination of the factors influencing how the TVET implementation plays outwithin a particular industry and country. This paper considers a case involving the process of borrowing a manufacturing skill development programme from theUnited States for implementation in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Acquired brain injury (ABI) is an important public health problem. Individuals with ABI experience greater challenges with community reintegration and successful return to work (RTW) due to both personal and environmental factors. Empirical evidence has shown that women with brain injury are vulnerable to poorer functional outcomes and have demonstrated lower RTW rates post-injury. Therefore, further research is needed to gain greater insight on women with acquired brain injury's functional and work abilities as well as their experiences of RTW and entrepreneurial skills development. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore and describe women with acquired brain injury's experiences during their rehabilitation process, their resumption of their worker role, and entrepreneurial skills development. This qualitative exploration formed part of a study that resulted in an occupational therapy practice model to enhance the entrepreneurial skills of women with acquired brain injury living in the Cape Metropolitan, Western Cape, South Africa. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten females with acquired brain injury. A qualitative approach was employed to thematically analyse the data. RESULTS: Three themes emerged from the study: (1) Barriers within the rehabilitation process, 2) ABI causes loss of a sense of self and financial strain, 3) Entrepreneurship and education as a strategy to empowerment. CONCLUSION: Unmet individual needs related to occupational engagement results in RTW challenges for women with ABI. ABI sequelae cause activity limitations and hinder gainful occupational participation. A holistic client-centred entrepreneurial skills development approach is a viable and needed strategy to facilitate economic empowerment for women with ABI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been countless youth programmes throughout Africa resulting in increased knowledge of HIV, but all too often there is a discrepancy between knowledge and behaviour change. According to available literature, successful projects need to consider the context in which young people live, be consistent with community values, and be family inclusive and youth centred. This, however, requires active involvement of communities, families and youth, which in turn implies a more local response to the epidemic in small projects. This paper presents results from a survey in a rural community of South Africa which investigated the contextual factors associated with HIV knowledge, attitudes and practice in such a setting. The community was of particular interest as it had developed a local youth literacy and family support programme which included HIV-prevention messages. All school aged children of the two settlements were approached (N= 100), some of whom regularly participated in the literacy classes. The survey investigated the association between contextual factors such as caregivers, peers and exposure to the literacy classes in regards to HIV-knowledge, attitudes and practice. The results suggest that contextual factors have an impact on sexual behaviour and self-efficacy as well as on attitudes towards condom use. This indicates that peers and caregivers influence the perceived agency to practise safe sex and the likelihood that adolescents practise ‘deviant’ behaviour such as drinking, getting involved in drugs or becoming sexually active. However, the results suggest that exposure to community projects such as literacy classes have the potential to positively influence reading scores, attitudes towards condom use and delay of sexual debut while it has little effect on HIV knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Limited clinical and research evidence is available to support healthcare practitioners in the communication assessment and intervention of persons who are minimally conscious. This study placed a specific focus on the multimodal communication strategies familiar caregivers of persons who are minimally conscious observed, as well as the verbal and the nonverbal communication strategies they employed to build communication capacity. This may inform clinical practice as it provides valuable autobiographical information as well as familiar stimuli that may elicit responses from persons in a minimally conscious state. A descriptive qualitative design employing in-depth semi-structured interviews with familiar caregivers was utilised to address the purpose of the study. Familiar caregivers reported that they used both nonverbal and verbal communication strategies to obtain a response from persons who are minimally conscious. These caregivers also reported that these persons appeared to rely on nonverbal communication strategies to express 36 different communication functions. Based on the findings of this study, it is clear that caregivers can be beneficial to persons who are minimally conscious, if they are able to observe and capitalise on naturally occurring multimodal communication strategies and functions. This study emphasises that familiar caregivers respect and value the dignity of persons who are minimally conscious and want to improve their communication capacity, but often lack confidence in their own communication skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work in South Africa is currently engaged in a transformational process to adapt its developmental approach based on the pursuit of social justice. Research has indicated that the values, attitudes, and behaviours of newly qualified social workers is a major determining factor in their pursuit of social justice. Consequently, the study reported here aimed to investigate the above-mentioned as pertaining to the achievement of social justice within client systems. The study, which was of a quantitative, cross-sectional nature, collected responses to a standardised psychometric scale from 108 newly qualified social workers, measuring their values, attitudes, and behaviours regarding social justice. The results reveal that South African-based social workers feel impeded in the work for social justice by inadequate training, skill set, and other obstacles, despite being committed to social justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the sustainable employability of emergency nurses is important, given the precarious environment in which they work. This study used a cross-sectional survey of 204 emergency nursing professionals to investigate their sustainable employability in a South African context from the perspectives of precarious work, mental toughness, capabilities, and mental health. The Precarity Position Profile, Mental Toughness Questionnaire-Short Form, Capability Set for Work Questionnaire, and Flourishing-at-Work Scale-Short Form were administered. Three precarious work dimensions negatively predicted emergency nurses' capabilities. Significantly, precarious work conditions and professional development were associated with most work capabilities. Emergency nurses' capability set positively affected their mental health, with mental toughness moderating the effect of poor salary (a component of precarious work) on capabilities. Precariousness regarding salary, work conditions, and professional development affected emergency nurses' mental health indirectly and negatively through a poor capability set, while mental toughness indirectly and positively affected their mental health through a strong capability set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palliative care has been defined as 'the active holistic care of individuals across all ages with serious health-related suffering due to severe illness, and especially of those near the end of life'. Unfortunately, palliative care and especially paediatric palliative care remain a neglected area of medicine and are widely misunderstood, with few healthcare providers having any formal training in South Africa. To relieve health-related suffering, healthcare providers must understand that the field is not limited to end-of-life care for the terminally ill, and holistic care (physical, emotional, social and spiritual) should commence at the time of diagnosis of a serious illness. It is imperative that all healthcare providers develop the knowledge and skills to provide this essential care across all levels of care and disciplines. The article aims to raise awareness and show how to practically implement palliative care through case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduces a series of papers on skill formation in South Africa. Need to take a global view of the issues of skill formation because of the greater interdependence between economies; Fiscal and monetary discipline imposed by the various global institutions which have such a strong influence on the country; Distinction between intermediate economies like South Africa and an apparently developed economy like Great Britain.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions worldwide, affecting the functional abilities of millions of people. Arthroplasty is recommended as a successful treatment option for late-stage OA. However, in South Africa there are extensive waiting lists for OA-related arthroplasty in government hospitals. This has negative consequences for patients having to cope for long periods of time with chronic pain and its impact. Alternative treatment methods in the form of physiotherapy-led exercise and education programmes focusing on pain, disability, self-efficacy, physical function and health-related quality of life have had good impact in populations elsewhere. Objectives: To develop an exercise and education intervention based on the current literature and by doing a field survey in a South African population. Results: A combined educational approach, with a strong focus on the physical aspects of exercise in particular, was adopted for the intervention in order to improve function and manage the disability associated with OA. Conclusion: This paper reports on the process and development of an intervention for use in South Africans with late-stage OA awaiting arthroplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Africa, lay HIV counsellors are at the forefront of many HIV-related behavioural interventions. However, they have limited formal counselling training and little ongoing in-service support, leading to considerable variability in approaches to counselling. We describe the use of Intervention Mapping to develop a motivational interviewing counselling training and support program, titled "Thusa-Thuso - helping you help", for lay HIV counsellors practising in primary health care clinics in South Africa. The program is contextually relevant, locally-produced, scalable, and is designed to impart sustained motivational interviewing counselling skills in lay HIV counsellors for improved antiretroviral therapy (ART) uptake in the universal-test-and-treat era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Skills development is critical to South Africa''s development. It has been argued that South Africa''s twin post-Apartheid challenges, poverty and unemployment requires a level of skills development not undertaken before (). The creation of a separate ministry, the department of higher education and training (DHET), which has incorporated institutional entities from former Ministries of Education and Labour has engendered an expectation for the realisation of a co-ordinated and integrated post school education and training system. The establishment of this entity for the first time anticipates a coherent response to the education, training and skills development challenges faced by the country. The initial anticipation that this development will provide the basis for a coherent post-school education, training and skills development system, that is responsive to national development encapsulated by the notion of inclusive growth, have waned somewhat. In an attempt to link education and labour market more deliberately, it attempts to respond to both the education and labour market constituencies for greater synergy. The reality of success of a new institutional structure, within a wider structure embedded in the older pre-merged configuration, has proved more difficult than anticipated. The notion of ‘policy as boundary object’ is considered a critical missing element in the current re-positioning and the changed political circumstances represent a golden moment to do things differently. This paper explores the current structural re-configuration, as it has, and is likely to, impact on the skills development provisioning in the country. In particular, it focuses on the impact of current developments on the delivery of intermediate level skills, and the likely role of the beleaguered public FET Colleges (FETCs) in this regard. Whilst it is accepted that the current development is new and unlikely to have a track record, the current context is critically evaluated in terms of the potentials and challenges identified against the empirical experience of ten years of skills development in the country. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper we analyse data on language ability collected in a new nationally representative household survey, the National Income Dynamics Study, which captures information on reading and writing ability, both in the individual's home language and in English. Two main findings are that self-assessed reading and writing ability are highly correlated in the data, and that individuals typically report considerably higher ability in their home language than in English. The data also suggest large racial differences in language skills, in the individual's home language and particularly in English. Racial differences however are narrower among younger adults (aged 15 to 30 years) than among older adults. Furthermore, whereas older women are less likely than older men to report being able to read and write very well, in both their home language and in English, this is reversed among younger women and men. Finally, individuals who report good reading and writing ability in their home language are far more likely to report good reading and writing ability in English. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

South Africa's public sector procurement facility is envisaged as one of the key tools to remedy past injustices in that country in which blacks were disadvantaged. Section 217 of the country's Constitution makes express provision for a procurement policy providing for the preferential allocation of contracts and the advancement of certain persons when procuring goods, works or services. The aim of this article is to explore the constraints facing the public sector procurement facility, preferential procurement; and compliance with tendering regulations in the provincial government Departments of the North West Province. The study used a descriptive survey research design. The analysis of data revealed that the majority of the officials in the supply chain management (SCM) directorate lacked relevant skills, and that tender specification, evaluation and adjudication was a problem. In particular, preferential procurement was not possible where specialised skills for manufacturing, assembly, installation and guarantee were required Based on these findings, the paper concludes that training interventions are required for employees working in the SCM units for better service delivery and to ensure compliance to policies and procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the state of skills development for smaller enterprises in South Africa through a consideration of two recent empirical studies of very small and micro enterprises (VSMEs - those with 2-10 employees). It provides new evidence about the complexity of the VSME sector and the mixed performance of state attempts to engage with it in the area of skills development. The study suggests that there are relatively high levels of informal training occurring in these enterprises and reasonable take up of a number of elements of the 2001-04 National Skills Development Strategy. However, the study shows that there has been negligible involvement with the National Qualifications Framework. It reinforces international arguments that levy-grant systems are, at best, a difficult tool to use, and that their ability to balance the needs of larger and smaller firms is far from proven. The South African experience also raises a question about the appropriateness of a sectoral approach to skills needs, particularly for smaller enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Overweight can be a precursor of poor motor execution, negatively impacting the overall development of school-aged children on various levels. This study determined the long-term influences of overweight on perceptual-motor proficiency (PMP) of primary school children in the North-West Province of South Africa.Methods: The study, which included 381 participants, formed part of the NW-CHILD longitudinal study from Grade 1 (6.86 years, ± 0.39) in 2010 to Grade 7 (12.9 years, ± 0.38) in 2016. Socioeconomic categories, called quintiles, were used to compare high and low socioeconomic status groups. Overweight was identified when BMI values fell above the 85th percentile, using age- and gender-specific cut-off points. The group was categorised into 4 BMI groups (never overweight, persistent overweight, overweight-to-normal and normal-to-overweight). The Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 (BOT-2) Short Form and selected composites measuring strength, balance, and running speed and agility were used to assess PMP.Results: A repeated measures ANOVA analysis indicated specific PMP differences between different BMI groups, but not total motor proficiency (BOT-2 Short Form total) differences. Practical significant group differences (Cohen's d-values) were found in running speed and agility, strength, balance and the BOT-2 total, over seven primary school years. The persistent overweight group showed the poorest performance over time, but also showed deteriorating skills and a gradual widening in perceptual-motor skills performance, compared to the other groups. BMI-related differences in perceptual-motor coordination were also more pronounced in older age groups.Conclusions: Persistent overweight negatively impacts specific motor-proficiency components, while improving weight status can counter these effects, which highlights the importance of timeous intervention to combat obesity at a young age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dr Biesheuvel is Director of the National Institute for Personnel Research, South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Johannesburg. In this paper, which contains the substance of a contribution to a symposium on ‘Individual Differences in Ability and their Implications for National Policy’ at the Fourteenth International Congress of Psychology, held in Montreal in June, 1954, he comments on problems, policies and recent practices in the Union of South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South African high schools, many learners have limited support in making career related decisions to prepare them for the world of work after school. An important early transition for career-related decision-making is at the end of Grade 9 when learners are expected to decide which subjects they will select for the last phase of high school. Grade 9 is also the juncture where adolescents may decide to exit their formal schooling and enter the labor market. To support Grade 9 learners in making informed career-related decisions, this study examined the effectiveness of a group-based career guidance intervention implemented in eight secondary schools located in resource-constrained communities in the Western Cape, South Africa. The intervention aimed to improve learners' career decision-making readiness and aid in making subject choices and subsequent career choices. The intervention consisted of interest assessment conducted in a group-format with the learners, after which a workshop was facilitated to share relevant information pertaining to their interests, other career attributes and pending subject choices. The results of this study demonstrate a significant impact of early adolescents' career adaptability and ability to engage in the career decision-making process. These results show promise in the implementation of group-based career intervention, supporting learners to make informed decisions in relation to their career paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1999 South African learners have participated in various international studies but sadly the learners have continued to perform dismally, which brings to question the quality of their education. Meanwhile, Singaporean students have been among the top achievers in all these competitions. Many comparative studies have been done between different nations and Singapore, but in few, if any, of these studies the focus has been on comparisons regarding gifted education. Singaporean policies and practices on gifted education generally prioritise a commitment to engaging learners from all ability levels with appropriately challenging curricula and instruction. In this article we report on a comparative study between the Singaporean and South African education systems. Three frames, (a) political context (b) curriculum structure and (c) loose coupling shaped the analysis. Results show that both countries had similar challenges at the point of independence from colonial rule and yet, they responded differently to those challenges. Singapore implemented inclusive education driven by excellence while South Africa's inclusive education is driven by equity without excellence. South Africa has a one-size-fits-all curriculum, whereas Singapore has alternatives that create multiple pathways for learners to reach their full potential. Although gifted education is being proposed in current South African pronouncements, there is no evidence of coherence in terms of its implementation. Meanwhile, Singapore has a coherent system that ensures their policies move from theory into practice. All these are lessons that South Africa can learn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. While community health workers (CHWs) are increasingly being used as a strategy for increasing health care access, particularly in rural communities, interventions are needed to improve their skill sets in inspiring health behavior change, both for themselves and among their community clients. Self-management (SM) education interventions have shown to improve health behaviors and well-being. Purpose. This article reports on systematic, in-depth interviews conducted with rural CHWs in South Africa to understand (1) their motivation for participating in SM training, (2) skills gained from training and (3) perceived impact of training on CHW health behavior, both personally and as health professionals. Method. Nineteen rural CHWs who completed an SM training participated in face-to-face semistructured interviews. Transcripts were independently coded by two researchers using the thematic framework approach. Findings. CHWs felt empowered to change their health behavior by skills such as goal setting and action planning, and by growth in self-awareness and confidence. They expressed that their desire to help others motivated them to participate in SM training. Conclusion. SM training programs that address practice skill gaps hold promise in producing health behavior changes for rural CHWs and their clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The explanation of Biblical texts has often been left unquestionable by both believers and unbelievers. This has led to absorbing problematic explanations. This culture of not questioning has become a problem of making the Bible a tool of miseducation, suppression and exploitation. Above everything, Black believers tend to read, translate and interpret the Bible through "White/masters eyes." This article aims to conscientize Blacks or the working class to read the Bible from their perspective and experiences. In this context, Blacks are to be understood as the working class who should problematize "The Parable of the Talents." The article will argue that "The Parable of the Talents" has been read wrongly and will propose a new way of reading this parable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) are developmental disorders in children with 3 symptom clusters, namely hyperactivity, attention deficit and impulsivity, and a combination. We investigated the prevalence of the 3 symptom clusters and their association with learning-related skills among children aged 6 to 7 years in Bloemfontein, Free State province, South Africa. The Aptitude Test for School Beginners (ASB) was applied to determine learning-related skills, and the Strength and Weaknesses of ADHD Symptoms Normal Behaviour rating scale (SWAN) was used to determine ADHD symptoms. Data on SWAN scores were available for 390 children, while data on both the SWAN and ASB were available for 345 children (189 girls and 156 boys) with a mean age of 6 years and 8 months. The prevalence of ADHD symptoms was as follows: 74.6% of the children did not fulfil the criteria for ADD/ADHD, 7.7% presented with the combined subtype, 6.7% presented with hyperactivity and impulsiveness, and 11.0% with inattentiveness. The presence of ADHD symptoms had a significant effect p = < 0.05 on reasoning, numerical abilities, gestalt, coordination and memory. We conclude that ADHD symptoms are a significant risk factor for 5 of the 8 learning-related skills in children, namely numerical skills, memory, reasoning, gestalt and coordination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking affects numerous countries worldwide, including South Africa. Given the multiple consequences and human rights violations to victims, trafficking requires a collective multi-disciplinary response involving social workers. This was a qualitative study looking at social service provision to adult victims of human trafficking at shelters in two provinces in South Africa. The findings revealed that a range of services are offered by social workers at shelters and that rights-based intervention approaches must always inform anti-trafficking efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various researchers have explored the use of health information systems (HISs) in the public sector in South Africa, including users' experiences thereof. However, there is limited research relating to the private health sector. Nurses form the majority of the health workforce and are therefore essential for capturing clinical data into an HIS. The study under review aimed to obtain a better understanding about nurses' attitudes towards a computerised HIS. The objectives were to explore and describe nurses' attitudes towards the HIS in a private hospital in North West, South Africa. The research followed a qualitative design using interpretive, descriptive and contextual strategies. Purposive sampling was done (n=14) and semi-structured individual interviews were conducted, while thematic analysis was done according to Creswell's steps. It was found that the nurses held specific affective, cognitive and behavioural attitudes towards the HIS. The findings indicated how the HIS challenges the caring ethos of nursing as information technology (IT) infiltrates the caring presence between nurse and patient. The study confirmed that nurses have positive attitudes towards the HIS. It is recommended that managers include confidentiality measures as part of HIS standards and ensure adherence thereto. Further research could be done on the relation between the HIS and the ethics of nursing as a profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the impact of an eclectic framework for combining theoretical conceptual practice models on occupational therapists' theoretical reasoning using concurrent mixed methods with repeated measures and grounded theory designs. Study participants (n = 9) attended two workshops to review select occupational therapy theoretical conceptual practice models and learn how to use the eclectic framework. We assessed skills in eclectic combination of theoretical conceptual practice models using the Theory Application Assessment Instrument. The skills improved significantly [χ2(2, 9) = 7.09, p =.02], a finding that was corroborated by the qualitative findings indicating that the eclectic framework may potentially help improve theoretical reasoning among occupational therapists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to assess the leadership skills and competencies and identify gaps among employees managing the PEPFAR HIV and AIDS programme in South Africa. Methods: The survey strategy collected descriptive primary data using a SurveyMonkey instrument which was distributed via email to 70 employees. Results: Only fifty-one employees (73%) responded by completing the questionnaire online; 70 percent were female, 44 percent possessed Master degree, and 38 percent were in the forty-to-forty-nine years age group. Over a third identified the team-orientated leadership style as their main style. Strategic perspective and being a quick learner were selected as top strongest competencies for leading organizations. Strategic perspective and being a quick learner were selected as top two critical competencies for leading organizations. The two skills that were categorized under key gaps are strategic planning and balancing personal and work life. The top three derailments to organizational growth were: inability to manage beyond ones scope and functions (i.e. functional orientation too narrow), difficulty in changing or adapting, and difficulty in building and leading a team. Conclusions: The article highlights the important leadership styles and skills needed for effective HIV programme management in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The erosion of purchasing power due to inflation is a source of concern for investors who invest in stocks over long investment horizons. This study examines the inflation-hedging abilities of stocks for South Africa over three different investment periods for both individual stock and for different sectors based on their inflation betas. The results indicate that inflation-hedging betas did not produce conclusive evidence of hedging benefits. A 12-month rolling regression of three long-term portfolios with high, close to zero and low betas revealed that the zero beta portfolio yielded the best average geometric real return over the 2004 to 2015 period. Measuring the inflationhedging benefits of individual stocks and sector portfolios based on performance measures such as real return, reliability and risk-adjusted return was more conclusive. The results also suggest that some sectors such as technology, consumer staples and healthcare sectors exhibited better inflation-hedging possibilities than other sectors during unstable inflationary conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pre-university education curriculum changes may increase the skills and knowledge gap between secondary (high school) and tertiary (university) education that have been identified as having a major impact on the success of students from underresourced educational backgrounds. This study investigated the impact of extensive pre-university curriculum revision on the generic learning skills of entrants to South African medical schools, which admit students directly from high school. Methods: In this prospective study, students entering four medical schools during 2008–2011 were surveyed to determine their practice of and confidence in information handling, managing own learning, technical and numeracy skills, and computer, organizational, and presentation skills in the 12-month preceding entry. The 2008 entrants were the final cohort of the old secondary school curriculum. The mean levels of practice or confidence of entrants to the four medical schools, during 2008–2011, were compared using analysis of variance. The Bonferroni's test was used for further pair-wise comparison of cohorts of students either entering in different years or different institutions. Results: While entrants at the four medical schools did not demonstrate a consistent or sustained change in their practice of or confidence in each skill category over the period of study, there were some significant differences between entrants at the respective institutions. Furthermore, entrants to one medical school were consistently less confident of their skills, despite more practice. These findings are best accounted for by the long-standing history of inequitably resourced pre-university education in South Africa. Discussion: These findings highlight the need for close monitoring of the impact of pre-university education changes on the learning skill profiles of university entrants, in order to design effective university programs which enable students from diverse backgrounds to participate and adequately meet curricula demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Home-based carers (HBCs) play a critical role in ensuring the success of the primary health care re-engineering strategy in South Africa. Their role includes ensuring improved access to and delivery of primary health care at the household level, and better co-ordination and improved linkages between community and health facilities for HIV/TB services. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, skills, challenges and training needs of HBCs involved in HIV/TB care in one sub-district in the North-West province of South Africa.Methods: We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study in which 157 HBCs were interviewed to assess their knowledge and skills regarding HIV and TB. Data were collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using SPSS statistical software and thematic analysis respectively.Results: One hundred and forty-four (92%) of the interviewees were female and 13 (8%) were male. The median age of the participants was 35 years (interquartile range (IQR): 22-27). The median score for knowledge of both HIV and TB questions was 66% (IQR: 57-75). In general, HIV knowledge scores were higher than TB knowledge scores (73% versus 66%). A significant association was found between knowledge scores and formal training (p < 0.05), and knowledge scores and highest educational levels (p < 0.05). Irrespective of knowledge, HBCs reported providing a variety of services to support HIV/TB services in the communities in which they worked. HBCs also reported facing various challenges in their jobs related to stigma and the social contexts in which they work.Conclusion: The study showed that the overall knowledge of HBCs was limited, given the skills required and the services they provide. Given the increasing role of HBCs in various health initiatives, targeted interventions are required to support and improve their competencies and service provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated perceived individual transformational leadership (TL) to influence behaviours on follower organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) in a South African combat military unit. A sample of 300 of 567 military followers (males = 78%; black Africans = 82%) completed a survey on their perceptions of transformational leadership qualities among their leaders who were trained in TL: Idealised influence, Inspirational motivation, Intellectual stimulation and Individualised consideration. The military followers also self-reported on their own OCB: Altruism, Civic virtue, Courtesy, Sportsmanship and Conscientiousness. Data were analysed utilising regression analysis to predict military followers’ self-reported OCB from perceived TL behaviours. Findings indicated that only Individualised consideration could significantly predict the OCB dimensions of Altruism, Civic virtue, Sportsmanship and Conscientiousness, but not Courtesy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

South Africa is an economic powerhouse in Africa. Information and communication projects have subsequently been embraced to facilitate future economic growth. The authors empirically analyze information and communication project management in South Africa. This research revealed that there is less focus on traditional project management success as more emphasis has been placed on project product success. Moreover, project outcome is more dependent on “soft” skills than on “technical” skills. Project management in South Africa seems to be in an idle state; thus more work needs to be done to improve the current state of project management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This article provides the findings of a qualitative study done to evaluate the effectiveness of a peer-based mental health support program for adolescents orphaned by AIDS in South Africa known as BAR, an acronym for 'Better Accept Reality'. Methods Data was collected from 15 adolescents orphaned by AIDS using focus group discussions, reflective diaries, and recordings of the adolescents' school grades. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's steps of data analysis. Results The results showed a notable positive change in the participants' attitude to caregivers, responsibility to self and to others, and school grades. Conclusion The study demonstrated that the peer-based mental health support program is effective in meeting the mental health needs of adolescents orphaned by AIDS. The participants were able to express their needs and improve relationships with caregivers, a clear sign of adapting to their loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical education faces challenges posed by widening access to training, a demand for globally competent healthcare workers and progress towards harmonisation of standards. Aim: To explore potential challenges arising from variation in diversity and educational background of medical school entrants. Method: This study investigated the reported experience and confidence, in a range of 31 generic skills underpinning learning, of 2606 medical undergraduates entering 14 medical schools in England and South Africa, using a validated questionnaire. Results: Responses suggest that there is considerable similarity in prior educational experience and confidence skills profiles on entry to South African and English medical schools. South African entrants reported significantly more experience in 'Technical skills', 'Managing their own Learning', and 'Presentation', while English students reported increased experience in 'IT' skills. South African undergraduates reported more confidence in 'Information Handling', while English students were more confident in 'IT' skills. The most noticeable difference, in 'IT' skills, is probably due to documented differences in access to computer facilities at high school level. Differences between individual schools within each country are noticeable. Conclusions: Educators need to acquire a good understanding of their incoming cohorts, and ensure necessary tailored support for skills development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The Rural Support Network (RSN) is an undergraduate student society that aims to raise awareness among the student body of the plight of rural health in South Africa, and organises individual and group placements in rural hospitals during vacations. This research aimed to evaluate these placements from the students' perspectives. Design: In-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 10 students and nine placement-reflective reports were reviewed. The data were analysed and coded for key themes using a constant, comparative grounded theory approach. Setting: Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at the University of Cape Town. Subjects: Students who had been on RSN placements in 2010. Results: Students reported that the experience exceeded their expectations of learning new skills and observing and performing procedures. They gained significant insights into rural health care and were inspired to contribute to rural health in future. Their experiences helped them to gain confidence and an appreciation of the psycho-social aspects of patient care. The importance of community empowerment and of connecting and building relationships with communities was also emphasised. Challenges pertained to conflict within groups, incidents of unprofessional health care and being unable to help as much as they would have liked. Conclusion: The study highlights the impact that positive experiences of rural health may have on health science students' interest in, passion for, and commitment to practising in underserved rural areas. Students' key recommendations for the FHS included the development of a rural programme within the undergraduate curriculum. Better group composition and improved planning and co-ordination of placements by the RSN were also recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a significant increase in the number of international students, especially in those from other African countries, at South African universities over the last ten years. This has elicited some research, notably from Ramphele, Crush and McDonald (1999); Hall (2004); and Snowball and Antrobus (2005; 2006). However, none of these scholars considered the possibility of exploiting the skills potential of international students in South Africa, especially at a time when the country faces skills shortages. The authors conducted a survey at six higher education institutions (HEIs) in 2008, which sought to determine the skills profiles of international students in South Africa. It was found that the majority of international students are registered in disciplines where skills shortages exist, that a significant number of these students are young and that many would like to remain and work in South Africa. Labour policy makers in South Africa seem to be unaware of this, hence policy is ill-adapted to derive economic benefits from international students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common theme emerging in the library world today is that quality service in the library and information centre is dependent on the quality performance of personnel. Prior to conducting performance appraisals, managers need to ascertain the core performance criteria for quality service provision. Research was conducted among subject librarians in KwaZulu-Natal academic libraries to ascertain what key performance areas (KPAs), job tasks and competencies were considered important in the work of subject librarians. The purpose of the study was to develop initial guidelines for performance appraisals of this group of librarians. Using the survey method and the self-administered questionnaire, findings indicated that performance appraisal guidelines would need to take cognisance of the following KPAs of subject librarians' work: Instruction and teaching, Reference services, Communication, Management and organisation, Cataloguing and classification and Information technology. The most important competencies identified were Inter-personal skills, followed by Knowledge of the total information environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the ability of the training and work experience offered under public works programmes to promote employment in South Africa. Public works are a key component of South African labour market policy and are ascribed considerable potential in terms of addressing the core challenge of unemployment. However, despite this policy prominence, the labour market impact of the training component of such programmes has not been studied systematically in South Africa, from either a theoretical or empirical basis, and this article attempts to provide an initial critique of the programme from both perspectives. This article outlines the unemployment situation in South Africa and the training component of the government's national public works programme, the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), which was developed to enhance workers' skills and labour market exposure, and thereby improve their subsequent employment performance. Theoretical and empirical arguments are used to develop a critique of the training component of the programme, and the article concludes by arguing that, as currently conceptualised, the national public works programme is unlikely to have a significant impact on skills development or unemployment, due the structural nature of unemployment, excess supply of low and unskilled labour, and the high skills growth strategy adopted by government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a critique of South Africa's attempt to transform apprenticeships using data from the 2004 Baseline Survey of the Learnership Programme in South Africa. The data suggests that Learnerships provide important opportunities for those in work to learn new theoretical and practical capabilities and thus deepen the skills base of the South African economy. They also provide key avenues for unemployed people to gain skills and work experience and improve their employability. Moreover, incentives have been set sufficiently high to encourage employer participation. However, this high overall level of satisfaction with the Learnerships may mask some of the underlying differences in levels of satisfaction across the different strata of the South African labour market. Without controlling for other factors, there were substantial differences in the levels of satisfaction with Learnerships across the employed versus unemployed and National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level divides. This suggests that a number of key challenges remain which the architects of the policy need to urgently address, including a more equitable spread of Learnerships across both spheres of the dual economy and strengthening the administrative and oversight capacity of SETAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the contribution skills development can make in promoting South Africa's wider socio-economic development. It provides a broad overview of the emerging gap between those who are benefiting from South Africa's transition to democracy and those who are not. Overcoming these worsening social conditions has become a major priority in government's new policy framework. It has been referred to as the challenge of the 'second economy', a polemical device aimed at drawing attention to the two-fold challenge of promoting economic growth, whilst reducing poverty and inequality. The article then goes on to describe the new skills development policy framework and the ways in which the Department of Labour is attempting to deal with the 'second economy' through a variety of skills development strategies. The progress made in implementing this new approach is then interrogated. Several problems are identified. The analysis concludes by arguing that both government and employers are currently falling short of the capabilities required to effectively rollout these ambitious reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Africa, as elsewhere in the world, the promise of peer education as a means of promoting sexual health has contributed to its increasing popularity. While structural and organizational constraints can compromise the success of peer education, many of those involved in modest local programmes in South Africa are able to address the sexual health and well-being of young people through knowing about and making the most of proximal salutogenic factors—personal qualities and local contextual characteristics that influence health. Participatory formative evaluation can contribute to the development of peer education practice by providing opportunities for educators to extend their pedagogic knowledge and skills and review and re-orient their work. However, to embed new ways of working, sustained partnerships will be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research on the effect of intergroup contact has highlighted the necessity for the contact to be of equal-status within a supportive environment. The South African apartheid system, with its active discouragement of such contact, presents an interesting context in which the effect of inter-racial contact may be examined. One hundred and thirteen nurses from four private hospitals took part in the study. Two of the hospitals had racially integrated training programs, and two trained one race group alone. A number of questionnaires were administered to the nurses in individual interviews. The responses indicated that nurses from the contact hospitals viewed the integration of nursing significantly more positively than did the nurses from the noncontact hospitals. However, trait evaluations of the nurses own and corresponding race group on the dimensions, personality and work ability suggested that negative intergroup attribution had not been eliminated by the contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]