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Participating in classroom mathematics conversations, particularly engaging with the opinions of others, can improve learners' mathematical comprehension. Teachers can use a variety of invitation and follow-up moves to encourage student engagement. The study aimed to explore teacher follow-up on learners' initial responses to teacher questions and building on learner ideas in Grade 9 mathematics classrooms. A qualitative approach and descriptive case study design were utilised. Data were collected from three schools in the same circuit in South Africa through classroom lesson observations, face-to-face teacher interviews and researchers' field notes. Three Grade 9 mathematics teachers, one from each school, were purposively selected, and the selected teachers' already established Grade 9 classes, with a maximum of 30 learners each (owing to the COVID-19 health protocol), were automatically involved. Cognitively guided instruction, a learner-centred approach that uses social constructivism as a research paradigm, guided this study. The exploration was supplemented by Brodie's conceptual framework on teacher follow-up moves. The findings revealed that the three teachers followed up on learner contributions and used different follow-up moves, namely insert, elicit, press, maintain and confirm. The study showed hybrid teacher moves. Although more teacher moves were skewed towards elicit and insert, which are closer to traditional practices, there is an indication of moving towards the press, maintain and confirm, which are reform-oriented moves. In addition to these moves identified by Brodie, acknowledging or praising the learner for responding was another move that emerged in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a qualitative study that engaged learners in understanding their experiences of school-related gender-based violence in and around their school toilets in a township high school in South Africa. The study used photovoice to address the research question. In this paper, we do a close reading of the photovoice images produced by the participants to uncover the meanings they communicate. In their images, participants presented school toilets as geographies of gender-based violence and microaggression, for example, with negative messages written on the walls. In particular, the images presented toilets as spaces where boys (mostly) perpetrate various forms of heterosexist violence and sexual harassment against girls. Paradoxically, some images presented the school toilets as spaces where some learners seek refuge or safety from the violence and microaggression they experienced in and around the school. The findings point to the need for gender-transformative interventions that target various spaces in and around the school, including school toilets, and that seek to develop these spaces as clean, safe, and inclusive physical and social environments for all children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This study explored why South African Foundation Phase teachers are reluctant and anxious to teach Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) content to young learners. The unit of analysis was Foundation Phase teachers in public schools. Design/methods/approach - Adopting a qualitative, interpretive approach, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with six teachers from primary schools in Gauteng Province. The study used thematic analysis to understand teachers' perceptions and attitudes toward CSE. The data was analysed using Creswell's six steps of data analysis. Findings - Findings reveal a varied understanding of CSE among teachers, with some viewing it narrowly as sex education and others recognising its broader scope, including emotional development and safety. Primary reasons for reluctance include perceived age inappropriateness, discomfort with content, and cultural and religious constraints. The lack of adequate training and resources further exacerbates this reluctance. Research implications/limitations - This study on South African teachers' reluctance to teach Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in the Foundation Phase has critical implications for educational policy and practice, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive curriculum development, comprehensive teacher training, and supportive educational environments. However, its limitations include a reliance on teacher perceptions, a small sample size from a single district, and the absence of quantitative data, which may affect the generalizability of its findings. Future research should expand geographically, employ diverse methodologies, and examine the effects of curriculum and training reforms on CSE's effectiveness in varied South African educational contexts. Practical implications - The study underscores the importance of developing a culturally sensitive, comprehensive CSE curriculum and professional development programs for South African teachers. It highlights the need for clear educational guidelines and resources to assist teachers in effectively delivering CSE content to young learners. Originality/value - This research provides a novel perspective by focusing on the reluctance of Foundation Phase teachers in South Africa to teach CSE, a relatively unexplored area in educational research. It offers valuable insights into the intersection of cultural, religious, and pedagogical factors affecting CSE delivery, contributing significantly to the global discourse on sexuality education in early childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is an educational-philosophical, more particularly, a societaltheoretical reflection on the "blame game" that is occasionally played between the parental home and the school with respect to the behaviour displayed by children in these societal relationships. After consulting the literature regarding this issue, and the findings of recent empirical studies in South Africa for purposes of describing the "blame game", the interpretivist-constructivist method was employed for exploring an alternative approach to the discipline problem in homes and schools, namely the creation of a social compact, and of a caring school community based thereon. The discipline practised in the parental home differs from that at school because home and school are essentially different societal relationships, each with unique foundation and destination functions; hence with respective sphere sovereignty. Their interests and activities are, at the same time, also interlaced in that they share the same child as a member. It is due to this interlacement (enkapsis) that unacceptable behaviour at home might impact detrimentally on discipline in the school, and vice versa. To counteract this reciprocal display of unruly behaviour, it is suggested that the parents and the school attended by their children could consider entering into a social compact or covenant so that they are as one in guiding the young people towards disciplined behaviour, that is, socially acceptable behaviour. The actions of such a new community should be guided by several moral codes, the most important of which are the ethic of community, and of loving, caring and compassion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I critically reflect and describe how our Chess Development Project (CDP), initiated by pre-service teachers at a university in South Africa, helped create a safer, non-violent, and more supportive school environment. This participatory action research (PAR) project highlights the idea that higher education institutions should not only add to knowledge production but also contribute to practical improvement in the community. In this project, we introduced one sports code, chess, in a township school to reduce violence. The research question addressed was: To what extent does learner engagement in the CDP by pre-service teachers reduce school violence and bridge the gap between the university and the school? We set out to explore and discuss the potential of using chess as an educational tool for creating awareness, improving knowledge, and changing attitudes towards the challenges the learners face in life. The data collection techniques used were field notes, student assistant notes, interviews, questionnaires, and transcribed recordings of our research team reflections. As the coordinator of the project, I played the role of facilitator between the pre-service teachers and the township school. The findings suggest that this project was transformative. As a collective, the students and I became more aware of the day-to-day challenges that schools and communities face in the township areas in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the perceived benefits and challenges that Natural Sciences teachers experience when using blended teaching in Smart Schools. This qualitative research focused on public township schools with challenging socio-economic contexts in the Gauteng Province, South Africa. A non-probability purposive sampling method was followed. The data collection technique used involved individual, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. Interviews conducted with 10 Natural Sciences teachers were analysed through inductive analysis. The key findings of this study portrayed that teachers perceived that the incorporation of blended teaching and learning presented major pedagogical benefits, such as increased learner enjoyment and improved engagement as visual enhancements of the scientific processes and concepts aid learning, save teaching and reduce learning time since complex scientific concepts are simplified and use virtual experiments instead of traditional hands-on practicals. Efficiency in long-term running costs was seen as another benefit. According to these Natural Science teachers, one disadvantage in particular was an increased workload owing to double lesson planning for classroom activities and particularly for science practicals with and without the use of smart equipment, where there were external challenges such as load shedding, inoperable devices, connectivity challenges and/or smart equipment thefts. It is recommended that Smart School teachers are encouraged to form communities of practice to share strategies to minimise the perceived or experienced challenges in blended teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is a disorder that disturbs nerve cell activity in the brain, resulting in seizures. It was noted that it occurs mostly in children, especially at the primary school level, and could result from a genetic condition. The aim of this study was to develop and validate life skills education guidelines for primary school learners of Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces in South Africa to educate them about epilepsy with the aim of reducing stigma and discrimination towards people with epilepsy. The guidelines were developed by adapting the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline development guide, which included the formulation of PICOS (population, intervention, comparison, outcome, study design) questions, conducting a systematic review of the literature, and using GRADE (grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation) to develop evidence-based recommendations. The recommendations that informed the guideline development were that epilepsy education should be included in the primary school life skills curriculum to improve learners' understanding, attitudes, and skills related to epilepsy. This epilepsy education should be tailored to the needs of primary school learners and cover topics such as seizure recognition, management, medication, and coping strategies. Collaboration between healthcare providers, educators, and policymakers is crucial to developing culturally appropriate and evidence-based epilepsy education guidelines. Teachers and healthcare providers should also receive training on how to support learners living with epilepsy. The resulting guidelines provide clear and concise guidance on epilepsy education in life skills for primary school learners, caregivers, and teachers. The guidelines are expected to improve the quality of epilepsy life skills education and contribute to the overall well-being and inclusion of learners with epilepsy in Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental education (EE) applications can support wildlife conservation practices by improving school children's understanding of environmental issues, including endangered species conservation, such as the African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana). This study aimed to identify and assess school children's perceptions of elephant conservation in three schools: South Africa, Kenya, and England. Questionnaires were completed by students at one school per location, with the age range of 10–16 (n = 364). The responses were then analysed independently and collectively using descriptive statistics (n = 364). School children feared elephants where elephants were native. The importance of elephants was not acknowledged by students in South Africa and England and included a lack of awareness of how elephants benefit other species. There was an unclear understanding of the threats to elephants. Collectively, a wildlife guide as a career choice was not highly valued. The results of this study have reflected key narratives of elephant conservation from selected countries; Kenya leading in anti-poaching and anti-trade campaigns, anti-poaching campaigns by various NGOs in the U.K., and elephant management around expanding populations in South Africa, which have given significant insights into areas of improvement for environmental education practices to support wildlife conservation globally. Furthermore, this new research has identified and compared school children's awareness of elephant conservation on a greater spatial scale than what is currently understood, compounding the importance of understanding effective wildlife conservation in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is an exploration of racialised understandings of migrant learners within the educational space of primary school and the social context of xenophobia in South Africa. These understandings draw from small-scale creative visual research that focused on migrant learners' perspectives on their school experiences. Framed by the concepts of 'recognition' and 'White privilege', it uses the spatial encounter between two learners – one racialised as White and one as Black – and draws on elements of storytelling to present their fragmentary, mosaic-like narratives, highlighting two facets of racialisation: the prizing of White migrant identities and the erasure of Black migrant identities. This study contributes to the field of children's geographies in terms of revealing how migrant primary school children experience the school space differently as differently racialised individuals, as well as how research approaches common in education (picturebooks) and Critical Race Theory (storytelling) can enable such stories to emerge in migration research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refugee children with disabilities are entitled to an education under South African law. These children face the challenges of living in a different country and having to manage their disabilities. However, without providing a quality education to refugee children with disabilities, they face lifelong challenges including poverty and exploitation. This nationally representative cross-sectional study, examines the prevalence of school attendance of refugee children with disabilities in South Africa. Using the Community Survey of 2016, 5,205 refugee children with disabilities are identified and studied. Descriptive statistics are used and results show that less than 5% of refugee children with disabilities are in school. Further there are differences across province of residence, sex and other sociodemographic characteristics. This study is a starting point for more quantitative analysis and further qualitative analysis on the barriers to education for refugee children with disabilities in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Physical fitness (PF) status in children has been identified as a predictor of chronic disease risk factors, and has also been linked to various non-communicable diseases and an increased risk of premature death in adulthood. Studies have shown that PF has been declining. In South Africa (SA), a similar trend is noted and attributed to urbanisation and shifts from traditional active practices to sedentary lifestyles. Objectives. To examine possible associations between PF levels and socioeconomic status (SES) and anthropometric and cardiovascular risk factors among 407 primary schoolchildren aged 6 - 13 years in KwaZulu-Natal Province, SA. Methods. In a cross-sectional study, children's PF scores were assessed using the Eurofit test battery: sit and reach, standing long jump (SLJ), sit-ups (SUs), 5 m shuttle run (5m-SRT) and cricket ball throw (CBT). SES was assessed using a structured questionnaire. Standardised procedures were used for anthropometric and cardiovascular measures. Results. Girls weighed significantly more than boys (p=0.001) and had a significantly higher body mass index (BMI) (p<0.001), waist circumference (WC) (p<0.001) and hip circumference (HC) (p<0.001), while boys performed significantly better in SLJ (p=0.030), SUs (p=0.022), CBT (p<0.001) and 5m-SRT (p<0.001). A significant low negative correlation was found between PF and BMI (r=-0.151; p=0.002), WC (r=-0.107; p=0.031) and HC (r=0.123; p=0.013). Multinomial logistic regression analysis identified BMI as the main predictor of low PF (odds ratio 1.16; 95% confidence interval 1.01 - 1.33) in this cohort of primary schoolchildren. The occurrence of low PF status in children of primary school age may be influenced by gender and adiposity. Conclusion. Assessment of PF at policy levels as part of the health screening process may help create a more explicit depiction of the health status of children and assist in early identification of risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volunteer food handlers (VFHs) working in school feeding programmes contribute immensely to the safety of food served to the school learners. However, their level of knowledge and practice of safe food handling is questionable. This study investigated food safety knowledge and practices of VFHs working for the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) in Gauteng North District, South Africa. This was a descriptive quantitative study in which data were obtained using a standard structured questionnaire. A total of 115 VFHs participated in the study. Most of the VFHs (n = 84, 73.0%) had secondary education with working experience of between 1 to 12 months. Although a high level of knowledge on food safety was demonstrated by the VFHs, this did not fully translate into safe food handling practices. The new VFH recruits were 66% more likely to wear protective clothing than the rest (OR: 0.34, 95%CI: 0.12–0.91, p = 0.033). Women were 90% more likely to wear aprons than men (OR = 0.11; 95 CI: 0.03–0.45; p = 0.002). In this study, VFHs demonstrated adequate levels of knowledge on food safety. Lack of facilities contributed to VFH non-compliance to safe food handling practices. Thus, there is a need to further support VFHs to comply with recommended safe food handling practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to explore the contribution of psychosocial vulnerability and resilience to the academic achievement of primary school children attending a low‐fee, private, primary school in a township in Gauteng province, South Africa. In poorer communities, family and community challenges can be overwhelming, compromising the capacity of children to engage in education and achieve academically. The study draws on quantitative data from 116 primary school children, plus at least one family member (mostly mothers), including measures of family vulnerability and resilience, child resilience and reading and spelling scores. Vulnerability on its own had little impact on participants' academic achievement. However, the resilience of the child, as perceived by the family member, did impact academic achievement, but only for children with higher levels of vulnerability. This supports the buffering and differential impact theories in resilience. Implications for school social work practice are set out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shigella infections cause inflammation, which has been hypothesized to mediate the associations between Shigella and child development outcomes among children in low-resource settings. We aimed to assess whether early life inflammation and Shigella infections affect school-aged growth and cognitive outcomes from 6–8 years of age. Methodology/principal findings: We conducted follow-up assessments of anthropometry, reasoning skills, and verbal fluency in 451 children at 6–8 years of age in the Brazil, Tanzania, and South Africa sites of MAL-ED, a longitudinal birth cohort study. We estimated the associations between Shigella burden and inflammation with linear growth at 2, 5, and 6–8 years of age, and with the cognitive test scores using linear regression and adjusting for potential confounding variables. We also assessed whether inflammation mediated the associations between Shigella and school-aged outcomes using a regression-based approach to mediation analysis. A high prevalence of Shigella was associated with a 0.32 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.56) z-score lower height-for-age z-score (HAZ) at 6–8 years compared to a low prevalence of Shigella. Intestinal inflammation had a smaller association with HAZ at 6–8 years. Shigella burden had small and consistently negative associations with cognitive outcomes in Brazil and Tanzania, but not South Africa, and the estimates were not statistically significant. Systemic inflammation was strongly associated with lower verbal fluency scores in Brazil (semantic fluency z-score difference: -0.57, 95% CI: -1.05, -0.10; phonemic fluency z-score difference: -0.48, 95% CI: -0.93, -0.03). There was no evidence that intestinal inflammation mediated the association between Shigella and HAZ or cognitive outcomes. Conclusions/significance: While Shigella infections were consistently associated with long-term deficits in linear growth, the estimates of the negative associations between Shigella and cognitive outcomes were imprecise and only observed in the Brazil and Tanzania sites. Systemic inflammation was strongly associated with lower semantic and phonemic fluency scores in Brazil only, highlighting the site-specificity of effects. Author summary: Shigella infections are common among children in low-resource settings and cause inflammation, which may contribute to poor child development outcomes. We studied children from birth to 6–8 years of age in Brazil, Tanzania, and South Africa to assess whether Shigella infections and markers of inflammation in the first 2 years of life were associated with child development outcomes at school age, including height and cognitive assessment scores. Shigella infections were consistently associated with long-term deficits in linear growth. However, the associations between Shigella and cognitive outcomes were smaller, not statistically significant, and inconsistent across the three sites. There was no evidence that inflammation caused by Shigella explained the associations between Shigella and school-aged outcomes. Systemic inflammation was strongly associated with lower cognitive assessment scores in Brazil but not in the other sites, highlighting the differences in determinants of child development across settings. Quantifying the impact and understanding mechanisms for the effect of early life exposures to Shigella on long-term cognitive outcomes remains challenging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Data on iron and vitamin A deficiency are scarce in school-aged children living with HIV (HIV+) compared with children without HIV (HIV--). Both deficiencies can contribute to anaemia. Objective. To assess anaemia, iron and vitamin A status in a sample of HIV+ and HIV-- school-aged children in South Africa. Methods. In this comparative cross-sectional study, biomarkers for anaemia (haemoglobin), iron (plasma ferritin (PF), soluble transferrin receptor), vitamin A (retinol-binding protein (RBP)) and inflammatory status (C-reactive protein, α-1-acid glycoprotein) were measured in 8 - 13-year-old children from Cape Town living with (n=143) and without HIV (n=148). Measurements of PF and RBP were adjusted for inflammation using a regression-correction approach. Results. HIV+ children had higher prevalences of anaemia (29% v. 14%; odds ratio (OR) = 2.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4 - 4.9; p=0.002), iron-deficient erythropoiesis (20% v. 9%; OR=2.5; 95% CI 1.2 - 5.0; p=0.013) and iron deficiency anaemia (11% v. 4%; OR=2.9; 95% CI 1.1 - 7.7; p=0.035) than HIV-- children. Marginal vitamin A deficiency was noted in 52% of HIV+ and 57% of HIV-- children (p=0.711). Subclinical inflammation was more prevalent in HIV+ than HIV-- children (p=0.012). Conclusion. Anaemia, iron-deficient erythropoiesis and iron deficiency anaemia were more prevalent in HIV+ than HIV-- children. Prevalence of marginal vitamin A deficiency was high in both groups. Efforts to improve micronutrient status and mitigate nutritional determinants of anaemia in HIV+ children from resource-limited settings should be prioritised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine nutritional knowledge, and to identify whether caregivers' knowledge and attitudes related to their breakfast and lunchbox food-providing practices. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. Questionnaires were used to collect the data. The study population included 1286 caregivers of foundation phase learners in Quintile 5 schools from Bloemfontein, South Africa. The median score for knowledge regarding breakfast and lunchboxes of caregivers was 55.6% and 73.1%, respectively. Knowledge on breakfast and lunchbox foods was higher for caregivers older than 35 years (breakfast median 55.6, p = 0.0479 and lunchbox median 76.9, p < 0.0001) and who possessed a tertiary qualification (breakfast median 55.6, p = 0.0009 and lunchbox median 76.9, p < 0.0001). The attitudes of caregivers were generally positive towards providing healthy breakfast and lunchbox foods (breakfast median 71.4% and lunchbox median 82.5%). The primary objective of caregivers' provision of a lunchbox was health considerations (n = 658, 54.2%) followed by being filling (n = 277, 22.8%). The median score to rate the provision of healthy breakfast foods was 26.7% and 35.6% for lunchbox foods. Healthier breakfasts and lunchboxes were provided by caregivers with a tertiary qualification. A need to educate caregivers on the provision of healthy breakfast and lunchbox foods has been identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inconsistent data exist regarding the influence of parasitic infection on the prevalence of allergic sensitization and disorders. Objective: To investigate the impact of geohelminth and protozoan infections on sensitization patterns and allergic symptoms of children living in low‐income communities in Gqeberha, South Africa. Methods: In a cross‐sectional study, 587 schoolchildren aged 8–12 years were recruited in June 2016 and screened for reactivity to common allergens by skin prick tests (SPTs) and for parasitic infections by stool examination. Additionally, questionnaires were completed to record allergic symptoms the children may have experienced. Results: Positive SPTs were found in 237/587 children (40.4%), and about one‐third of whom were polysensitized. Sensitizations were most frequently detected against the house dust mites (HDM) Dermatophagoides spp. (31.9%) and Blomia tropicalis (21.0%). Infections with geohelminths (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura) were found in 26.8% and protozoan infections (Giardia intestinalis, Cryptosporidia spp.) in 13.9% of study participants. Mixed logistic regression analyses revealed negative associations between parasite infection and sensitization to Blomia tropicalis (OR: 0.54, 95% CI 0.33–0.89) and to Dermatophagoides spp. (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.43–0.96), and between protozoan infection and allergic sensitization to any aeroallergen, although these associations were not significant when adjusted for false discovery. Geohelminth infection and intensity of geohelminth infection were both associated with reduced risk of polysensitization (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.21–0.86), and this association remained significant with adjustment for false discovery. Reported respiratory symptoms were associated with HDM sensitization (ORs from 1.54 to 2.48), but not with parasite infection. Conclusions and clinical relevance: Our data suggest that geohelminth infection and high geohelminth infection intensity are associated with a reduced risk of polysensitization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The problem of cardiovascular diseases and lack of adequate information about the blood pressure profiles among children in South Africa has enormous consequences for public health and the general well-being of communities.Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the blood pressure profiles and associated risk factors of primary school children in South Africa.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 876 children aged 9 to 14 years from 18 randomly selected schools in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Standardised blood pressure measuring instruments were used and an average of three readings was considered. Blood pressure status was classified according to the percentiles of systolic blood pressure (SBP).Results: The overall prevalence of hypertension was 5.2% and pre-hypertension was 18.5% while normal blood pressure was 76.3%. The multilevel binary logistic regression's crude and adjusted analysis revealed that increase in age was significantly associated with elevated BP in children ([crude OR = 1.17 [1.05 - 1.29] and [adjusted OR = 1.12 [1.01 - 1.25]). In addition, increase in BMI was significantly associated with elevated BP in children ([crude OR = 1.08 [1.04 - 1.12] and [adjusted OR = 1.06 [1.02 - 1.11]). There was no statistically significant association between elevated BP and gender for both the univariate and multivariate models. There was also no statistical significant risk for elevated BP associated with place of residence.Conclusions: In this sampled population the established proportion of primary school children with elevated BP is of great concern. In addition, older children and those with high BMI (that is, overweight/obesity) were associated with elevated BP. Interventions towards promoting healthy lifestyles among school learners is a necessity if we are to prevent cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students' challenging behavior is impacting negatively on teachers' wellbeing worldwide. Currently, teaching for some teachers in South African primary schools has become exhausting and daunting to say the least. Teachers feel that they have had enough degradation and are not receiving the respect they, as professionals, deserve. Students' relentless rampages and their refusal to listen to teachers are pushing teachers to the near brink of mental breakdown. This article, which embraces a qualitative research design and draws on an interpretative approach, derives from a larger case study conducted at three primary schools in Phoenix. To determine "how does students' challenging behavior impact on teachers," semi-structured interviews were conducted with five teachers from each sample school (N = 15). Thematic analysis was used to classify data for this study. The systems theory applied portrays how behavior transferred from the home and environmental system, into the school system was impacting on teachers. Results indicate that teachers are unhappy and are awaiting their exit from the teaching profession. Furthermore, lack of collaboration between systems deters any amalgamated progress. Future research should concentrate on embracing constructive systems to reduce teachers' mental and physical stresses in South African primary schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2015 the Western Cape Government (WCG) in South Africa introduced the e-Learning Game Changer initiative to offer teachers in public schools information and communications technology (ICT) resources to improve their pedagogy. Despite the efforts by the WCG to improve ICT use for teaching in public schools, successful ICT integration hardly takes place in several historically disadvantaged (albeit affluent) schools, which constitute a minority of schools in the Western Cape. The primary aim of this study was to investigate those conversion factors allowing or impeding teachers in two public primary schools in the Western Cape from attaining the potential capabilities required for successful ICT integration. Amartya Sen's capability approach was used as the study's theoretical framework. The study employed a qualitative research method involving 10 educators observed during their lessons and interviewed. The findings confirmed that only a few conversion factors, such as the attainment of ICT skills through a community of practice and university training by the teachers, provided them with capabilities to use ICT to deliver curriculum content and perform basic ICT skills effectively. Several conversion factors, including teachers' age, provincial and school policies, infrastructure and resources, prevented these teachers from realising their ICT potential. This study contends that the White Paper on e-Education (2004) policy might benefit from the results, which could help to build or rethink programmes that encourage continual teacher training. Transdisciplinarity Contribution: This research shows that policymakers need to take into consideration the conversion factors that may impact teachers' capabilities to deliver curriculum utilising ICTs. This study's findings provide new light on how these conversion factors limit or expand teachers' ICT capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common psychiatric disorder reported in both children and adults; it is often associated with a variety of executive functioning deficits. Aim: This study investigated the extent to which working memory and set-shifting are impaired in school children with and without ADHD. Setting: This included primary schools in Lepelle-Nkumpi Municipality in Limpopo province, South Africa. Methods: A total of 216 children (108 screened positive for ADHD and 108 matched controls without ADHD symptoms), aged between 6 and 15 years, participated in the study. The performance of the two groups was compared on tests of working memory (Forward and Backward Digit Span subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition) and set-shifting (Trail Making Test Part B). The scores were analysed as a function of gender and age. Results: The group with possible ADHD performed worse than the neurotypical control group on tasks of working memory and set-shifting. The results did not indicate that gender affected performance. However, the younger age group performed worse than the older children. Conclusion: Children classified as ADHD showed significantly more impairments in working memory and set-shifting than neurotypical controls. Neither test showed any significant difference between male and female performance, whilst age was shown to affect performance on both tests. Early identification and treatment of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are crucial to their well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a lack of literature regarding the relationship that exists between body composition and physical fitness amongst primary school learners in South Africa. For the sake of public health purposes, it is important to investigate how body composition relates to physical fitness amongst primary school learners in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between body composition and physical fitness amongst South African primary school children. Setting: The study was conducted on a cohort of primary school learners in the Eastern Cape province, which is a predominantly rural province in South Africa. Methods: A school-based cross-sectional survey was conducted amongst 870 primary schoolchildren aged 9-14 years. Body composition and physical fitness measurements were measured and recorded using standardised measurement scales. Results: Of the 870 participants, 40.34% (n = 351) were boys and 59.66% (n = 519) were girls. The mean age of the participants was 11.04 ± 1.50 years. Boys had a significantly (p = 0.002) higher mean age (11.24 ±1.51 years) as compared to girls (10.91 ± 1.48 years). The results of the non-parametric Spearman's rho correlation coefficients revealed several significant and negative relationships between physical fitness and body composition measurements, which were stronger in girls than in boys. Conclusion: The findings call for public health authorities and other relevant policymakers to initiate the development and implementation of policies and interventions targeted at encouraging physical activity participation and healthy lifestyle amongst primary school learners in South Africa, especially amongst girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article seeks to deepen knowledge about how education that integrates dance and visual arts has had an impact on supporting resilience among children in a primary school in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. The authors have for four years run a project in which the value of integrating dance and visual arts in different ways has been explored. The last workshop week took place in 2020 once schools had reopened after a long period of lockdown. The week included a focus on illuminating the children's experiences of schooling during and after the lockdown. Through a hermeneutic phenomenological analysis of data collected using methods involving multi modal means of expression, it comes forth that the impact that this work has had, is that the children have learned to not just accept what is, but to question and be critical based on what they feel. They learned techniques to assist them to let go of tension and to feel and be aware of embodied sensations. They also had experiences of relating to their peers in new ways and used their imagination to create and express ideas. Based on this study it is concluded that when an embodied perspective is included in a theoretical understanding of the notion of resilience, and this perspective is implemented to guide educational practice, schools may be able to better promote environments that support resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study considered whether children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder displayed a stronger preference for smaller, more immediate rewards over larger, but delayed rewards (delay aversion) when compared to typically developing controls and, furthermore, whether age and gender influenced their preference in any way. Children, between 6 and 15 years of age, living in Limpopo province of South Africa, participated in the study. Two hundred sixteen children in total (108 with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and 108 matched controls without attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms) were assessed, on a task of delay aversion. The Two Choice Impulsivity Paradigm, which assesses immediate and delayed responses, was administered to both the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and control groups. The performance of both groups was compared on the Two Choice Impulsivity Paradigm, and the scores were analysed as a function of gender and age. The attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder group chose significantly more immediate, smaller responses than the neurotypical control group, which preferred significantly more delayed but larger responses. Gender and age did not affect the response choices for both immediate and delayed measurements. Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder show a greater need for more immediate gratification, even if the reward is smaller, than the neurotypical control group who could delay gratification to receive a larger reward. Gender and age did not influence their preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Schistosomiasis remains a public health concern in South Africa (SA), with the highest prevalence of infection found among schoolchildren under the age of 15 years. Knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) studies on schistosomiasis among schoolchildren under the age of 15 years are lacking in the study area. The study therefore assessed primary schoolchildren in Grades 4–7 to determine their knowledge regarding schistosomiasis in the various ages represented in these grades. Methods. The study employed a quantitative descriptive, cross-sectional survey research design approach. A structured, close-ended, Likert-scale, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 458 learners in Grades 4 to 7 aged from 9 to 16 years. Data were analysed using Statistica version 13 software. Bivariate and multivariate techniques were further used to analyse and describe the data and significant associations at p = 0.05 were further interrogated using Cohen's d and Cramér's V , to determine the practical significance. Results. Of the 458 learners who completed the questionnaire, 248 (54%) acknowledged having heard of schistosomiasis previously. There was a positive correlation between knowledge and attitude (0.779). The KAP scores were calculated as a percentage ranging between 0% and 100%, and this range was split into five equal width intervals 0–19%, 20–39%, 40–60%, 61–80%, and 81–100%. For knowledge, 210 (46%) of the participants obtained a score in the interval 0–19%. For attitudes, 237 (52%) of the participants obtained a score in the interval 0–19%. Therefore, the overall knowledge and attitudes among the study participants towards schistosomiasis were poor. There was a significant difference (p = 0.0005 , V = 0.42 medium) between male and female participants relating to their practices. It was observed that a high percentage, 69 (15%) of males reported to swimming in slow-moving water compared to a significantly lower percentage, 9 (5%) of females. Furthermore, 23% of the participants reported that there was a river on the way to school. Conclusion. The study revealed that there was a positive correlation between knowledge and attitude. The overall knowledge and attitudes on schistosomiasis were poor. Furthermore, a gender-related difference based on practices emerged significant in the study. The findings are thus valuable in designing effective and targeted schistosomiasis control programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children are vulnerable to developing iron deficiency anemia, especially in resource-limited settings. Information on habitual dietary intake informs dietary interventions aimed at improving iron deficiency. Dietary assessment in school-aged children is challenging and requires concerted efforts to mitigate the pitfalls of long complex methods. Nested within an intervention trial, we aimed to obtain dietary intake information to assess iron nutrition in 8 to 13-year-old children from resource-limited settings in Cape Town, South Africa. Following careful consideration of the study objective, participant characteristics, research setting, available resources, and features of the different dietary intake assessment methods, we identified an iron quantified food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) as the best method to obtain the information. The QFFQ reflected the study population's habitual intake and the nutrients of interest (protein, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, zinc, and fiber). In addition, strategies such as interview-administration of the QFFQ, interviewing the child participant and caregiver together, simplifying frequency reporting, a strategic food list order and a variety of interesting portion size estimation aids collectively supported dietary intake assessment in this young study population. Using a methodical, multiphase approach and strategies that promote participant engagement, we developed the QFFQ, achieved interview success, and obtained comparable data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and communication technology (ICT)-based reading interventions have potential to help children with reading difficulties, especially those in resource-constrained environments who otherwise might not have access to support. This pilot study aimed to describe the impact of an online, partner-supported reading intervention designed for South African children with reading difficulties. Objectives were to qualitatively describe participants' experience of the intervention, and quantitatively evaluate changes in reading accuracy, rate, comprehension and receptive vocabulary after intervention. Two studies were conducted: (1) A retrospective analysis using data from intervention in mainstream Cape Town schools with peers as reading partners; (2) A prospective study in a Cape Town school with special needs educational provision where speech-language therapists served as reading partners. Both studies used matched participant, pre/post intervention designs. A total of 40 children in grades 3 to 6 participated. In each study the intervention group (n = 20) received intervention 3 times per week (30 minutes per session) for 10 weeks, while the control group (n = 20) continued with regular school activities. Participants enjoyed the ICT-based intervention, valued the role of the reading partners, believed they had made literacy gains, and reported positive attitudinal and behavioural changes related to reading. Retrospective analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between intervention and control groups. The prospective study found a statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups' gains on one measure of reading rate, but no significant difference in reading accuracy, vocabulary or reading comprehension gains. The study provides a preliminary description of one ICT-based reading intervention. Although an intervention effect could not be demonstrated, the changes noted in reading rate together with qualitative findings suggest a need for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess factors that influence physical activity (PA) levels during break-times in South African primary school children. Methods: The System for Observing Play and Leisure Activities in Youth (SOPLAY) was used to observe PA levels during break-times at low-income schools (4 intervention, 4 control). The intervention was based on action-planning including: school environment, curriculum, and family involvement. Categories of observed activity included Sedentary, Eating, Walking, or Vigorous PA. Contextual factors assessed included teacher supervision, equipment, and crowding. Chi-square tests were used to determine associations between PA levels and contextual factors. Results: In the 970 observations made, 31% of learners were sedentary, 14% were eating, 29% were walking, and 26% were engaged in vigorous PA. There were no differences in break-time PA between intervention and control groups (NS). With supervision, children were more likely to eat and less likely to do vigorous PA (P = .035). Playground crowding was associated with lower levels of vigorous activity and more sedentary behavior (P = .000). Conclusions: PA during break-time was adversely affected by over-crowding and lower with supervision. The results suggest that interventions may be targeted at the school policy environment to reduce these barriers to PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Bullying victimisation (BV) among children in South Africa has been identified as a major public health concern. While several studies report on the prevalence rates of BV, there is currently a dearth of research that reports on the prevalence of BV among a national sample of primary school children. This study determines the prevalence rates of BV among a nationally representative sample of school-going children in South Africa across provinces, age, and gender. The sample comprised 7067 children (boys = 45.6%; girls = 54.4%) between the ages of 10–12-years attending 61 primary schools across the nine provincial regions of South Africa. Results: In terms of 'being hit' by other children, percentages range from 22.55% (North West) to 33.34% (Free State). Children in Gauteng (33.59%) and Limpopo (38.54%) had the highest percentage of children being 'left out' or excluded. Additionally, across all provinces more than 30% of children reported that they had been 'called unkind names'. Across gender, boys are more likely to experience all three forms of BV (being hit, left out, and called unkind names). The findings further indicate that 10-year-olds reported being 'hit' and 'left out', whereas a greater percentage of 12-year-olds reported 'being called unkind names' (44.28%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the associations of dietary diversity with anaemia and iron status among primary school-aged children in South Africa.Design: An analysis was conducted with pooled individual data from the baseline surveys from three previously conducted independent intervention studies. Two different dietary diversity scores (DDS) were calculated based on data from 1-day (1-d) and 3-day (3-d) dietary recall periods, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the associations of dietary diversity with anaemia and iron status.Setting: KwaZulu-Natal and North West provinces, South Africa.Participants: Children (n 578) 5- to 12-year-old.Results: A DDS ≤ 4 was associated with higher odds of being anaemic (1-d P = 0·001; 3-d P = 0·006) and being iron deficient (ID) (3-d P < 0·001). For both recall periods, consumption of 'vegetables and fruits other than vitamin A-rich' and 'animal-source foods (ASF)' was associated with lower odds of being anaemic (both P = 0·002), and 'organ meats' with lower odds of being ID (1-d P = 0·045; 3-d P < 0·001). Consumption of 'meat, chicken and fish' was associated with lower odds of being anaemic (P = 0·045), and 'vegetables and fruits other than vitamin A-rich', 'legumes, nuts and seeds' and 'ASF' with lower odds of being ID for the 3-d recall period only (P = 0·038, P = 0·020 and P = 0·003, respectively).Conclusion: In order to improve anaemia and iron status among primary school-aged children, dietary diversification, with emphasis on consumption of vegetables, fruits and ASF (including organ meats), should be promoted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local research has utilized both practical (youth with disabilities accessing sexual and reproductive health services) and theoretical knowledge (decoloniality, disability and sexuality) to understand the sexuality of persons living with disabilities. However, this knowledge has not been utilized to examine the visibility of disability and sexuality in South Africa's comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) scripted lesson plans (SLPs). A content analysis was conducted of all the Department of Basic Education's CSE SLPs (Grades 4–12). The study indicated that only in Grade 10 is disability and sexuality discussed in 3 activities. Within these activities, some attempt has been made to demystify certain misconceptions about the sexuality of disabled bodies (i.e. as celibate, asexual beings, with no romantic or sexual interests). The activities further debunk how various types of disabled bodies are sexual beings (i.e. not just those in wheelchairs). However, the fact that these discourses only emerge and left in Grade 10, raises concerns about the inclusivity of the CSE curriculum for disabled youth (e.g. CSE not acknowledging issues of power and consent amongst youth living with disabilities). A critical discussion is provided of the gaps identified and recommendations provided by existing practical and theoretical knowledge to inform the current CSE SLPs. [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]

The right to free basic education is guaranteed under the national, international and regional laws. While many states protect the right to education in their Constitutions in form of fundamental right, which is enforceable in courts, others, including Nigeria, do so in form of directive principle of the state policy which is perforce, unenforceable. Its non justiciability has constituted an obstacle, making its realization a smokescreen. A global monitoring report by UNESCO Education for All on sub-sahara Africa indicated that about 33 million children of school age are still not enrolled in school in the region. Nigeria, together with six countries reportedly had more than one million out-of-school children while several million adults are also illiterates. This paper therefore, examined the legal framework for the right to basic education in Nigeria, appraising the applicable domestic, regional and international instruments. The paper also applauded the recent breakthroughs recorded by Nigeria through judicial interventions. The author drew comparative lessons from South Africa and India and consequently proffered recommendations towards the actualization of the said right. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deteriorating global physical activity (PA) levels among children warrants new and sustainable approaches to increase PA levels. This study aimed to determine the immediate and sustainable influences of a 9-week movement program on the PA levels in 7 to 8-year-old school children in the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa., Methods: A randomized control trial including two groups (control group (CG) and intervention group (IG)), pre-post-retest (after six months of no intervention) design was used. Seventy school children, mean age 7.12 years (± 0.71) (n = 35 IG; n = 35 CG) participated in the study. A 9-week movement program was followed twice a week for 30 min during school hours. PA was measured for 7 consecutive days using a hip-mounted wGT3X-BT Actigraph accelerometer. The Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition (TGMD-3) was used to assess motor skills. Hierarchical Linear Modelling (HLM) was applied to analyze the data with time, sex, and group as predictors. Effect sizes were computed using Cohen's d-cut points to assess the practical significance of changes over time. Estimated regression coefficients were also computed to determine the strength of the relationship between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and fundamental movement skills (FMS)., Results: Before the intervention, 60% of the IG met the 60 min of daily MVPA guideline, while light physical activity (LPA) per day was also higher than sedentary behavior (SB) in both groups. No immediate (p < 0.01) or sustainable (p < 0.01) increases in MVPA levels were found and no positive associations emerged between FMS and MVPA levels., Conclusions: This intervention had little to no effect on children's MVPA. More understanding of the activity behavior and interests of children is needed to improve their PA behavior through the content of movement programs. Strategies are also needed to communicate clear messages at a personalized but also parental level, focusing on enhancing health through regular PA, especially to promote PA in young children., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This article attempts to contest schoolification using snapshots of pedagogy-in-participation in ECD centres in South Africa. Educational research confirms that early childhood education can positively influence the lives, well-being, safety, growth, development and academic performance of young children in the birth to 4 years age group. In South Africa (SA), Early Childhood Development (ECD) has been recognised and identified as a critical nodal point for the country's social and economic transformation and development. However, "schoolification" has become an epidemic that has promoted standardisation of education, reduces teacher autonomy and envisions ECD centres as preparation for school rather than preparation for life. The study investigated the perceptions of practitioners and centre managers of 5 well-resourced and 5 under-resourced centres in 5 of the 9 provinces in SA. This article forms part of a larger funded project on Transformation Pedagogy. The most illustrative examples from the data collected were used to elicit alternative quality practices for pedagogy in participation. The findings encourage practitioners and policy makers to reconceptualise ECD as a co-constructive process. The article offers recommendations for teacher preparedness and child-centredness by provoking a reconceptualisation that involves making schools children-ready rather than making children school-ready. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the dominant approach to entrepreneurship education in the South African education system regarding the crisis of youth unemployment. It draws on the case of the public-school sector, in conjunction with the technical vocational education and training (TVET) subsector of the post-school education sector. The comparison of the entrepreneurship education sector plan for public schools with the discourse on TVET reform shows that entrepreneurship education similarly follows the čskills perspective' with a dominant focus on the formal economy, which is informed by a human-capital based and productivist approach to education. The authors argue that this understanding of entrepreneurship education employs a too narrow perspective on youth unemployment as it overlooks individual capabilities and agency and can contribute to an experience of youth unemployment as individual failure. The authors expand this argument by suggesting a critical entrepreneurship education approach, which is outlined based on two programmes at primary-school and post-school education (TVET) level in a poor urban area. The authors argue that a critical entrepreneurship education approach contributes to learning for capabilities, social justice and democratic citizenship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If work-family role conflict is not managed properly it could have debilitating consequences for educators regarding the quality of their work and family lives. The aims of the current study were twofold, namely, to determine the nature and the extent of role conflict being experienced by primary school educators teaching in three regions of North West, South Africa. To achieve the aims of the study, a literature review and an empirical study were undertaken. The literature review focused primarily on the nature of role conflict (intra- and inter-role conflict), while the empirical study investigated the extent of role conflict (intra- and inter-role conflict) being experienced by 795 primary school educators teaching in three regions of North West. Based on the outcomes of the literature review focusing on the nature of role conflict, a questionnaire was developed and validated to assess the extent of role conflict being experienced by the participants. The findings indicated that, in general, the participants experienced a slight to moderate extent of intra- and inter-role conflict. Some recommendations were made to manage and address the educators' experiences of intra- and inter-role conflict in the school context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the psychometric properties of two primary domains in the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (R-OBVQ) in a convenience sample of 272 Grade 6 and 7 primary school learners in Gauteng, South Africa. This appears to be the first study to explore the psychometric properties of the self-report scale among a South African sample of primary school learners in Grade 6 and 7. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed that two distinct factors lay beneath the surface of the items tested (i.e., 'being victimised' and 'bullying others'), and in combination explained 48.63% of the variance. Further results from the item analysis indicated that both factors were soundly reliable, yielding Cronbach Alpha values of.85 and.81, respectively. Notwithstanding the insight indicative in the results, the current study adopted only one technique to explore the factor solution in the data. As such, only modest support for the validity and reliability of the R-OBVQ is provided. Further research of the scale using (partial) confirmatory factor analysis among South African primary school learners is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about how growing up with HIV impacts educational outcomes in sub-Saharan African children. We evaluated if South African children living with HIV (CLWH) were in the appropriate school grade-for-age compared to uninfected control children. We observed higher rates of not being in the correct grade-for-age in CLWH compared with controls (OR 3.32, 95% CI: 2.07-5.34), adjusted for study site, sex, whether the child's biological father was alive, and caregiver education. Initiation of ART before 6 months of age reduced but did not eliminate this association. Whether these associations are due to biological factors or other social and environmental determinants, and how best to support CLWH to achieve educational goals, warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes of school-going paediatric cochlear implant (CI) recipients in a South African cohort from the perspectives of parents. Design: Parents of school-going CI recipients completed the Children with Cochlear Implants: Parental Perspectives (CCIPP) CI-specific HRQoL questionnaire. The effect of different demographic variables on HRQoL outcomes was also determined. Study sample: The study sample included 54 parents of school-going (mean age = 12.2 years; SD = 3.6; range = 6.6-18.3 years) CI recipients with at least six months CI experience. Results: Children's communication and general functioning with a CI received the most positive parental ratings. Among a number of confirmed statistically significant (p<0.05) associations between HRQoL outcomes and demographic variables, pre-lingual onset of deafness was linked to better HRQoL in terms of general functioning and well-being. While shorter duration of deafness and unilateral implantation were associated with higher parental ratings for self-reliance and well-being respectively, longer duration of CI use was linked to improved HRQoL outcomes in terms of general functioning. Conclusion: Parents assigned positive ratings to their child's HRQoL. This exploration of children's HRQoL related to their CIs contributes to evidence-based paediatric CI services that promote optimal psychosocial outcomes. Abbreviations: CI: cochlear implant; CCIPP: Children with Cochlear Implants: Parental Perspectives; HRQoL: health-related quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In low- and middle-income countries, infectious diseases remain a key public health issue. Additionally, non-communicable diseases are a rapidly growing public health problem that impose a considerable burden on population health. One way to address this dual disease burden, is to incorporate (lifestyle) health promotion measures within the education sector. In the planned study, we will (i) assess and compare physical activity, physical fitness, micronutrient status, body composition, infections with soil-transmitted helminths, Schistosoma mansoni, malaria, inflammatory and cardiovascular health risk markers, cognitive function, health-related quality of life, and sleep in schoolchildren in Côte d'Ivoire, South Africa and Tanzania. We will (ii) determine the bi- and multivariate associations between these variables and (iii) examine the effects of a school-based health intervention that consists of physical activity, multi-micronutrient supplementation, or both.Methods: Assuming that no interaction occurs between the two interventions (physical activity and multi-micronutrient supplementation), the study is designed as a cluster-randomised, placebo-controlled trial with a 2 × 2 factorial design. Data will be obtained at three time points: at baseline and at 9 months and 21 months after the baseline assessment. In each country, 1320 primary schoolchildren from grades 1-4 will be recruited. In each school, classes will be randomly assigned to one of four interventions: (i) physical activity; (ii) multi-micronutrient supplementation; (iii) physical activity plus multi-micronutrient supplementation; and (iv) no intervention, which will serve as the control. A placebo product will be given to all children who do not receive multi-micronutrient supplementation. After obtaining written informed consent from the parents/guardians, the children will be subjected to anthropometric, clinical, parasitological and physiological assessments. Additionally, fitness tests will be performed, and children will be invited to wear an accelerometer device for 7 days to objectively assess their physical activity. Children infected with S. mansoni and soil-transmitted helminths will receive deworming drugs according to national policies. Health and nutrition education will be provided to the whole study population independently of the study arm allocation.Discussion: The study builds on the experience and lessons of a previous study conducted in South Africa. It involves three African countries with different social-ecological contexts to investigate whether results are generalisable across the continent.Trial Registration: The study was registered on August 9, 2018, with ISRCTN. https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN29534081. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is defined as a cognitive or behavioural developmental disorder. Inattentiveness, overactivity and impulsivity are regarded as the main clinical symptoms of ADHD. These symptoms may occur together or separately resulting in three recognised presentations: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive and combined presentations. Aim: This study investigated deficiencies in behavioural planning in South African primary school children with and without ADHD. Setting: Tzaneen area in Limpopo province, South Africa. Methods: A total of 156 children (78 with ADHD and 78 matched controls without ADHD) of both genders, who were medication naïve and aged 6-15 years, participated in the study. The performance of the two groups was compared on a test of planning and problem-solving, the Tower of London (ToL) task. The results were analysed as a function of gender, age and ADHD presentation. Results: Children with ADHD especially ADHD-PI and ADHD-C used significantly more moves and took a longer time to complete the task than the controls (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the number of moves and time taken by the predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentations of ADHD when compared to the controls. Gender and age did not influence the performance. Conclusion: The results showed that children with ADHD showed significantly more deficits mainly the ADHD-PI and ADHD-C presentations, which indicates that inattention is mainly responsible for deficiencies in behaviour planning. The ADHD-HI presentations and the control group were not affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational interventions targeting communities which are at risk of contracting schistosomiasis infection may empower them to develop capacity to minimize the spread of the disease. We compared the effectiveness of health education interventions for schistosomiasis knowledge uptake among school-going children in Ndumo area, KwaZulu-Natal using a quasi-experimental trial. An assessment of health education interventions (edutainment and infographics) in the community's own language and socio-cultural context was done among primary school-aged children in two primary schools in Ndumo, a schistosomiasis endemic area (37%). The study involved 37 students from Munywana primary where the intervention was on infographics and 44 from Maphindela where the intervention was on edutainment. The students wrote a schistosomiasis knowledge test, 1 month before the knowledge uptake interventions were implemented. The same test was given to the two groups after the interventions. Baseline and post-intervention scores were used to test whether the interventions improved schistosomiasis knowledge levels. Paired t-test and independent t-tests were conducted to test the change in knowledge assimilation at the 5% significance level. Our findings show that health education interventions significantly improved knowledge on schistosomiasis among school children (P < 0.001). At post-intervention, the mean score of the whole sample increased to 15,6/35, from a baseline score of 6,5/35. However, there was no significant difference in the post-intervention mean scores of infographics and edutainment interventions. In order to improve schistosomiasis research uptake among school-aged children, health education interventions such as edutainment and infographics can be effective in making the children assimilate schistosomiasis research findings as it has been shown elsewhere. The number of participants in the intervention and high attrition rate were notable limitations of the study. Future studies may need to invest more resources and use digital-based interventions incorporating both infographics and edutainment on one platform such as a digital device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many educationists have noted that learners learn to read by reading -- much in the same way as they learn any other skill: by doing it and enjoying what they do. This one-year intrinsic case study of Bulembu Lower & Higher Primary School focused on six intermediate phase pupils (Grades 4 to 6). The paper reports on the use of an enhanced Extensive Reading (ER) project aiming to improve learners' literacy. The study was conducted through resource-auditing, prepost case study interviews, and providing plenty of opportunities to access reading materials that pupils enjoy reading in a relaxed atmosphere such as fairy tales, folk tales, novels, plays, poetry and media journals (print, audio & visual). The study generated video recordings, classroom corner libraries, translatability, book reports, continuous assessment, long-term intrinsic motivation for reading, and a comprehensive extensive reading project report. Theoretically, the social constructivist theory, in line with Project-Based Learning (PBL) as a holistic framework, informed the study. The study has already revealed that if English First Additional Language learners (EFAL) read age-appropriate, attractive, contemporary reading material, and follow various strategies, their communication skills and academic reading and writing competence will improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early childhood is characterised by an immense spurt of growing and learning where under-nutrition can have adverse effects on the neuro-developmental health and school performance of children. A full understanding of the relationship between school performance and motor functioning skills and malnourishment in school beginners is still lacking. Aim: To determine the association between indices of under-nutrition and how it relates to school performance and motor functioning skills of first-grade learners. Setting: North West province (NWP) of South Africa (SA). Method: The baseline data of the stratified, randomised North-West Child Health Integrated with Learning and Development (NW-CHILD) longitudinal study were used. Grade 1 learners (N = 816, 420 boys, 396 girls, mean age 6.78+ years) from four school districts in the NWP of SA took part in the study. Indices of under-nutrition were determined by Z-scores (-2 standard deviation [s.d.]) for stunting (height-for-age [HAZ]) and wasting and underweight (Z-score for body mass index) using the 2007 World Health Organization reference sample. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Short Form and the Visual Motor Integration fourth edition were used to assess different aspects of motor functioning, while school performance in mathematics, reading and writing was assessed by teachers according to the National South African standards of assessments. Results: Both HAZ and Z-score for weight-for-age correlated significantly with school performance and motor functioning skills (r > 2.0, p < 0.05), while visual perception was moderately associated (r < 0.30) with mathematics in HAZ and Z-score for weight-for-height (WHZ) children. Motor functioning of HAZ and WHZ children was significantly poorer (p < 0.05) compared to typical children, while underweight was not associated with any outcome variables. Conclusion: Moderate forms of stunting and wasting influence school performance and motor functioning of school beginners negatively, while an association between visual perceptual abilities and inferior mathematics, reading and writing suggests a close link with inferior cognitive information processing in stunted and wasted children. These barriers should be addressed as poor scholastic success in Grade 1 may influence future school performance and the subsequent well-being of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pupils lack the joys and delights of literacy, whilst pressured into learning by memorisation (rote). Such examples are: initiating discussions with the schoolteacher, developing essential or analytical observations regarding their surroundings and elements, whilst discovering text interconnectedness, possibly achieved through reading. Numerous teachers are perceived as unsure concerning generating a need amongst learners to focus on instructions. This study demonstrates poetry as a solution for this challenge. The study focusses on ways, teaching English as a social practice, using a literacy process observation amongst High School De Vos Malan's pupils in King Williams Town in the Province of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The "Atwell Reading Workshop" is used for data collection. The study is identified, using a qualitative and interpretive approach. This study concentrates on four reading alleviations workshops: Reading and interpreting a selected book, scheduled at specific times in the chosen educational institute; fundamental inspiration; observing the literacy progression; poetry reading and involvement of pupils. This study is informed by "Foucault's Critical Discourse Analysis", representing a theoretical framework. This research shows that no other literature type can be equal to that of poetry teaching. Poetry teaching represents expressions, meticulous intense wording, the significance of a nonfictional opinion, dialogue forms and the prominence thereof, the splendour of allegorical linguistics and therefore the necessity of correct punctuation and descriptive linguistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Pain in children with cerebral palsy (CP) has its sources in musculoskeletal problems that can influence learning in a school setting. Best pain management is essential for these children, but school staff may not keep up to date with the latest developments and interventions. Therefore, staff's perceptions of beneficial strategies may not comply with contemporary scientific knowledge about effective evidence-based interventions. Objectives: This study investigated how pain management intervention for children with CP in South African schools complied with international scientific knowledge about evidence-based interventions. The intention was to provide support for an update of knowledge on both individual level (i.e. professionals) and system level (i.e. decision makers). Method: Five focus groups were conducted with staff members at five schools for children with special educational needs in South Africa. Manifest and latent content analyses of professional statements identified interventions reported as beneficial and related them to higher and lower levels of intervention evidence as reported at the time of data collection. Results: Most treatment strategies concerned motor functioning that fell within the framework of physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Access to orthopaedic expertise was limited, waiting times were long and medication for spasticity treatment was not offered. Conclusion: A discrepancy between published evidence and clinical practice for pain management in children with CP in South African school settings was noted. Suggestions for improved early intervention to identify children's hips at risk through surveillance programmes; and orthopaedic management are proposed to prevent deformities and unnecessary suffering in South African children with CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health impact of indoor air pollution in informal settlement households has not been extensively studied in South Africa. This cross‐sectional study investigated the association between asthma and common indoor exposures among schoolchildren from four informal settlements located in two municipalities in the Western Cape Province. A total of 590 children, aged 9‐11 years, were recruited. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire was administered to caregivers. Pulmonary function assessment included spirometry and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). Phadiatop test for atopy was done. The prevalence of doctor‐diagnosed asthma was 3.4% (n = 20) among whom only 50% were on treatment. The prevalence of current wheeze was 12.9%, and 17.6% had airway obstruction (FEV1 < lower limit of normal), while 10.2% had airway inflammation (FeNO > 35 ppb). In adjusted logistic regression models, dampness, visible mold growth, paraffin use for cooking, and passive smoking were associated with a twofold to threefold increased risk in upper and lower airway outcomes. The strongest association was that of visible mold growth with rhinitis (adjusted odds ratio—aOR 3.37, 95% CI: 1.69‐6.71). Thus, there is a need for improved diagnosis of childhood asthma and Indoor Air Quality in informal settlement households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A recent study of African evaluations identified deficiencies in present evaluation practices. Due to limited public sector expertise for the design of policy impact evaluations, expertise for such complex designs is largely external to the public sector. Consequently, recommendations made sometimes pay insufficient attention to variations in local contexts. Objectives The bold idea presented in this article is that theory-based evaluation (TBE) in its most recent participatory versions offers promising opportunities towards more flexible epistemology. When properly tweaked, tuned and adapted to local needs and demands in African contexts, better theory-based evaluations are possible. Method Three TBE-inspired criteria for better evaluations are suggested. The usefulness of including broad perspectives in theory-making was illustrated with a recent policy example, that is, the provision of tablets to school children in South Africa. Results A model of collaborative theory-making is presented. The pros and cons of the proposed hybrid model are discussed. Conclusion Recent trends in TBE point towards more participation of stakeholders in the theory-making process and towards more flexible epistemologies. The proposed innovation of TBE may have broader implications and serve as a promising inspiration for better evaluation practices in African contexts, given that existing research has demonstrated a need for such visions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]