Governments in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are expanding access to high school education, which is a perpetuation of the previous focus on basic education. This study applies qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) using data from seven countries from 2010 to 2020 to examine the potential conditions of fee-free policies at the high school level. Five…

The absence of a shared understanding of quality education for South African schools prompted this study to apply the capability approach of Amartya Sen to investigate the productive qualities of teachers. The study outlines the significance of integrating teachers' perspectives into discussions surrounding quality education in South Africa. More…

The purpose of the study reported on here was to explore the implementation of learner integration and its challenges in a selected former Model C school. This is an expansion of the findings of a larger study, "Understanding and enhancing of learner integration in a selected ex-model C school" by Theresia Joakim Kanyopa. Based on South…

Despite extensive research into the function of education in promoting social cohesion, the role of the history curricula in promoting solidarity in South Africa and Zimbabwe remains under-researched. Understanding the history curriculum attempts made at the policy level to promote social cohesion by two postcolonial Sub-Saharan countries could…

Safety in and around schools is an on-going concern in South Africa. Current education policy related to school safety institutes mechanisms to reduce violence as a measure of promoting safety. The highest rate of violence reported by learners occurs in the classroom. By implication, how teachers are either enabled or constrained to respond to…

School violence has been on the increase over the past few years, despite several interventions put in place by school management, the Department of Education and parents. Nonetheless, school violence remains a debilitating factor to safe and secure schools. It is within this context that this paper examines the participation of Representative…

Teenage pregnancy and motherhood are among the major causes of gender inequality in education in the contemporary global community. This study sought to examine the effectiveness of interventions in redressing the negative effects of schoolgirl pregnancy on teaching and learning at four high schools that experienced high rates of schoolgirl…

Teaching physical sciences in English as the Language of Learning and Teaching (LOLT) has presented numerous challenges, particularly for learners who are not proficient in the language. The South African government is increasingly considering the use of indigenous languages as the medium of instruction for subjects such as physical sciences,…

This article aims to give insight into the professional identities of seven teachers who teach English literature to Grade 10-12 learners, in the North-West district of South Africa. The focus is on how these teachers' experiences are shaped by larger determinants (social, historical, professional, etc.), and how their experiences might resonate…

This qualitative study explored the level of implementation of the policy of inclusion within selected high schools. The policy of inclusion is one of the key policies enacted by the Department of Education in South Africa since the demise of apartheid. The implementation of the inclusive approach is reported to be facing multiple challenges. In…

Post-apartheid South African curriculum reforms, from outcomes-based education (OBE) to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), resulted in different challenges. Teachers, in particular those teaching Physical Sciences in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase from Grades 10-12, were expected to cope with changes and master…

When the purified National Party (NP) came to power in South Africa in 1948, they introduced educational policies based on the ideology of apartheid. At that time 7,183 pupils attended primary education in 110 Lutheran Norwegian mission schools in Zululand and Natal. When the State took over these schools after the passing of the Bantu Education…

Practical work is critical to understanding science concepts. A case study was carried out to understand teachers' perceptions regarding practical work in Mankweng Circuit, South Africa. Four Grade 11 Physical Science teachers from different high schools were purposively selected. Data were collected through interviews, classroom observations, and…

Life Orientation (LO) is judged by the Department of Basic Education to be critical for the development of social and environmental responsible behaviour among South African schoolchildren. Despite this crucial role, the research revealed that the participants in the study reported on do not succeed as expected with the fostering of competencies…

This qualitative interpretive study explores issues and challenges influencing school improvement opportunities for Science and Mathematics in selected South African high schools through a systems leadership lens. Unstructured interviews were conducted with 13 participants comprising a principal, deputy principals, heads of department (HODs) for…