Genetic characteristics of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1, and deter-minants of late presentation for care and Diabetes mellitus amongst newly diagnosed Human Immunodeficiency Virus positive patients in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
- Authors: Sogbanmu, Olufunso Oladipo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: HIV infections
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/${Handle} , vital:40495
- Description: Phylogenies may help to characterize transmission pairs, enhance contact tracing and outbreak investigations, track the origin and spread of epidemics over place and time, and to identify patterns of onward Human Immunodeficiency-Virus (HIV) transmission among risk groups. If the pattern and evolution of HIV drug resistance can be mapped, this may influence the development of guidelines in the clinical management of HIV especially with issues relating to prevalence of primary drug resistance and its impact on outcomes of present antiretroviral treatment (ART) regimen in use and the ability to trace and track the development of drug resistant strains. The roll-out of the test and treat Programme for newly diagnosed HIV infected pa-tient, seeks to identify HIV infected individuals early and to prevent morbidity and mortality associated with the late presentation for HIV care. The determination of the magnitude of ‘late presentation’ and or ‘presentation with advanced HIV disease’ can be used in very diverse settings and for many purposes. It provides a unified way to define the problem, thereby targeting appropriate interventions to prevent the detrimental outcomes associated with late presentation to care. The subtle relationship between HIV and diabetes mellitus (DM) may also help in formulating better preventive programs to aid the control of non-communicable diseases such as DM. This cross-sectional study includes a purposive selection of 335 HIV positive patients attending the voluntary counselling and Testing (VCT) and HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) centres and outpatient departments at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital and the HCT sites at the Buffalo District municipality community health centres, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Late or delayed presentation of HIV infection was defined as CD4 cell count beneath 350 cells/μL and/or patients presenting with an AIDS-defining event at the first follow-up regardless of the CD4 cell count. Chapter 1 provides the general introduction had an overview of the introduction to the study, the statement of the research problem, hypothesis, the aim and the objectives. xx Chapter 2 looked in-depth at the HIV, case definition, the latest epidemiology of HIV, the HIV genome, the life cycle of HIV, its diagnosis, the classes of antiretroviral drugs, development of drug resistance. Chapter 3 highlighted the prevalence of Transmitted Drug Resistance (TDR) with focus on the protease gene. RNA was extracted from blood samples of 72 newly diagnosed HIV-1 patients attending some HIV testing and counselling clinics from August 2016 to July 2017. Protease fragments were amplified with specific primers by RT-PCR followed by nested PCR. The amplified products were sequenced using the ABI 360 sequencer, edited with Geneious version 9.1.5 and translated into amino acid with BioEdit software. Drug related resistance mutation (DRMs) analysis was performed on all the protease sequences in accordance with the 2009 WHO list of surveillance drug resistance mutations by submitting the edited sequences to Stanford HIV drug interpretation programme and the international AIDS society-USA guidelines for query of drug resistance associated mutations while phylogenetic analysis was performed using MEGA 6 to allocate all viral sequences into subtypes. In the study, a total of 52/72 (71.1%) reliable HIV-1 protease sequences were obtained in which subtyping and drug resistance mutations were performed. Two (3.8%) major Protease resistance associated mutation (V82A/L and L90M) were observed while another polymorphism like L10F, T74S, Q58E, L10I/V and M46V were also identified. Phylogenetic analyses delineated all the sequences as HIV-1 subtype C. Chapter 4 describes the prevalence and the determinants of late presentation amongst newly diagnosed HIV positive individuals in the Eastern Cape. It indicates the extent of the prevalence of patients presenting to care and at what HIV stage they were assessing health care services since the inception of the ‘test and treat’ strategy. It is a cross-sectional study where a total of 335 newly diagnosed patients were recruited consecutively be-tween August 2016 and July 2017. Late presenter for HIV care was defined in accordance with the European Late Presenter Consensus working group as a patient who reports for care when the CD4 count is below 350 cells/μL and/or when there is an established Aids- xxi defining clinical condition, irrespective of CD4 count. Adjusted and unadjusted logistic regression analysis was used to examine the determinants of late HIV diagnosis. The study showed that 60% of patients were late presenters, with 35% presenting with advanced disease. The major determinants identified were being male and low level of education. This led to recommendations directed at ensuring programmes that targets men in identifying their HIV status and assess care at early stage to prevents the morbidity and mortality associated with delayed presentation. Also, it was recommended that effort should be made to improve access to education and also include HIV related topics into the educational curriculum. Chapter 5 aimed to describe the prevalence and determinants of DM amongst newly diagnosed HIV positive individuals. This is a cross-sectional study which recruited 335 patients between August 2016 and September 2017. Definition for diabetes mellitus was made based on the SEDMSA 2015 guideline of HBA1C of above 6.5%. Adjusted and unadjusted logistic regression analysis was used to examine the determinants of abnormal glycated haemoglobin. Findings showed the prevalence of DM at about 6% amongst newly diagnosed HIV positive individuals. This is similar to findings in other study within the country, but a bit lower than what was obtained in the developed countries. The role of older age (above 40 years) as predisposing factor to development of diabetes in newly diagnosed HIV positive individual was well noted and taken. This ensures that screening for DM should be targeted at elderly HIV positive individuals. The grey area of the appropriate mode of diagnostic test to use to diagnose HIV is still debatable, however, a combination of HBA1c and fasting blood sugar (FBS) may improve the diagnosis of DM in this population group. In chapter 6, the general conclusions, recommendations and future perspectives of the study are reflected.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Sogbanmu, Olufunso Oladipo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: HIV infections
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/${Handle} , vital:40495
- Description: Phylogenies may help to characterize transmission pairs, enhance contact tracing and outbreak investigations, track the origin and spread of epidemics over place and time, and to identify patterns of onward Human Immunodeficiency-Virus (HIV) transmission among risk groups. If the pattern and evolution of HIV drug resistance can be mapped, this may influence the development of guidelines in the clinical management of HIV especially with issues relating to prevalence of primary drug resistance and its impact on outcomes of present antiretroviral treatment (ART) regimen in use and the ability to trace and track the development of drug resistant strains. The roll-out of the test and treat Programme for newly diagnosed HIV infected pa-tient, seeks to identify HIV infected individuals early and to prevent morbidity and mortality associated with the late presentation for HIV care. The determination of the magnitude of ‘late presentation’ and or ‘presentation with advanced HIV disease’ can be used in very diverse settings and for many purposes. It provides a unified way to define the problem, thereby targeting appropriate interventions to prevent the detrimental outcomes associated with late presentation to care. The subtle relationship between HIV and diabetes mellitus (DM) may also help in formulating better preventive programs to aid the control of non-communicable diseases such as DM. This cross-sectional study includes a purposive selection of 335 HIV positive patients attending the voluntary counselling and Testing (VCT) and HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) centres and outpatient departments at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital and the HCT sites at the Buffalo District municipality community health centres, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Late or delayed presentation of HIV infection was defined as CD4 cell count beneath 350 cells/μL and/or patients presenting with an AIDS-defining event at the first follow-up regardless of the CD4 cell count. Chapter 1 provides the general introduction had an overview of the introduction to the study, the statement of the research problem, hypothesis, the aim and the objectives. xx Chapter 2 looked in-depth at the HIV, case definition, the latest epidemiology of HIV, the HIV genome, the life cycle of HIV, its diagnosis, the classes of antiretroviral drugs, development of drug resistance. Chapter 3 highlighted the prevalence of Transmitted Drug Resistance (TDR) with focus on the protease gene. RNA was extracted from blood samples of 72 newly diagnosed HIV-1 patients attending some HIV testing and counselling clinics from August 2016 to July 2017. Protease fragments were amplified with specific primers by RT-PCR followed by nested PCR. The amplified products were sequenced using the ABI 360 sequencer, edited with Geneious version 9.1.5 and translated into amino acid with BioEdit software. Drug related resistance mutation (DRMs) analysis was performed on all the protease sequences in accordance with the 2009 WHO list of surveillance drug resistance mutations by submitting the edited sequences to Stanford HIV drug interpretation programme and the international AIDS society-USA guidelines for query of drug resistance associated mutations while phylogenetic analysis was performed using MEGA 6 to allocate all viral sequences into subtypes. In the study, a total of 52/72 (71.1%) reliable HIV-1 protease sequences were obtained in which subtyping and drug resistance mutations were performed. Two (3.8%) major Protease resistance associated mutation (V82A/L and L90M) were observed while another polymorphism like L10F, T74S, Q58E, L10I/V and M46V were also identified. Phylogenetic analyses delineated all the sequences as HIV-1 subtype C. Chapter 4 describes the prevalence and the determinants of late presentation amongst newly diagnosed HIV positive individuals in the Eastern Cape. It indicates the extent of the prevalence of patients presenting to care and at what HIV stage they were assessing health care services since the inception of the ‘test and treat’ strategy. It is a cross-sectional study where a total of 335 newly diagnosed patients were recruited consecutively be-tween August 2016 and July 2017. Late presenter for HIV care was defined in accordance with the European Late Presenter Consensus working group as a patient who reports for care when the CD4 count is below 350 cells/μL and/or when there is an established Aids- xxi defining clinical condition, irrespective of CD4 count. Adjusted and unadjusted logistic regression analysis was used to examine the determinants of late HIV diagnosis. The study showed that 60% of patients were late presenters, with 35% presenting with advanced disease. The major determinants identified were being male and low level of education. This led to recommendations directed at ensuring programmes that targets men in identifying their HIV status and assess care at early stage to prevents the morbidity and mortality associated with delayed presentation. Also, it was recommended that effort should be made to improve access to education and also include HIV related topics into the educational curriculum. Chapter 5 aimed to describe the prevalence and determinants of DM amongst newly diagnosed HIV positive individuals. This is a cross-sectional study which recruited 335 patients between August 2016 and September 2017. Definition for diabetes mellitus was made based on the SEDMSA 2015 guideline of HBA1C of above 6.5%. Adjusted and unadjusted logistic regression analysis was used to examine the determinants of abnormal glycated haemoglobin. Findings showed the prevalence of DM at about 6% amongst newly diagnosed HIV positive individuals. This is similar to findings in other study within the country, but a bit lower than what was obtained in the developed countries. The role of older age (above 40 years) as predisposing factor to development of diabetes in newly diagnosed HIV positive individual was well noted and taken. This ensures that screening for DM should be targeted at elderly HIV positive individuals. The grey area of the appropriate mode of diagnostic test to use to diagnose HIV is still debatable, however, a combination of HBA1c and fasting blood sugar (FBS) may improve the diagnosis of DM in this population group. In chapter 6, the general conclusions, recommendations and future perspectives of the study are reflected.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Genetic detection of some tick-borne bacterial and protozoan pathogens in ticks collected in Raymond Mhlaba local municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Nqoro, Ayabulela
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Tick-borne diseases Ticks
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17084 , vital:40846
- Description: Ticks and tick-borne diseases are becoming a major life threatening concern to wildlife, domesticated animals and human health. Besides causing skin damage, ticks infestations have become a growing burden in food security, economic losses and transmitting multides of pathogens. Little data and knowledge is available regarding the occurrence of etiologic agents of tick-borne diseases in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, hence the study was conducted and aimed at screening for genetic material of Anaplasma, Rickettisia, Ehrlichia, Borrelia, Babesia and Theileria species in ticks collected in Raymond Mhlaba District at Eastern Cape, South Africa. Ticks were collected from domesticated animals in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality, and were morphologically identified and processed for DNA extraction. Ticks were chopped into bits and DNA was extracted from the samples with commercial DNA extraction kit. The extracted DNA samples was used to molecularly identify the tick as well as assess the presence of tickborne pathogens belonging to Rickettsia, Babesia, Borrelia, Anaplasma and Erhlichia, and Theileria spp. by PCR using specific primer pairs published in literature. Positive amplicons were sequenced in a commercial sequencing facility. The obtained chromatograms were edited with Geneious bioinformatics software and were subjected to BLASTn and phylogenetic analyses using MEGA7 version for evolutionary relationships with curated reference sequences in GenBank. Nine hundred and sixty two tick samples were collected from domestic animals. Collected tick samples belonged to three genera, which were the Amblyomma, Rhipicephalus and Haemophalis in decreasing order of their abundance. Screening of tick DNA samples by PCR did not show presence of Babesia, Borrelia, Anaplasma and Erhlichia. 13 Positive PCR products were observed for Rickettsia and Theileria spp.. The positive amplicons were purified, sequenced and analysed for speciation of Theileria and Rickettsia. The presence of Rickettsia was detected in 60/994 (6%) from the three genera of ticks. Phylogenetic analyses shows that the sequences obtained are phylogenetically related to members of Spotted fever group Rickettsiae. Genetic material of Theileria spp. was detected from 10/994 ticks with an overall infection of 1% obtained in Rhipicephalus genera. Analyses shows that the sequences obtained are phylogenetically related to T. orientalis complex. The finding from this study therefore expands the knowledge on recent emergence of Theileria and Rickettsia spp. in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality in Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Nqoro, Ayabulela
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Tick-borne diseases Ticks
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17084 , vital:40846
- Description: Ticks and tick-borne diseases are becoming a major life threatening concern to wildlife, domesticated animals and human health. Besides causing skin damage, ticks infestations have become a growing burden in food security, economic losses and transmitting multides of pathogens. Little data and knowledge is available regarding the occurrence of etiologic agents of tick-borne diseases in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, hence the study was conducted and aimed at screening for genetic material of Anaplasma, Rickettisia, Ehrlichia, Borrelia, Babesia and Theileria species in ticks collected in Raymond Mhlaba District at Eastern Cape, South Africa. Ticks were collected from domesticated animals in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality, and were morphologically identified and processed for DNA extraction. Ticks were chopped into bits and DNA was extracted from the samples with commercial DNA extraction kit. The extracted DNA samples was used to molecularly identify the tick as well as assess the presence of tickborne pathogens belonging to Rickettsia, Babesia, Borrelia, Anaplasma and Erhlichia, and Theileria spp. by PCR using specific primer pairs published in literature. Positive amplicons were sequenced in a commercial sequencing facility. The obtained chromatograms were edited with Geneious bioinformatics software and were subjected to BLASTn and phylogenetic analyses using MEGA7 version for evolutionary relationships with curated reference sequences in GenBank. Nine hundred and sixty two tick samples were collected from domestic animals. Collected tick samples belonged to three genera, which were the Amblyomma, Rhipicephalus and Haemophalis in decreasing order of their abundance. Screening of tick DNA samples by PCR did not show presence of Babesia, Borrelia, Anaplasma and Erhlichia. 13 Positive PCR products were observed for Rickettsia and Theileria spp.. The positive amplicons were purified, sequenced and analysed for speciation of Theileria and Rickettsia. The presence of Rickettsia was detected in 60/994 (6%) from the three genera of ticks. Phylogenetic analyses shows that the sequences obtained are phylogenetically related to members of Spotted fever group Rickettsiae. Genetic material of Theileria spp. was detected from 10/994 ticks with an overall infection of 1% obtained in Rhipicephalus genera. Analyses shows that the sequences obtained are phylogenetically related to T. orientalis complex. The finding from this study therefore expands the knowledge on recent emergence of Theileria and Rickettsia spp. in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality in Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Genetic diversity, resistance profile of hiv and risk assessment of mother-to-child transmission in pregnant women on antiretroviral therapy in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Adeniyi, Oladele Vincent
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Antiretroviral agents , HIV infections -- Treatment -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15120 , vital:40183
- Description: Despite the initiation of life-long ART in HIV-infected pregnant women, the rate and determinants of infant HIV transmission are not known, especially in the poor resource settings of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Maternal anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is crucial for elimination of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. However, the inevitable risks of emergence of HIV drug resistance poses significant threat to achieving this goal of HIV-free generation and keeping mothers alive. Also, it is unclear if women with high viral load at delivery have acquired clinically relevant mutations, which could confer resistance to the ART, thus, further increasing the risks of motherto-child transmission of HIV-drug resistance strains. In addition to the gaps identified in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) context, the understanding of regional epidemics is crucial to the broader epidemiological profiling of HIV infections in the country. Despite the rapid influx of foreign nationals to South African and Eastern Cape Province, there has not been any molecular epidemiological studies profiling the HIV diversity in the Eastern Cape.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Adeniyi, Oladele Vincent
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Antiretroviral agents , HIV infections -- Treatment -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15120 , vital:40183
- Description: Despite the initiation of life-long ART in HIV-infected pregnant women, the rate and determinants of infant HIV transmission are not known, especially in the poor resource settings of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Maternal anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is crucial for elimination of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. However, the inevitable risks of emergence of HIV drug resistance poses significant threat to achieving this goal of HIV-free generation and keeping mothers alive. Also, it is unclear if women with high viral load at delivery have acquired clinically relevant mutations, which could confer resistance to the ART, thus, further increasing the risks of motherto-child transmission of HIV-drug resistance strains. In addition to the gaps identified in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) context, the understanding of regional epidemics is crucial to the broader epidemiological profiling of HIV infections in the country. Despite the rapid influx of foreign nationals to South African and Eastern Cape Province, there has not been any molecular epidemiological studies profiling the HIV diversity in the Eastern Cape.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Geological and geophysical assessment of groundwater vulnerability to contamination in selected general landfill sites in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Mepaiyeda, Seyi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Groundwater -- Pollution Sanitary landfills
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Geology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12227 , vital:39217
- Description: Increasing expansion, population and urbanization have resulted in high volume of waste generated daily in South Africa. Most municipalities in the Eastern Cape are experiencing challenges in effective waste disposal, thus resulting in pollution of the air, soil and groundwater by the percolation of harmful contaminants into the environment from landfill leachate. Groundwater resources are limited in South Africa due to itssemi-arid nature. Also, there islimited information available, not only about where it occurs but how to manage it so that its quality does not depreciate to unacceptable levels. A combination of these factors coupled with a gap between waste policy and its subsequent implementation may be disastrous to South Africa. This research examines the impact of landfill sites on groundwater resources at three selected sites in the Eastern Cape Province using an integrated geological and geophysical approach. The methodology adopted include: an exhaustive literature review on waste management policies and practices in South Africa and Eastern Cape specifically. It also involved remote sensing for the study of geomorphology and structural interpretations of lineaments. Field excursions, analysis of physico-chemical and geochemical properties of groundwater obtained from monitoring boreholes and leachate pond in the vicinity of the landfill sites was also carried out. Combined induced polarization (IP) and electrical resistivity measurements for geophysical assessment of groundwater vulnerability and petrographical analysis was alos adopted. Data analysis and interpretation of the obtained results showed that the selected landfill sites are generally characterized by a 4-layer Earth structure with an average depth to top of the bedrock between 15 m - 30 m. Plant-rock association observed from the aerial photo-interpretation showed groundwater potential around the locality of the landfill sites with a dendritic to poorly drained x patterns and moderate to high topography. Structural controls such as the presence of lineaments and a fractured bedrock beneath, which are excellent pathways for the migration of leachate, particularly at the Berlin and King Williams Town landfill sites were observed. Analysis of physico-chemical and geochemical properties of water samples showed contamination of the groundwater by heavy metals and some of the physico-chemical properties were above the generally acceptable limits (WHO). These include high electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solid (TDS) values observed in the groundwater samples from the King Williams Town landfill which indicated a downward transfer of leachate into the groundwater. The difference in EC and TDS values for boreholes BH2 and BH1 (9892 µS/cm, 4939 mg/L and 6988 µS/cm, 3497 mg/L respectively), showed that concentration of contaminants increased towards the centre of the landfill. Interpretation of the obtained results from the Berlin landfill showed the presence of heavy metals in groundwater samples in high concentrations. This indicated the dumping of toxic and hazardous waste substances on the landfill, contrary to the landfill design and classification. This could have harmful effect on plants and animals. Integrated geophysical assessment showed the presence of leachate plumes on pseudosections across the landfill sites. This was further corroborated on the chargeability pseudosections. Resistivity and IP pseudosections from the Berlin landfill showed a 4-layered Earth structure and anomalous zones of resistivity (≤ 112 Ώ-m) and low chargeability (≤1.25 ms) in the top layers. This is indicative of percolating leachate plume in the unsaturated zone. Contaminants ranging from unsaturated waste with high ion content to dense aqueous phase liquid contaminants, characterized by low resistivity (34 Ώm to 80 Ώ-m) and low chargeability values (0.05 ms to 5.75 ms) were identified across the Alice landfill. Results from the King Williams Town Landfill revealed plume contamination to a depth of about 75 m, well within the aquiferous zone. xi It is suggested that waste disposal practices should be improved by proper waste inspection and classification at landfills prior to disposal, use of lining and cap material to prevent leaching of contaminants into the groundwater below and the construction of waste cells and containment structures. This will go a long way in mitigating groundwater contamination due to landfilling at the study areas
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mepaiyeda, Seyi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Groundwater -- Pollution Sanitary landfills
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Geology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12227 , vital:39217
- Description: Increasing expansion, population and urbanization have resulted in high volume of waste generated daily in South Africa. Most municipalities in the Eastern Cape are experiencing challenges in effective waste disposal, thus resulting in pollution of the air, soil and groundwater by the percolation of harmful contaminants into the environment from landfill leachate. Groundwater resources are limited in South Africa due to itssemi-arid nature. Also, there islimited information available, not only about where it occurs but how to manage it so that its quality does not depreciate to unacceptable levels. A combination of these factors coupled with a gap between waste policy and its subsequent implementation may be disastrous to South Africa. This research examines the impact of landfill sites on groundwater resources at three selected sites in the Eastern Cape Province using an integrated geological and geophysical approach. The methodology adopted include: an exhaustive literature review on waste management policies and practices in South Africa and Eastern Cape specifically. It also involved remote sensing for the study of geomorphology and structural interpretations of lineaments. Field excursions, analysis of physico-chemical and geochemical properties of groundwater obtained from monitoring boreholes and leachate pond in the vicinity of the landfill sites was also carried out. Combined induced polarization (IP) and electrical resistivity measurements for geophysical assessment of groundwater vulnerability and petrographical analysis was alos adopted. Data analysis and interpretation of the obtained results showed that the selected landfill sites are generally characterized by a 4-layer Earth structure with an average depth to top of the bedrock between 15 m - 30 m. Plant-rock association observed from the aerial photo-interpretation showed groundwater potential around the locality of the landfill sites with a dendritic to poorly drained x patterns and moderate to high topography. Structural controls such as the presence of lineaments and a fractured bedrock beneath, which are excellent pathways for the migration of leachate, particularly at the Berlin and King Williams Town landfill sites were observed. Analysis of physico-chemical and geochemical properties of water samples showed contamination of the groundwater by heavy metals and some of the physico-chemical properties were above the generally acceptable limits (WHO). These include high electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solid (TDS) values observed in the groundwater samples from the King Williams Town landfill which indicated a downward transfer of leachate into the groundwater. The difference in EC and TDS values for boreholes BH2 and BH1 (9892 µS/cm, 4939 mg/L and 6988 µS/cm, 3497 mg/L respectively), showed that concentration of contaminants increased towards the centre of the landfill. Interpretation of the obtained results from the Berlin landfill showed the presence of heavy metals in groundwater samples in high concentrations. This indicated the dumping of toxic and hazardous waste substances on the landfill, contrary to the landfill design and classification. This could have harmful effect on plants and animals. Integrated geophysical assessment showed the presence of leachate plumes on pseudosections across the landfill sites. This was further corroborated on the chargeability pseudosections. Resistivity and IP pseudosections from the Berlin landfill showed a 4-layered Earth structure and anomalous zones of resistivity (≤ 112 Ώ-m) and low chargeability (≤1.25 ms) in the top layers. This is indicative of percolating leachate plume in the unsaturated zone. Contaminants ranging from unsaturated waste with high ion content to dense aqueous phase liquid contaminants, characterized by low resistivity (34 Ώm to 80 Ώ-m) and low chargeability values (0.05 ms to 5.75 ms) were identified across the Alice landfill. Results from the King Williams Town Landfill revealed plume contamination to a depth of about 75 m, well within the aquiferous zone. xi It is suggested that waste disposal practices should be improved by proper waste inspection and classification at landfills prior to disposal, use of lining and cap material to prevent leaching of contaminants into the groundwater below and the construction of waste cells and containment structures. This will go a long way in mitigating groundwater contamination due to landfilling at the study areas
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Grabcuts for image segmentation: a comparative study of clustering techniques
- Authors: Manzi, Nozuko Zuleika
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Algorithms , Computer graphics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/14494 , vital:39995
- Description: Image segmentation is the partitioning of a digital image into small segments such as pixels or sets of pixels. It is significant as it allows for the visualization of structures of interest, removing unnecessary information. In addition, image segmentation is used in many fields like, for instance healthcare for image surgery, construction, etc. as it enables structure analysis. Segmentation of images can be computationally expensive especially when a large dataset is used, thus the importance of fast and effective segmentation algorithms is realised. This method is used to locate objects and boundaries (i.e. foreground and background) in images. The aim of this study is to provide a comparison of clustering techniques that would allow the Grabcuts for image segmentation algorithm to be effective and inexpensive. The Grabcuts based method, which is an extension of the graph cut based method, has been instrumental in solving many problems in computer vision i.e. image restoration, image segmentation, object recognition, tracking and analysis. According to Ramirez,et.al [47], the Grabcuts approach is an iterative and minimal user interaction algorithm as it chooses a segmentation by iteratively revising the foreground and background pixels assignments. The method uses min-cut/ max-flow algorithm to segment digital images proposed by Boykov and Jolly [9]. The input of this approach is a digital image with a selected v region of interest (ROI). The ROI is selected using a rectangular bounding box. The pixels inside the bounding box are assigned to the foreground, while the others are assigned to the background. In this study, the Grabcuts for image segmentation algorithm designed by [48] with a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) based on the Kmeans and Kmedoids clustering techniques are developed and compared. In addition, the algorithms developed are allowed to run on the Central Processing Unit (CPU) under two scenarios. Scenario 1 involves allowing the Kmeans and Kmedoids clustering techniques to the Squared Euclidean distance measures to calculate the similarities and dissimilarities in pixels in an image. In scenario 2, the Kmeans and Kmedoids clustering techniques will use the City Block distance measure to calculate similarities as well as dissimilarities between pixels in a given image. The same images from the Berkeley Segmentation Dataset and Benchmark 500 were used as input to the algorithms and the number of clusters, K, was varied from 2 to 5. It was observed that the Kmeans clustering technique outperformed the Kmedoids clustering technique under the two scenarios for all the test images with K varied from 2 to 5, in terms of runtime required. In addition, the Kmeans clustering technique obtained more compact and separate clusters under scenario 1, than its counterpart. On the other hand, the Kmedoids obtained more compact and separate clusters than the Kmeans clustering technique under scenario 2. The silhouette validity index favoured the smallest number of clusters for both clustering techniques as it suggested the optimal number of clusters for the Kmeans and Kmedoids clustering techniques under the two scenarios was 2. Although the Kmeans required less computation time than vi its counterpart, the generation of foreground and background took longer for the GMM based on Kmeans than it did for the GMM based on Kmedoids clustering technique. Furthermore, the Grabcuts for image segmentation algorithm with a GMM based on the Kmedoids clustering technique was computationally less expensive than the Grabcuts for image segmentation algorithm with a GMM based on the Kmeans clustering technique. This was observed to be true under both scenario 1 and 2. The Grabcuts for image with the GMM based on the Kmeans clustering techniques obtained slightly better segmentation results when the visual quality is concerned, than its counterpart under the two scenarios considered. On the other hand, the BFscores showed that the Grabcuts for image segmentation algorithm with the GMM based on Kmedoids produces images with higher BF-scores than its counterpart when K was varied from 2 to 5 for most of the test images. In addition, most of the images obtained the majority of their best segmentation results when K=2. This was observed to be true under scenario 1 as well as scenario 2. Therefore, the Kmedoids clustering technique under scenario 2 with K=2 would be the best option for the segmentation of difficult images in BSDS500. This is due to its ability to generate GMMs and segment difficult images more efficiently (i.e. time complexity, higher BF-scores, more under segmented rather than over segmented images, inter alia.) while producing comparable visual segmentation results to those obtained by the Grabcuts for image segmentation: GMM-Kmeans.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Manzi, Nozuko Zuleika
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Algorithms , Computer graphics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/14494 , vital:39995
- Description: Image segmentation is the partitioning of a digital image into small segments such as pixels or sets of pixels. It is significant as it allows for the visualization of structures of interest, removing unnecessary information. In addition, image segmentation is used in many fields like, for instance healthcare for image surgery, construction, etc. as it enables structure analysis. Segmentation of images can be computationally expensive especially when a large dataset is used, thus the importance of fast and effective segmentation algorithms is realised. This method is used to locate objects and boundaries (i.e. foreground and background) in images. The aim of this study is to provide a comparison of clustering techniques that would allow the Grabcuts for image segmentation algorithm to be effective and inexpensive. The Grabcuts based method, which is an extension of the graph cut based method, has been instrumental in solving many problems in computer vision i.e. image restoration, image segmentation, object recognition, tracking and analysis. According to Ramirez,et.al [47], the Grabcuts approach is an iterative and minimal user interaction algorithm as it chooses a segmentation by iteratively revising the foreground and background pixels assignments. The method uses min-cut/ max-flow algorithm to segment digital images proposed by Boykov and Jolly [9]. The input of this approach is a digital image with a selected v region of interest (ROI). The ROI is selected using a rectangular bounding box. The pixels inside the bounding box are assigned to the foreground, while the others are assigned to the background. In this study, the Grabcuts for image segmentation algorithm designed by [48] with a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) based on the Kmeans and Kmedoids clustering techniques are developed and compared. In addition, the algorithms developed are allowed to run on the Central Processing Unit (CPU) under two scenarios. Scenario 1 involves allowing the Kmeans and Kmedoids clustering techniques to the Squared Euclidean distance measures to calculate the similarities and dissimilarities in pixels in an image. In scenario 2, the Kmeans and Kmedoids clustering techniques will use the City Block distance measure to calculate similarities as well as dissimilarities between pixels in a given image. The same images from the Berkeley Segmentation Dataset and Benchmark 500 were used as input to the algorithms and the number of clusters, K, was varied from 2 to 5. It was observed that the Kmeans clustering technique outperformed the Kmedoids clustering technique under the two scenarios for all the test images with K varied from 2 to 5, in terms of runtime required. In addition, the Kmeans clustering technique obtained more compact and separate clusters under scenario 1, than its counterpart. On the other hand, the Kmedoids obtained more compact and separate clusters than the Kmeans clustering technique under scenario 2. The silhouette validity index favoured the smallest number of clusters for both clustering techniques as it suggested the optimal number of clusters for the Kmeans and Kmedoids clustering techniques under the two scenarios was 2. Although the Kmeans required less computation time than vi its counterpart, the generation of foreground and background took longer for the GMM based on Kmeans than it did for the GMM based on Kmedoids clustering technique. Furthermore, the Grabcuts for image segmentation algorithm with a GMM based on the Kmedoids clustering technique was computationally less expensive than the Grabcuts for image segmentation algorithm with a GMM based on the Kmeans clustering technique. This was observed to be true under both scenario 1 and 2. The Grabcuts for image with the GMM based on the Kmeans clustering techniques obtained slightly better segmentation results when the visual quality is concerned, than its counterpart under the two scenarios considered. On the other hand, the BFscores showed that the Grabcuts for image segmentation algorithm with the GMM based on Kmedoids produces images with higher BF-scores than its counterpart when K was varied from 2 to 5 for most of the test images. In addition, most of the images obtained the majority of their best segmentation results when K=2. This was observed to be true under scenario 1 as well as scenario 2. Therefore, the Kmedoids clustering technique under scenario 2 with K=2 would be the best option for the segmentation of difficult images in BSDS500. This is due to its ability to generate GMMs and segment difficult images more efficiently (i.e. time complexity, higher BF-scores, more under segmented rather than over segmented images, inter alia.) while producing comparable visual segmentation results to those obtained by the Grabcuts for image segmentation: GMM-Kmeans.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Human resources competencies, employability and career success in South Africa: reflections of a sample of senior human resource practitioners
- Hlatywayo, Clifford Kendrick
- Authors: Hlatywayo, Clifford Kendrick
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Personnel management Career development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Industrial Psychology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13474 , vital:39671
- Description: Orientation: The research was a reflection on the careers of senior human resources (HR) personnel registered with the SABPP as master or chartered human resources practitioners. The study identified the human resources competencies in South Africa which are attributed to employability and subsequently career success; the study also tested the applicability of the competency model proposed by the SABPP. Purpose: The study explored human resource competencies, employability and career success in South Africa. It targeted participants registered as master or chartered practitioners with the SABPP. As human resource management is professionalising, there is a need to align the requirements of the profession to what the stakeholders (employers, universities, graduates and professional bodies) require. Without a set baseline for competencies which are instrumental to human resource employability and career success, it becomes challenging to identify human resource shortcomings in the workplace. Method: The study made use of an interpretive orientation. This interpretivist approach was adopted for two reasons – it could provide useful insight to human resource employability and secondly, to gain insight into the experiences of participants. Purposive sampling was used to solicit participants as the researcher decided to select practitioners registered as master or chartered HR professionals with the SABPP. In the study, 35 practitioner interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data and themes were derived from this. Main findings: The study identified: Volunteering; Work experience; Internships; Networking; Recommendations; Easy access to job market; Extracurricular activities; Resilience; Research; Having the right qualification; Recruitment agencies; Creativity; Further education; Willingness to learn; Attitude; Work ethic; Equity legislation; Work readiness; Passion for the job; Emotional intelligence; Personality; Positive psychology; Critical thinking; Emotional maturity; Behavioural competencies; Emotional intelligence; Technology; Entrepreneurial orientation; Technology and Entrepreneurial orientation as the factors which make one employable. Lack of work experience, Lack of jobs, Expectations of the world of work, Flooded market and No right qualification for HR professionals were identified as factors which make one unemployable. The competencies which are essential for HR employability and career success were identified. The meaning of career success for human resource practitioners was identified as: contribution to strategy. Being entrepreneurial, enjoying what one does, support from organisation, mastering HR competencies, income, v career planning and career were the themes identified to infer the meaning of career success. Areas of dissatisfaction were also identified from practitioners as: being underutilised; lack of a concise career path; always greener ‘on the other side’; monetary dissatisfaction; glass ceiling; and lack of contribution to strategy. After the SABPP model had been introduced, it enhanced organisation efficiency and guidance to HR strategy. It was used by practitioners to meet organisation objectives and to set objectives for personal development; however, in some organisations, the model was yet to be implemented and the public sector was putting in place a framework to be in line with the SABPP competency model. Some had no model in place and thus there was no impact on such organisations’. With regards to the competency model, its applicability to the human resource context and its shortcomings were deliberated upon. Practitioners gave their opinions of the applicability of the SABPP competency model: Model lays a solid foundation for HR as the Model justifies HR to the boardroom; Model covers all essential HR competencies. However, the model was also criticised as it was: too academic, lacked personal characteristics; nothing new here and it is relatively unknown by other practitioners. Practitioners also identified competencies they regarded as key: these were classified as traditional, modern and behavioural. Lastly, practitioners suggested competencies they think must be added into the SABPP competency model: the human touch; work ethic; love for people, passion for the profession, personality, emotional intelligence, attitude, behavioural competencies, positive psychology and arithmetic numeracy were identified as key items to be added. Human resource practitioners were content with the state of the model; the general weakness was the omission of personal attributes which are crucial for effective performance within the HR profession. Contribution: The study is a step towards enhancing sector-specific employability. In attaining employability, the generic skills, which are crucial, have to be cemented by disciplinespecific knowledge. Attaining a mark of 65% and above is a reflection of trainability of a job seeker. The meaning of career success is derived from the areas of dissatisfaction and satisfaction of practitioners. HR practitioners value contribution to strategy and are acknowledged for what they are doing. The legal framework in South Africa hinders career progression. There are 12 traits (networking, positive psychology, interpersonal strength, human touch, work ethic, love for people, passion for the profession, personality, emotional intelligence, arithmetic competency, attitude, behavioural competencies and being vi entrepreneurial) which are essential for effective performance which must be incorporated in the SABPP competency model. From the study, HR must go back to basics, master the basics and in doing so, create a solid foundation for HR ascendancy to the boardroom Managerial implication The implications of the study are synonymous to universities and the HR curriculum, the professional body and the future HR professional. HR graduate employability links labour market requirements to higher education. Higher education offers HR degrees for candidates who are willing to work in HR. The study is a contribution to the global professionalisation of human resource management. South Africa is setting the trend as the SABPP is actively involved in the certification of human resource curricula, setting standards and providing a sound code of ethics.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Hlatywayo, Clifford Kendrick
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Personnel management Career development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Industrial Psychology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13474 , vital:39671
- Description: Orientation: The research was a reflection on the careers of senior human resources (HR) personnel registered with the SABPP as master or chartered human resources practitioners. The study identified the human resources competencies in South Africa which are attributed to employability and subsequently career success; the study also tested the applicability of the competency model proposed by the SABPP. Purpose: The study explored human resource competencies, employability and career success in South Africa. It targeted participants registered as master or chartered practitioners with the SABPP. As human resource management is professionalising, there is a need to align the requirements of the profession to what the stakeholders (employers, universities, graduates and professional bodies) require. Without a set baseline for competencies which are instrumental to human resource employability and career success, it becomes challenging to identify human resource shortcomings in the workplace. Method: The study made use of an interpretive orientation. This interpretivist approach was adopted for two reasons – it could provide useful insight to human resource employability and secondly, to gain insight into the experiences of participants. Purposive sampling was used to solicit participants as the researcher decided to select practitioners registered as master or chartered HR professionals with the SABPP. In the study, 35 practitioner interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data and themes were derived from this. Main findings: The study identified: Volunteering; Work experience; Internships; Networking; Recommendations; Easy access to job market; Extracurricular activities; Resilience; Research; Having the right qualification; Recruitment agencies; Creativity; Further education; Willingness to learn; Attitude; Work ethic; Equity legislation; Work readiness; Passion for the job; Emotional intelligence; Personality; Positive psychology; Critical thinking; Emotional maturity; Behavioural competencies; Emotional intelligence; Technology; Entrepreneurial orientation; Technology and Entrepreneurial orientation as the factors which make one employable. Lack of work experience, Lack of jobs, Expectations of the world of work, Flooded market and No right qualification for HR professionals were identified as factors which make one unemployable. The competencies which are essential for HR employability and career success were identified. The meaning of career success for human resource practitioners was identified as: contribution to strategy. Being entrepreneurial, enjoying what one does, support from organisation, mastering HR competencies, income, v career planning and career were the themes identified to infer the meaning of career success. Areas of dissatisfaction were also identified from practitioners as: being underutilised; lack of a concise career path; always greener ‘on the other side’; monetary dissatisfaction; glass ceiling; and lack of contribution to strategy. After the SABPP model had been introduced, it enhanced organisation efficiency and guidance to HR strategy. It was used by practitioners to meet organisation objectives and to set objectives for personal development; however, in some organisations, the model was yet to be implemented and the public sector was putting in place a framework to be in line with the SABPP competency model. Some had no model in place and thus there was no impact on such organisations’. With regards to the competency model, its applicability to the human resource context and its shortcomings were deliberated upon. Practitioners gave their opinions of the applicability of the SABPP competency model: Model lays a solid foundation for HR as the Model justifies HR to the boardroom; Model covers all essential HR competencies. However, the model was also criticised as it was: too academic, lacked personal characteristics; nothing new here and it is relatively unknown by other practitioners. Practitioners also identified competencies they regarded as key: these were classified as traditional, modern and behavioural. Lastly, practitioners suggested competencies they think must be added into the SABPP competency model: the human touch; work ethic; love for people, passion for the profession, personality, emotional intelligence, attitude, behavioural competencies, positive psychology and arithmetic numeracy were identified as key items to be added. Human resource practitioners were content with the state of the model; the general weakness was the omission of personal attributes which are crucial for effective performance within the HR profession. Contribution: The study is a step towards enhancing sector-specific employability. In attaining employability, the generic skills, which are crucial, have to be cemented by disciplinespecific knowledge. Attaining a mark of 65% and above is a reflection of trainability of a job seeker. The meaning of career success is derived from the areas of dissatisfaction and satisfaction of practitioners. HR practitioners value contribution to strategy and are acknowledged for what they are doing. The legal framework in South Africa hinders career progression. There are 12 traits (networking, positive psychology, interpersonal strength, human touch, work ethic, love for people, passion for the profession, personality, emotional intelligence, arithmetic competency, attitude, behavioural competencies and being vi entrepreneurial) which are essential for effective performance which must be incorporated in the SABPP competency model. From the study, HR must go back to basics, master the basics and in doing so, create a solid foundation for HR ascendancy to the boardroom Managerial implication The implications of the study are synonymous to universities and the HR curriculum, the professional body and the future HR professional. HR graduate employability links labour market requirements to higher education. Higher education offers HR degrees for candidates who are willing to work in HR. The study is a contribution to the global professionalisation of human resource management. South Africa is setting the trend as the SABPP is actively involved in the certification of human resource curricula, setting standards and providing a sound code of ethics.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Ict literacy skills and demographic factors as determinants of electronic resources use among the undergraduate students in the selected universities the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Olatoye , Oluwayemi IbukunOluwa
- Authors: Olatoye , Oluwayemi IbukunOluwa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Electronic information resources
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16176 , vital:40675
- Description: In today’s world, information is the foundation on which every strata in society is built and established. As we are in the jet age, the use of Information Communications Technology (ICT) is sine-qua-non to academic development. It is equally important to acquire skills and build capacity in ICT applications, as well as reflect on the demographic factors that determine the utilization of electronic resources among the undergraduate respondents. ICT has also evolutionalized professionalism in librarianship by providing delivery of appropriate, suitable and value-added information services in digital format. This research, therefore, investigated undergraduate students’ ICT literacy skills and demographic factors as determinants of electronic resources use, with selected tertiary institutions of learning in Eastern Cape South Africa as a case study. The study was premised on the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) with the aim of appraising undergraduate students’ ICT literacy skills and demographic factors as causative elements of e-resources utilization in designated Eastern Cape universities in South Africa, as well as to unravel the impact of the theories on the adoption of technology and the perceived utilization of the electronic resources. The application of DOI, TAM and TRA theories for this study exemplifies the acceptance and usage of technological innovations by envisioned users in ICT literacy skill and electronic resources research, and these theories formed the theoretical basis to strengthen the study. The specific x objectives of the study are: To ascertain how undergraduate students in selected Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Eastern Cape access e-resources; to determine the level of influence of ICT literacy skills on the use of electronic resources by Undergraduate students in the selected universities; to determine the regularity levels of use and problems encountered in the use of electronic resources by Undergraduate students in the selected universities; to ascertain the contributions of demographic factors on the use of electronic resources by Undergraduate students in the selected universities; and to determine the attitudes and perceptions of undergraduate students towards the use of eresources. The approach of the study was in threefold; one, general discussion regarding ICT literacy skills of the respondents and secondly the demographic factors that determine electronic resources use of undergraduate students in the University of Fort Hare and Rhodes University. Finally, ICT literacy skills and demographic factors were investigated with the applicability of TAM, DOI and TRA theories Specifically, under these theories (TAM, TRA and DOI), TAM and TRA models were used to explain behavioural intention and to envisage user acceptance of technology usage (electronic resources), and to elucidate the correlation between the respondent’s (undergraduate students) perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and ultimately system utilization. DOI was conceptualized in this study as a valued tool for appraising the effect of demographic factors on the utilization of electronic resources among the undergraduate students in their academic pursuit. The major findings of the study specifies that ICT literacy skills and demographic factors determine the use of electronic resources. Hence, it is reasoned in the thesis that ICT xi literacy and demographic factors affects the frequency of electronic resources with those, for instance, who have obtained high ICT literacy skill levels when compared to others who are yet to develop their ICT literacy skills. Further, it has been disclosed elsewhere in the study that in terms of age, the younger undergraduate students (from 21 to 30 years) utilize electronic resources more regularly than their older colleagues (those who are 30 years of age and above).The study was approached with the adoption of the mixed-method research technique. The administration of a total of 377 copies of the questionnaire to undergraduate respondents in the aforementioned HEIs, (out of which 266 copies were returned), was conducted with in-depth interview conversations comprising of ten participants, with six respondents selected in the University of Fort Hare and four respondents from Rhodes University. Data acquired from the study were processed and analyzed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for the quantitative data. In the light of the theoretical frameworks of the study, research results established that the ICT experience of the undergraduate respondents greatly influences their proficiency levels. This hypothesized assertion was subjected to statistical validity test through regression analysis. The result depicts that the p-value is 0.49 (which means that p≤ 0.05), and interprets to mean that the hypothesis is accepted. Also, the findings of this study depicts that the utilization of electronic resources by the respondents is mostly for entertainment purposes (such as viewing online videos, listening to sport commentaries, music and video downloads, e-mail communications, chatting with other people) had the highest rankings from the component matrix analysis which were greater than 0.5. From the forgoing, this is interpreted to mean that the respondents possess excellent proficiency in ICT literacy skills as well as in the use of Microsoft packages. xii Also, in the course of the in-depth research interview, it was discovered that most of the interviewees have excellent proficiency in ICT literacy skills. Generally, gender is an essential element that determines accessibility and e-resource utilization of respondents to electronic resources through the home and from other sources. Furthermore, it was discovered that that language is not a determinant regarding respondents’ accessibility and e-resource utilization from other sources of access to respondents. The analysis of this study revealed that more males, who are within the active e-resource using age bracket of 21 to 30 years old access and utilize electronic resources through the residences than their female counterparts. This age bracket is followed in terms of access and use of e-resources through residences by the respondents that are 20 years and below. A chi-square test of independence was also performed to survey the level of correlation between age and access to E-resources. A small p-value (typically ≤ 0.05) indicates strong evidence against the null hypothesis, so you reject the null hypothesis. A large p-value (> 0.05) shows weak evidence against the null hypothesis, so you reject the null hypothesis i.e. X2 (3, N=53) = 7.82. The Pearson chi-square (p-value) generated was .294, which is construed to mean that it is insignificant. Therefore, the explanation is that age has no influence on access of respondents to electronic resources through cybercafé. In order to make ICT literacy skills more beneficial to the undergraduate students in the selected HEIs, recommendations were made in this study. Firstly, there is a need for mass enlightenment campaigns on the use and benefits of E-resources among undergraduate respondents, the building of capacity of the undergraduate students in the use of electronic resources ICT literacy skill development programmes, need for intervention programmes focusing on the application xiii of some E-resources and software where the students are ranked low. Further, it is recommended that female students need to be encouraged to use E-resources. Also, delivery and empowering of Wi-Fi services, as well as the provision of CD- ROM databases should be considered.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Olatoye , Oluwayemi IbukunOluwa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Electronic information resources
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16176 , vital:40675
- Description: In today’s world, information is the foundation on which every strata in society is built and established. As we are in the jet age, the use of Information Communications Technology (ICT) is sine-qua-non to academic development. It is equally important to acquire skills and build capacity in ICT applications, as well as reflect on the demographic factors that determine the utilization of electronic resources among the undergraduate respondents. ICT has also evolutionalized professionalism in librarianship by providing delivery of appropriate, suitable and value-added information services in digital format. This research, therefore, investigated undergraduate students’ ICT literacy skills and demographic factors as determinants of electronic resources use, with selected tertiary institutions of learning in Eastern Cape South Africa as a case study. The study was premised on the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) with the aim of appraising undergraduate students’ ICT literacy skills and demographic factors as causative elements of e-resources utilization in designated Eastern Cape universities in South Africa, as well as to unravel the impact of the theories on the adoption of technology and the perceived utilization of the electronic resources. The application of DOI, TAM and TRA theories for this study exemplifies the acceptance and usage of technological innovations by envisioned users in ICT literacy skill and electronic resources research, and these theories formed the theoretical basis to strengthen the study. The specific x objectives of the study are: To ascertain how undergraduate students in selected Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Eastern Cape access e-resources; to determine the level of influence of ICT literacy skills on the use of electronic resources by Undergraduate students in the selected universities; to determine the regularity levels of use and problems encountered in the use of electronic resources by Undergraduate students in the selected universities; to ascertain the contributions of demographic factors on the use of electronic resources by Undergraduate students in the selected universities; and to determine the attitudes and perceptions of undergraduate students towards the use of eresources. The approach of the study was in threefold; one, general discussion regarding ICT literacy skills of the respondents and secondly the demographic factors that determine electronic resources use of undergraduate students in the University of Fort Hare and Rhodes University. Finally, ICT literacy skills and demographic factors were investigated with the applicability of TAM, DOI and TRA theories Specifically, under these theories (TAM, TRA and DOI), TAM and TRA models were used to explain behavioural intention and to envisage user acceptance of technology usage (electronic resources), and to elucidate the correlation between the respondent’s (undergraduate students) perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and ultimately system utilization. DOI was conceptualized in this study as a valued tool for appraising the effect of demographic factors on the utilization of electronic resources among the undergraduate students in their academic pursuit. The major findings of the study specifies that ICT literacy skills and demographic factors determine the use of electronic resources. Hence, it is reasoned in the thesis that ICT xi literacy and demographic factors affects the frequency of electronic resources with those, for instance, who have obtained high ICT literacy skill levels when compared to others who are yet to develop their ICT literacy skills. Further, it has been disclosed elsewhere in the study that in terms of age, the younger undergraduate students (from 21 to 30 years) utilize electronic resources more regularly than their older colleagues (those who are 30 years of age and above).The study was approached with the adoption of the mixed-method research technique. The administration of a total of 377 copies of the questionnaire to undergraduate respondents in the aforementioned HEIs, (out of which 266 copies were returned), was conducted with in-depth interview conversations comprising of ten participants, with six respondents selected in the University of Fort Hare and four respondents from Rhodes University. Data acquired from the study were processed and analyzed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for the quantitative data. In the light of the theoretical frameworks of the study, research results established that the ICT experience of the undergraduate respondents greatly influences their proficiency levels. This hypothesized assertion was subjected to statistical validity test through regression analysis. The result depicts that the p-value is 0.49 (which means that p≤ 0.05), and interprets to mean that the hypothesis is accepted. Also, the findings of this study depicts that the utilization of electronic resources by the respondents is mostly for entertainment purposes (such as viewing online videos, listening to sport commentaries, music and video downloads, e-mail communications, chatting with other people) had the highest rankings from the component matrix analysis which were greater than 0.5. From the forgoing, this is interpreted to mean that the respondents possess excellent proficiency in ICT literacy skills as well as in the use of Microsoft packages. xii Also, in the course of the in-depth research interview, it was discovered that most of the interviewees have excellent proficiency in ICT literacy skills. Generally, gender is an essential element that determines accessibility and e-resource utilization of respondents to electronic resources through the home and from other sources. Furthermore, it was discovered that that language is not a determinant regarding respondents’ accessibility and e-resource utilization from other sources of access to respondents. The analysis of this study revealed that more males, who are within the active e-resource using age bracket of 21 to 30 years old access and utilize electronic resources through the residences than their female counterparts. This age bracket is followed in terms of access and use of e-resources through residences by the respondents that are 20 years and below. A chi-square test of independence was also performed to survey the level of correlation between age and access to E-resources. A small p-value (typically ≤ 0.05) indicates strong evidence against the null hypothesis, so you reject the null hypothesis. A large p-value (> 0.05) shows weak evidence against the null hypothesis, so you reject the null hypothesis i.e. X2 (3, N=53) = 7.82. The Pearson chi-square (p-value) generated was .294, which is construed to mean that it is insignificant. Therefore, the explanation is that age has no influence on access of respondents to electronic resources through cybercafé. In order to make ICT literacy skills more beneficial to the undergraduate students in the selected HEIs, recommendations were made in this study. Firstly, there is a need for mass enlightenment campaigns on the use and benefits of E-resources among undergraduate respondents, the building of capacity of the undergraduate students in the use of electronic resources ICT literacy skill development programmes, need for intervention programmes focusing on the application xiii of some E-resources and software where the students are ranked low. Further, it is recommended that female students need to be encouraged to use E-resources. Also, delivery and empowering of Wi-Fi services, as well as the provision of CD- ROM databases should be considered.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Impact of adoption of drought tolerant maize varieties on yield in the face of climate change: A case of Salima, Chikwawa and Karonga districts, Malawi
- Rukasha, Conscience Tanyaradzwa
- Authors: Rukasha, Conscience Tanyaradzwa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Climatic changes Food security Dry farming
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15628 , vital:40491
- Description: Drought is a huge limiting factor in maize production, mainly in the rain-fed agriculture of subSaharan Africa. In response to this threat, drought-tolerant (DT) maize varieties have been developed with an aim to ensure maize productivity under drought conditions. This study assessed the impact of smallholder farmers’ adoption of DT maize varieties on maize productivity. The first step into understanding the impact of adoption of these varieties on smallholder farmers’ productivity was to first identify the varieties that they were growing. To achieve this, data was collected through the means of a household survey of 600 farmers from Karonga, Chikwawa and Salima districts in Malawi. The major findings drawn were that though most of the farmers have adopted the use of hybrids, as they are fairly common among the varieties that are being grown, most of these hybrids were not drought tolerant varieties. Previous studies had concluded that most of the farmers in Malawi were still growing local varieties. Results from this study showed a major increase in the use of hybrids with SC403 being the most grown variety. The second step in the analysis of the impact of DT maize adoption was to analyse the level and intensity of adoption of these varieties among the smallholder farmers. This was done using a Double Hurdle Model. The results from the double hurdle showed that only 23% of the sampled farmers were growing one or more DT varieties on their plots. Generally, farmers’ decision to use improved agricultural technologies and the intensity of the use in a given period of time are hypothesized to be influenced by a combined effect of various factors such as household characteristics, socioeconomic and physical environments in which farmers operate. The results in this study have shown that the geographical location of farmers plays a significant role in the decision to adopt as well as off-farm income and input subsidies. In terms of intensity, the results revealed that the farmers allocated an average of 0.46 ha of their land under maize cultivation to DT varieties. The results also showed that the intensity of adoption was influenced by gender, household size, whether or not the farmer is recycling the seed and soil fertility. The next step in the study was analysing the impact that intra-seasonal weather variability had on maize productivity. This was done by using daily weather variables for the whole growing season so as to take into account evaporation, rain gaps and other intra seasonal weather limitations. The Just and Pope Production Function was used to analyse the impact of intra-seasonal weather vi variability on productivity. The results suggest that the amount and distribution of rainfall have a strong impact on the development of the maize crop and consequently the quantity harvested. From the results, there was evidence of high variability in rainfall characteristics in terms of the intraseasonal distribution which in turn translated into high variability in maize quantity harvested by the smallholder farmers in Malawi. Lastly, the Endogenous Switching Regression Model was used to analyse the impact of adoption of DT varieties on yield. The results showed that the adoption of DT varieties increases productivity. The use of counterfactual data from the Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR) allowed for an in-depth analysis of the productive implications. The results from the ESR model showed that the farm households that did not adopt, had they adopted, they would have increased their productivity. Furthermore, the results indicated that the use of DT maize varieties successfully delivered relatively less reliance on the total and net rainfall, that is, adopters managed to support their productivity in the face of changing climate while the non-adopters were adversely affected by an increase in temperature and decrease in total rainfall. Adoption of DT varieties increased output among smallholder farmers by 441.33 kg which translates to a 41% increase. Conclusively, the results from this study showed that smallholder farmers are adopting new and improved hybrids and improved OPVs and moving away from the use of local varieties. However the new varieties they are currently using are mostly not DT varieties. This is an interesting finding because the farmers when asked about their preferred traits in maize seed mentioned drought tolerance, therefore the low level of adoption points to numerous factors. These factors include lack of awareness of these varieties among smallholder farmers and unavailability of seed. The results also showed that the level of adoption was low among the farmers. With respect to productivity, this study has shown that adoption of DT varieties by smallholder farmers will increase their yield in the face of climate change
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Rukasha, Conscience Tanyaradzwa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Climatic changes Food security Dry farming
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15628 , vital:40491
- Description: Drought is a huge limiting factor in maize production, mainly in the rain-fed agriculture of subSaharan Africa. In response to this threat, drought-tolerant (DT) maize varieties have been developed with an aim to ensure maize productivity under drought conditions. This study assessed the impact of smallholder farmers’ adoption of DT maize varieties on maize productivity. The first step into understanding the impact of adoption of these varieties on smallholder farmers’ productivity was to first identify the varieties that they were growing. To achieve this, data was collected through the means of a household survey of 600 farmers from Karonga, Chikwawa and Salima districts in Malawi. The major findings drawn were that though most of the farmers have adopted the use of hybrids, as they are fairly common among the varieties that are being grown, most of these hybrids were not drought tolerant varieties. Previous studies had concluded that most of the farmers in Malawi were still growing local varieties. Results from this study showed a major increase in the use of hybrids with SC403 being the most grown variety. The second step in the analysis of the impact of DT maize adoption was to analyse the level and intensity of adoption of these varieties among the smallholder farmers. This was done using a Double Hurdle Model. The results from the double hurdle showed that only 23% of the sampled farmers were growing one or more DT varieties on their plots. Generally, farmers’ decision to use improved agricultural technologies and the intensity of the use in a given period of time are hypothesized to be influenced by a combined effect of various factors such as household characteristics, socioeconomic and physical environments in which farmers operate. The results in this study have shown that the geographical location of farmers plays a significant role in the decision to adopt as well as off-farm income and input subsidies. In terms of intensity, the results revealed that the farmers allocated an average of 0.46 ha of their land under maize cultivation to DT varieties. The results also showed that the intensity of adoption was influenced by gender, household size, whether or not the farmer is recycling the seed and soil fertility. The next step in the study was analysing the impact that intra-seasonal weather variability had on maize productivity. This was done by using daily weather variables for the whole growing season so as to take into account evaporation, rain gaps and other intra seasonal weather limitations. The Just and Pope Production Function was used to analyse the impact of intra-seasonal weather vi variability on productivity. The results suggest that the amount and distribution of rainfall have a strong impact on the development of the maize crop and consequently the quantity harvested. From the results, there was evidence of high variability in rainfall characteristics in terms of the intraseasonal distribution which in turn translated into high variability in maize quantity harvested by the smallholder farmers in Malawi. Lastly, the Endogenous Switching Regression Model was used to analyse the impact of adoption of DT varieties on yield. The results showed that the adoption of DT varieties increases productivity. The use of counterfactual data from the Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR) allowed for an in-depth analysis of the productive implications. The results from the ESR model showed that the farm households that did not adopt, had they adopted, they would have increased their productivity. Furthermore, the results indicated that the use of DT maize varieties successfully delivered relatively less reliance on the total and net rainfall, that is, adopters managed to support their productivity in the face of changing climate while the non-adopters were adversely affected by an increase in temperature and decrease in total rainfall. Adoption of DT varieties increased output among smallholder farmers by 441.33 kg which translates to a 41% increase. Conclusively, the results from this study showed that smallholder farmers are adopting new and improved hybrids and improved OPVs and moving away from the use of local varieties. However the new varieties they are currently using are mostly not DT varieties. This is an interesting finding because the farmers when asked about their preferred traits in maize seed mentioned drought tolerance, therefore the low level of adoption points to numerous factors. These factors include lack of awareness of these varieties among smallholder farmers and unavailability of seed. The results also showed that the level of adoption was low among the farmers. With respect to productivity, this study has shown that adoption of DT varieties by smallholder farmers will increase their yield in the face of climate change
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Implementation and management of code of conduct in addressing service delivery, in the Eastern Cape department of basic education
- Authors: Mhambi, Mbulelo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Professional ethics Code of life
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16940 , vital:40787
- Description: The study seeks to assess and examine the management and implementation of the code of conduct by the Eastern Cape Department of Basic Education in addressing service delivery in the Province. The reason for the Researcher to undertake the study is influenced among others by poor of service delivery, maladministration and corruption reported in this department through media, newspapers, Auditor General (AG) Reports and Portfolio Committee on Basic Education Eastern Cape Legislature which act as the oversight mechanism for this department. Literature review was conducted as a secondary source of information and primary information was conducted through sample of 30 respondents which were selected by the Researcher. The respondents were from the most key units of the department of Education Eastern Cape, which are stated in chapter one of the study. The study followed qualitative research approach which included semi-structured questionnaire, observation and document analysis. The findings of the study indicate lack of management and implementation of the code of conduct by the department. They clearly shows, lack of awareness and understanding of the code itself by the general staff members, lack of discipline, poor employee attitude, and unwillingness to improve service delivery and corruption in the department systems. The findings of the study expose lack of understanding of the code of conduct by the civil servants in the Department of Education, Eastern Cape. This can be attributed to lack of induction, orientation and training, in order to understand the importance of the code of conduct. Document analysis revealed that, there was lack of adherence and observation of the department’s established policies, rules, regulations, procedures and flouting of supply chain management processes and corruption in the system which is tantamount to violation of the DPSA code of conduct. These factors all contributed to this department’s failure in achieving clean audit outcomes from the AG during the last term. Department of Basic Education, Eastern Cape Province, received qualified and adverse audit reports between 2009 and 2014 financial years. The study recommends trainings of the department of education officials in the DPSA code of conduct. More vigorous on going ethical training is very crucial in the attempt to promote ethical behaviour, to root out corruption, under performance and vi maladministration activities experienced in this department so as to fast track service delivery to the people of the Province, in the following terms of Government administration going forward.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mhambi, Mbulelo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Professional ethics Code of life
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16940 , vital:40787
- Description: The study seeks to assess and examine the management and implementation of the code of conduct by the Eastern Cape Department of Basic Education in addressing service delivery in the Province. The reason for the Researcher to undertake the study is influenced among others by poor of service delivery, maladministration and corruption reported in this department through media, newspapers, Auditor General (AG) Reports and Portfolio Committee on Basic Education Eastern Cape Legislature which act as the oversight mechanism for this department. Literature review was conducted as a secondary source of information and primary information was conducted through sample of 30 respondents which were selected by the Researcher. The respondents were from the most key units of the department of Education Eastern Cape, which are stated in chapter one of the study. The study followed qualitative research approach which included semi-structured questionnaire, observation and document analysis. The findings of the study indicate lack of management and implementation of the code of conduct by the department. They clearly shows, lack of awareness and understanding of the code itself by the general staff members, lack of discipline, poor employee attitude, and unwillingness to improve service delivery and corruption in the department systems. The findings of the study expose lack of understanding of the code of conduct by the civil servants in the Department of Education, Eastern Cape. This can be attributed to lack of induction, orientation and training, in order to understand the importance of the code of conduct. Document analysis revealed that, there was lack of adherence and observation of the department’s established policies, rules, regulations, procedures and flouting of supply chain management processes and corruption in the system which is tantamount to violation of the DPSA code of conduct. These factors all contributed to this department’s failure in achieving clean audit outcomes from the AG during the last term. Department of Basic Education, Eastern Cape Province, received qualified and adverse audit reports between 2009 and 2014 financial years. The study recommends trainings of the department of education officials in the DPSA code of conduct. More vigorous on going ethical training is very crucial in the attempt to promote ethical behaviour, to root out corruption, under performance and vi maladministration activities experienced in this department so as to fast track service delivery to the people of the Province, in the following terms of Government administration going forward.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Implementation of multicultural education by high school teachers in multicultural classrooms in selected schools-Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Matshikiza, Siphokazi, Luggya, S K
- Authors: Matshikiza, Siphokazi , Luggya, S K
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Multicultural education -- Eastern Cape -- South Africa Culturally relevant pedagogy -- Eastern Cape -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11352 , vital:39064
- Description: This study deals with the implementation of Multicultural Education by High School Teachers (HST) in multicultural classrooms in selected high schools in Chris Hani West District of Education, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The purpose of the study was to explore the implementation of ME by HST in multicultural classrooms. The study was located in an interpretivist paradigm, which enabled the researcher to obtain data directly from the subjects themselves, by sitting with the participants and hearing their views, voices, perceptions, opinions, interpretations and expectations with regard to the implementation of Multicultural Education (ME) in High Schools. Case study research design was adopted in the study in order to get in-depth information about what is happening in schools. Purposive sampling strategy was used by the researcher to select individuals who could offer an authentic account of the phenomenon under study. The researcher collected data, which were qualitative in nature utilising basic semi- structured face- to- face interviews, focus groups, classroom observations and document analysis. The data were collected and analysed inductively for the themes and patterns to be derived. The study revealed that ME approach is being implemented by some of the teachers in the selected schools however, there were challenges encountered. According to the findings of the study, it was revealed that teachers did not receive training from the Department of Education on how to implement ME approach at the schools. It was also found that teachers were empowered only with different types of prescribed textbooks and the guidelines on the course content in their learning.The study recommends that ME should be part of the curriculum for in-service teacher training. The school policy framework should enforce and regulate the practice of ME by the HST. In this regard, teachers need to be well equipped to be able to implement ME effectively. Therefore, the classroom strategies and interventions need to be created to provide equal learning opportunities for all diverse learners from different backgrounds with different learning needs in the multicultural classrooms. However, the Department of Education should organise workshops and seminars for the teachers to be able to implement ME effectively in the classrooms. v Furthermore, the Department should ensure that the content of the books that the publishers select for the learners do incorporate ME throughout the topics and themes of the books. Adequate resources should be provided for both learners and teachers for the successful implementation of ME. Parents should be involved for new developments and curriculum transformation in the school level as vital stakeholders. This should encourage the ownership of the education process by everybody involved to yield positive outcome. Language policy on the curriculum should be revisited for all the learning areas except the learners’ mother tongue. This could make the learners understand the content of their relevant learning areas easily. Therefore, teachers need to shift from old approach to the new approach to meet and be able to address the needs of the learners effectively. Support and monitoring should be rendered by the Department of Education for the successful implementation of ME.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Matshikiza, Siphokazi , Luggya, S K
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Multicultural education -- Eastern Cape -- South Africa Culturally relevant pedagogy -- Eastern Cape -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11352 , vital:39064
- Description: This study deals with the implementation of Multicultural Education by High School Teachers (HST) in multicultural classrooms in selected high schools in Chris Hani West District of Education, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The purpose of the study was to explore the implementation of ME by HST in multicultural classrooms. The study was located in an interpretivist paradigm, which enabled the researcher to obtain data directly from the subjects themselves, by sitting with the participants and hearing their views, voices, perceptions, opinions, interpretations and expectations with regard to the implementation of Multicultural Education (ME) in High Schools. Case study research design was adopted in the study in order to get in-depth information about what is happening in schools. Purposive sampling strategy was used by the researcher to select individuals who could offer an authentic account of the phenomenon under study. The researcher collected data, which were qualitative in nature utilising basic semi- structured face- to- face interviews, focus groups, classroom observations and document analysis. The data were collected and analysed inductively for the themes and patterns to be derived. The study revealed that ME approach is being implemented by some of the teachers in the selected schools however, there were challenges encountered. According to the findings of the study, it was revealed that teachers did not receive training from the Department of Education on how to implement ME approach at the schools. It was also found that teachers were empowered only with different types of prescribed textbooks and the guidelines on the course content in their learning.The study recommends that ME should be part of the curriculum for in-service teacher training. The school policy framework should enforce and regulate the practice of ME by the HST. In this regard, teachers need to be well equipped to be able to implement ME effectively. Therefore, the classroom strategies and interventions need to be created to provide equal learning opportunities for all diverse learners from different backgrounds with different learning needs in the multicultural classrooms. However, the Department of Education should organise workshops and seminars for the teachers to be able to implement ME effectively in the classrooms. v Furthermore, the Department should ensure that the content of the books that the publishers select for the learners do incorporate ME throughout the topics and themes of the books. Adequate resources should be provided for both learners and teachers for the successful implementation of ME. Parents should be involved for new developments and curriculum transformation in the school level as vital stakeholders. This should encourage the ownership of the education process by everybody involved to yield positive outcome. Language policy on the curriculum should be revisited for all the learning areas except the learners’ mother tongue. This could make the learners understand the content of their relevant learning areas easily. Therefore, teachers need to shift from old approach to the new approach to meet and be able to address the needs of the learners effectively. Support and monitoring should be rendered by the Department of Education for the successful implementation of ME.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Implementation of school-based assessment in high schools, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa : implications for teaching and learning
- Authors: Chipfiko, Jack
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: High schools -- Examinations Educational tests and measurements
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15892 , vital:40549
- Description: The purpose of any education system is to deliver a quality educational product. Various forms of assessment are used to ensure the suitability of the product and inform decisions. In South Africa, School-Based Assessment(SBA) is one of the tools used to assess the content competences, skills, values and attitudes; to provide learners, parents and teachers with results that are a meaningful indication of what the learners know, understand and can do at the time of assessment (DBE, 2012). Surprisingly, on a yearly basis, Umalusi reports reveal that SBA marks are rejected resulting in the learners being resulted on mostly the year end examination. The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation of SBA with a view to unearth the factors contributing to the perennial rejection of SBA marks, resulting in learners from some schools being unfairly assessed. To explore the research problem, a mixed methods study, employing a concurrent triangulation design, was employed. Total Quality Management theory was the theoretical framework anchoring this study. Sub research questions to interrogate the research problem focused on examining the roles of the teachers, learners and parents in the implementation of SBA; assessing the structures in place to support the implementation of SBA; examining how teachers, learners and parents play complementary roles in the implementation of SBA; and identifying strategies to enhance the implementation of SBA in South African (SA) high schools. Data were collected using Questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions with purposively selected samples of teachers, learners and SGB chairpersons from high schools in White River Circuit in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. The use of mixed methods produced quantitative and qualitative data which were independently analysed and merged during interpretation. Findings revealed that: participants and respondents confirmed the various roles of SBA in teaching and learning; structures were in place to support the implementation of SBA in high schools; complementarity of roles were sporadic in the implementation of SBA in high schools; and various strategies were employed to enhance the implementation of SBA in high schools. Implications for teaching and learning focused on realigning the implementation processes in the production of a quality educational product, and maximising its benefits to teachers, learners and parents.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Chipfiko, Jack
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: High schools -- Examinations Educational tests and measurements
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15892 , vital:40549
- Description: The purpose of any education system is to deliver a quality educational product. Various forms of assessment are used to ensure the suitability of the product and inform decisions. In South Africa, School-Based Assessment(SBA) is one of the tools used to assess the content competences, skills, values and attitudes; to provide learners, parents and teachers with results that are a meaningful indication of what the learners know, understand and can do at the time of assessment (DBE, 2012). Surprisingly, on a yearly basis, Umalusi reports reveal that SBA marks are rejected resulting in the learners being resulted on mostly the year end examination. The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation of SBA with a view to unearth the factors contributing to the perennial rejection of SBA marks, resulting in learners from some schools being unfairly assessed. To explore the research problem, a mixed methods study, employing a concurrent triangulation design, was employed. Total Quality Management theory was the theoretical framework anchoring this study. Sub research questions to interrogate the research problem focused on examining the roles of the teachers, learners and parents in the implementation of SBA; assessing the structures in place to support the implementation of SBA; examining how teachers, learners and parents play complementary roles in the implementation of SBA; and identifying strategies to enhance the implementation of SBA in South African (SA) high schools. Data were collected using Questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions with purposively selected samples of teachers, learners and SGB chairpersons from high schools in White River Circuit in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. The use of mixed methods produced quantitative and qualitative data which were independently analysed and merged during interpretation. Findings revealed that: participants and respondents confirmed the various roles of SBA in teaching and learning; structures were in place to support the implementation of SBA in high schools; complementarity of roles were sporadic in the implementation of SBA in high schools; and various strategies were employed to enhance the implementation of SBA in high schools. Implications for teaching and learning focused on realigning the implementation processes in the production of a quality educational product, and maximising its benefits to teachers, learners and parents.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Incidence of cholera-causing and non cholera-causing pathogenic vibrio species in the river-k and two of its feeder wastewater treatment plants in the Raymond Mhlaba municipality, Eastern Cape province of South Africa
- Authors: Gcilitshana, Onele
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Water -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Effluent quality -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15145 , vital:40190
- Description: Despite technological advances in water treatment and improved sanitation in many developing countries, acute microbial diseases still thrive and continue to distress millions of people. This is due to the high number of rural dwellers that still source water for drinking and other domestic uses from contaminated rivers. In South Africa, there have been reports on waterborne disease outbreaks, and specifically in the area understudy, two records of diarrhoeal outbreaks associated with consumption of river water were reported within the last decade. All those outbreaks and previous reports on isolation of other pathogenic bacteria within the area necessitated the conduction of this study in order to identify the potential causes of the cholera-associate diarrheal outbreaks previously reported in the area and nationally. This study was designed to assess the incidence of cholera-causing and non-cholera causing pathogens in final effluents and surface waters of the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. RiverK which serves as a major resource for domestic activities, agricultural practices as well as an abstraction point for a potable water treatment plant was used for this study. River-K freshwater and final effluents of its two feeder wastewater treatment plants were sampled monthly, over a twelve-month period (December 2016–November 2017). For purposes of confidentiality, the names of the wastewater treatment plants and river involved are coded in this report. A total of 108 water samples were assessed for the physicochemical parameters that influence the presence of Vibrio pathogens. For bacteriology, the membrane filtration method followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was adopted to assess the incidence of cholera-causing and non-choleracausing Vibrio pathogens, as well as their virulence-associated genes from the two wastewater treatment plants and their receiving waterbody (River-K). Antibiotic susceptibility profiles of identified Vibrio species were determined using the disc diffusion method against a panel of xvi sixteen antibiotics commonly used as antimicrobial drugs of Vibrio infections. Multiple antibiotics resistance index (MARI) and phenotypes (MARP) were measured, and the existence of antibiotic resistance genes was evaluated by PCR using specific primer sets. Most of the physicochemical parameters measured (pH, TDS, temperature, salinity and DO) complied with the recommended standards for drinking water, while some fell short of the recommended limits (EC, turbidity, TSS, free chlorine). From the presumptive Vibrio isolates, 64.3% (476/740) were confirmed by PCR, with their Vibrio densities across all sampling points ranging between 0 and 2.7 × 104 CFU/100 mL, with high counts recorded in summer, hence their positive significant correlation (P< 0.01) with temperature. From the confirmed Vibrio isolates, only V. cholerae (53/476), V. mimicus (21/476) and V. parahaemolyticus (5/476) were detected. For virulence-associated genes, virulence genes homologous to V. cholerae virulence determinants, namely ompU (35%), TCP (14%), ACE (11%), ctx (7%) and HylA (4.5%) were widespread (independently) amongst the V. cholerae and V. mimicus species, while V. parahemolyticus isolates (100%) produced only the ToxR gene. Antibiogram profiling found resistance against some antibiotics such as Nalidixic acid (65%), Polymyxin B (43.8%) etc. The MAR indices ranged between 0 and 0.67 with 41.3% of the isolates recording MAR index values above 0.2. The results presented high degrees of MARPs ranging from four to eleven antimicrobials. For resistance gene detection, the SXT element was detected in 66% of the isolates, while cat1 (93%) was the most predominant, followed by aac (68%), ant (61%), with bla-V (7.1%) as the least detected gene. Findings from this study suggest that the wastewater effluents from the two wastewater treatment plants are potential sources of pathogenic Vibrio species and River-K contains a high quantity of pathogenic Vibrio species with fluctuating seasonal variations that reaffirm temperature as a strong reason for their abundance. The antibiotic-resistant Vibrio species isolated here carry a pool of virulence-associated genes and xvii antibiotic resistance genes, presenting a health threat to the communities that use it directly for domestic and irrigation purposes. In conclusion, some surface waters in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa are widely contaminated with cholera-causing and non-cholera causing Vibrio pathogens; furthermore, some wastewater treatment plants are ineffective in adequately removing microbial contaminants and have become sources of pathogenic bacteria to their receiving waterbodie
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Gcilitshana, Onele
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Water -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Effluent quality -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15145 , vital:40190
- Description: Despite technological advances in water treatment and improved sanitation in many developing countries, acute microbial diseases still thrive and continue to distress millions of people. This is due to the high number of rural dwellers that still source water for drinking and other domestic uses from contaminated rivers. In South Africa, there have been reports on waterborne disease outbreaks, and specifically in the area understudy, two records of diarrhoeal outbreaks associated with consumption of river water were reported within the last decade. All those outbreaks and previous reports on isolation of other pathogenic bacteria within the area necessitated the conduction of this study in order to identify the potential causes of the cholera-associate diarrheal outbreaks previously reported in the area and nationally. This study was designed to assess the incidence of cholera-causing and non-cholera causing pathogens in final effluents and surface waters of the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. RiverK which serves as a major resource for domestic activities, agricultural practices as well as an abstraction point for a potable water treatment plant was used for this study. River-K freshwater and final effluents of its two feeder wastewater treatment plants were sampled monthly, over a twelve-month period (December 2016–November 2017). For purposes of confidentiality, the names of the wastewater treatment plants and river involved are coded in this report. A total of 108 water samples were assessed for the physicochemical parameters that influence the presence of Vibrio pathogens. For bacteriology, the membrane filtration method followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was adopted to assess the incidence of cholera-causing and non-choleracausing Vibrio pathogens, as well as their virulence-associated genes from the two wastewater treatment plants and their receiving waterbody (River-K). Antibiotic susceptibility profiles of identified Vibrio species were determined using the disc diffusion method against a panel of xvi sixteen antibiotics commonly used as antimicrobial drugs of Vibrio infections. Multiple antibiotics resistance index (MARI) and phenotypes (MARP) were measured, and the existence of antibiotic resistance genes was evaluated by PCR using specific primer sets. Most of the physicochemical parameters measured (pH, TDS, temperature, salinity and DO) complied with the recommended standards for drinking water, while some fell short of the recommended limits (EC, turbidity, TSS, free chlorine). From the presumptive Vibrio isolates, 64.3% (476/740) were confirmed by PCR, with their Vibrio densities across all sampling points ranging between 0 and 2.7 × 104 CFU/100 mL, with high counts recorded in summer, hence their positive significant correlation (P< 0.01) with temperature. From the confirmed Vibrio isolates, only V. cholerae (53/476), V. mimicus (21/476) and V. parahaemolyticus (5/476) were detected. For virulence-associated genes, virulence genes homologous to V. cholerae virulence determinants, namely ompU (35%), TCP (14%), ACE (11%), ctx (7%) and HylA (4.5%) were widespread (independently) amongst the V. cholerae and V. mimicus species, while V. parahemolyticus isolates (100%) produced only the ToxR gene. Antibiogram profiling found resistance against some antibiotics such as Nalidixic acid (65%), Polymyxin B (43.8%) etc. The MAR indices ranged between 0 and 0.67 with 41.3% of the isolates recording MAR index values above 0.2. The results presented high degrees of MARPs ranging from four to eleven antimicrobials. For resistance gene detection, the SXT element was detected in 66% of the isolates, while cat1 (93%) was the most predominant, followed by aac (68%), ant (61%), with bla-V (7.1%) as the least detected gene. Findings from this study suggest that the wastewater effluents from the two wastewater treatment plants are potential sources of pathogenic Vibrio species and River-K contains a high quantity of pathogenic Vibrio species with fluctuating seasonal variations that reaffirm temperature as a strong reason for their abundance. The antibiotic-resistant Vibrio species isolated here carry a pool of virulence-associated genes and xvii antibiotic resistance genes, presenting a health threat to the communities that use it directly for domestic and irrigation purposes. In conclusion, some surface waters in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa are widely contaminated with cholera-causing and non-cholera causing Vibrio pathogens; furthermore, some wastewater treatment plants are ineffective in adequately removing microbial contaminants and have become sources of pathogenic bacteria to their receiving waterbodie
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Indigenisation and participatory development in Zimbabwe: the case of the indigenisation and empowerment policy
- Musasa, Gabriel https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1906-5624
- Authors: Musasa, Gabriel https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1906-5624
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Community development -- Zimbabwe , Zimbabwe -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20359 , vital:45657
- Description: The study analysed the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Programme (IEEP) with regard to majority participation and its implementation, given the unfriendly macroeconomic and international environment the country is currently facing. The IEEP is claimed to be addressing poverty and seeking to promote economic participation of indigenous Zimbabweans, particularly targeting women, youth and disabled sections of society. The main aim of the study was to analyse the outcomes of the IEEP with regard to creating space for participation and to promote social justice of Zimbabwean nationals in the main economic sectors of the country, which are agriculture, manufacturing, mining and tourism. Using a qualitative approach, this study analysed the perspectives of government, non-governmental organisations, academics and the marginalised groups of women, disabled and youth in Zimbabwe through interviews and focus group discussions. The data from the fieldwork was analysed using the thematic approach. The findings revealed that a new elite of black entrepreneurs has emerged and foreign capital is diminishing, with limited success being attributed to policy outputs, particularly the community share ownership schemes and employee share ownership scheme. However, the policy did not produce positive outcomes as expected, owing to lack of policy clarity, heavy politicisation and political manoeuvring, as well as lack of information, education and training. Further problems were corruption, lack of support for beneficiaries, lack of funding, the unfavourable macro-economic environment, the liquidity crisis, limited access to credit facilities, broken internal politics and exclusion, lack of monitoring and evaluation, economic sanctions and international isolation. The programme fell victim to improper association and some institutional inertia. Participation in the IEEP, as implied in the social justice approach, does not fully embrace attainment of basic liberties and equality of opportunity, mainly because of the patterns of accumulation, dispossession, economic structures and social relations that are politicised. Elite capture, ethnic and regional segregation, the macro-economic environment and the narrow focus on the formal sector that led to the collapse of industry are the major hurdles to participation. Efforts to facilitate equality of opportunity for women and people with disabilities are heavily subdued by the lack of good institutional support that may enable meaningful participation and possibly yield better outcomes for the worst off in society. The IEEP has failed to redress the inequalities inherent in Zimbabwean economy, with evidence from the findings that the majority cannot take the opportunities that are offered by the programme. The study identified a way forward on how participation can be incorporated in the comprehensive framework for socio-economic development in Zimbabwe through a menu of intervention, giving direction to what needs to be done for individuals and communities to participate in the IEEP in a meaningful way. In particular, this will involve land entitlement, promoting innovation in global value chains, a hybridised two-pathway model of indigenisation, a disability intervention model, and a sustainable model of community share ownership schemes. These interventions are ideal for bringing about the desired aspiration of transformation in a sustainable way in Zimbabwe, as well as fostering social justice for people with disabilities. , Thesis (DPhil) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2020
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Musasa, Gabriel https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1906-5624
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Community development -- Zimbabwe , Zimbabwe -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20359 , vital:45657
- Description: The study analysed the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Programme (IEEP) with regard to majority participation and its implementation, given the unfriendly macroeconomic and international environment the country is currently facing. The IEEP is claimed to be addressing poverty and seeking to promote economic participation of indigenous Zimbabweans, particularly targeting women, youth and disabled sections of society. The main aim of the study was to analyse the outcomes of the IEEP with regard to creating space for participation and to promote social justice of Zimbabwean nationals in the main economic sectors of the country, which are agriculture, manufacturing, mining and tourism. Using a qualitative approach, this study analysed the perspectives of government, non-governmental organisations, academics and the marginalised groups of women, disabled and youth in Zimbabwe through interviews and focus group discussions. The data from the fieldwork was analysed using the thematic approach. The findings revealed that a new elite of black entrepreneurs has emerged and foreign capital is diminishing, with limited success being attributed to policy outputs, particularly the community share ownership schemes and employee share ownership scheme. However, the policy did not produce positive outcomes as expected, owing to lack of policy clarity, heavy politicisation and political manoeuvring, as well as lack of information, education and training. Further problems were corruption, lack of support for beneficiaries, lack of funding, the unfavourable macro-economic environment, the liquidity crisis, limited access to credit facilities, broken internal politics and exclusion, lack of monitoring and evaluation, economic sanctions and international isolation. The programme fell victim to improper association and some institutional inertia. Participation in the IEEP, as implied in the social justice approach, does not fully embrace attainment of basic liberties and equality of opportunity, mainly because of the patterns of accumulation, dispossession, economic structures and social relations that are politicised. Elite capture, ethnic and regional segregation, the macro-economic environment and the narrow focus on the formal sector that led to the collapse of industry are the major hurdles to participation. Efforts to facilitate equality of opportunity for women and people with disabilities are heavily subdued by the lack of good institutional support that may enable meaningful participation and possibly yield better outcomes for the worst off in society. The IEEP has failed to redress the inequalities inherent in Zimbabwean economy, with evidence from the findings that the majority cannot take the opportunities that are offered by the programme. The study identified a way forward on how participation can be incorporated in the comprehensive framework for socio-economic development in Zimbabwe through a menu of intervention, giving direction to what needs to be done for individuals and communities to participate in the IEEP in a meaningful way. In particular, this will involve land entitlement, promoting innovation in global value chains, a hybridised two-pathway model of indigenisation, a disability intervention model, and a sustainable model of community share ownership schemes. These interventions are ideal for bringing about the desired aspiration of transformation in a sustainable way in Zimbabwe, as well as fostering social justice for people with disabilities. , Thesis (DPhil) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2020
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Indigenous cereal crops and food security issues in Zimbabwe: the case of Matabeleland Provinces
- Authors: Nyathi, Vuyiswa Sandra
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Food security Farms, Small
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Developmental Studies)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17070 , vital:40845
- Description: The study endeavoured to find out how indigenous cereal crops in the form of sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet, popularly known as small grain, would help in increasing cereal production in the dry regions of Zimbabwe so as to alleviate food insecurity. For the past decade the nation’s cereal production has been on the decline with the country having to rely on grain imports from neighbouring countries to prevent hunger. Studies that have been carried out have indicated that these indigenous cereal crops are better suited for semi-arid regions like Matabeleland, used as a case study, where maize has almost always been a failing crop. The study examined representations of smallholder farmers through interviews held with agricultural personnel in Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South Provinces. The study argues that instead of relying on maize only as a staple crop, in the semiarid regions of the country, indigenous cereal crops are suitable alternative staple crops in Zimbabwe. Indications from the findings of the study are that diversification of staple crop production should stress the importance of state mediation, distribution and promotion of indigenous cereal crops. The researcher thus proposes that the reliance on indigenous crops be anchored in community food security, food sovereignty and rural food system perspectives, not negating the negative effects of climate change on food production. The results showed that despite progress made by the state in assisting farmers with agricultural inputs, very little has been achieved in alleviating food insecurity in the dry regions, as indigenous cereal crops continue being pushed to the periphery of the agricultural sector. iii The study concludes by putting forward that addressing the stated challenges could lead to the potential of indigenous cerealcrops potentially increasing the cereal supply for the nation, thus alleviating food security woes as these crops grow favourably even in the most adverse weather conditions and poor topography.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Nyathi, Vuyiswa Sandra
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Food security Farms, Small
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Developmental Studies)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17070 , vital:40845
- Description: The study endeavoured to find out how indigenous cereal crops in the form of sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet, popularly known as small grain, would help in increasing cereal production in the dry regions of Zimbabwe so as to alleviate food insecurity. For the past decade the nation’s cereal production has been on the decline with the country having to rely on grain imports from neighbouring countries to prevent hunger. Studies that have been carried out have indicated that these indigenous cereal crops are better suited for semi-arid regions like Matabeleland, used as a case study, where maize has almost always been a failing crop. The study examined representations of smallholder farmers through interviews held with agricultural personnel in Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South Provinces. The study argues that instead of relying on maize only as a staple crop, in the semiarid regions of the country, indigenous cereal crops are suitable alternative staple crops in Zimbabwe. Indications from the findings of the study are that diversification of staple crop production should stress the importance of state mediation, distribution and promotion of indigenous cereal crops. The researcher thus proposes that the reliance on indigenous crops be anchored in community food security, food sovereignty and rural food system perspectives, not negating the negative effects of climate change on food production. The results showed that despite progress made by the state in assisting farmers with agricultural inputs, very little has been achieved in alleviating food insecurity in the dry regions, as indigenous cereal crops continue being pushed to the periphery of the agricultural sector. iii The study concludes by putting forward that addressing the stated challenges could lead to the potential of indigenous cerealcrops potentially increasing the cereal supply for the nation, thus alleviating food security woes as these crops grow favourably even in the most adverse weather conditions and poor topography.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Integration of indigenous knowledge in the intermediate phase school curriculum in a selected education district in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Mkosi, Nkosinathi Ndumiso Lizo
- Authors: Mkosi, Nkosinathi Ndumiso Lizo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Education -- Curricula -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16136 , vital:40671
- Description: The aims and principles of the post-apartheid South African school curricula, ranging from the Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 and the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12, to include the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (Grades 1-12), have been aligned with the aims and principles of the South African Constitution. The aims and principles, among others, speak to the establishment of human rights, inclusivity, environmental and social justice, and valuing of indigenous knowledge systems. These are the bedrock of all the subjects and do not necessarily confine themselves to the science subjects only; even though the call of inclusion of indigenous knowledge in the sciences is oversubscribed. There has been concerns raised variously that the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in the curriculum, generally, and in the teaching of the respective subjects, particularly, does not necessarily happen as it should be. Thus, the purpose of this mixed methods approach study that adopted a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design and premised on the postpositivist paradigm investigated the integration of indigenous knowledge in the Intermediate Phase school curriculum in a selected Education District in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The guiding lenses adopted for this study were two-fold. The main primary theoretical framework drew from three integration theories: (a) Huang and Newell’s (2003) Knowledge Integration Processes and Dynamics notions; (b) Beane’s (1995) Curriculum Integration and the Disciplines of Knowledge and (c) Harden’s (2000) Integration ladder: A Tool for Curriculum Planning and Evaluation. The ‘secondary’ lens of analysis, which the researcher named, the ‘supplemental framework’, was constituted by notions and constructs derived from the indigenous knowledge systems discourses and postcolonial notions and constructs. The study revealed, among other findings, that (i) whilst a majority of teachers claimed to integrate IK in their classrooms, a significant number did not, and those who claimed to be integrating were unsure about how to integrate (ii) the majority of teachers, HoDs and Subject Advisors were either poorly trained or did not receive any training in the integration of IK (iii) the support and monitoring of IK integration was poor to non-existent. Thus, the study proposes a model, the Integrative Indigenous Knowledge Integration Support and Monitoring Model (IIKISMM), which may act as a framework for the coordination of the support and monitoring of IK integration in the school curriculum. There are significant recommendations offered by the study to teachers and policy makers with regards the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in the school curriculum. Also offered by the study are possibilities for further research in the integration of indigenous knowledge system in the curriculum.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mkosi, Nkosinathi Ndumiso Lizo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Education -- Curricula -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16136 , vital:40671
- Description: The aims and principles of the post-apartheid South African school curricula, ranging from the Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 and the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12, to include the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (Grades 1-12), have been aligned with the aims and principles of the South African Constitution. The aims and principles, among others, speak to the establishment of human rights, inclusivity, environmental and social justice, and valuing of indigenous knowledge systems. These are the bedrock of all the subjects and do not necessarily confine themselves to the science subjects only; even though the call of inclusion of indigenous knowledge in the sciences is oversubscribed. There has been concerns raised variously that the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in the curriculum, generally, and in the teaching of the respective subjects, particularly, does not necessarily happen as it should be. Thus, the purpose of this mixed methods approach study that adopted a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design and premised on the postpositivist paradigm investigated the integration of indigenous knowledge in the Intermediate Phase school curriculum in a selected Education District in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The guiding lenses adopted for this study were two-fold. The main primary theoretical framework drew from three integration theories: (a) Huang and Newell’s (2003) Knowledge Integration Processes and Dynamics notions; (b) Beane’s (1995) Curriculum Integration and the Disciplines of Knowledge and (c) Harden’s (2000) Integration ladder: A Tool for Curriculum Planning and Evaluation. The ‘secondary’ lens of analysis, which the researcher named, the ‘supplemental framework’, was constituted by notions and constructs derived from the indigenous knowledge systems discourses and postcolonial notions and constructs. The study revealed, among other findings, that (i) whilst a majority of teachers claimed to integrate IK in their classrooms, a significant number did not, and those who claimed to be integrating were unsure about how to integrate (ii) the majority of teachers, HoDs and Subject Advisors were either poorly trained or did not receive any training in the integration of IK (iii) the support and monitoring of IK integration was poor to non-existent. Thus, the study proposes a model, the Integrative Indigenous Knowledge Integration Support and Monitoring Model (IIKISMM), which may act as a framework for the coordination of the support and monitoring of IK integration in the school curriculum. There are significant recommendations offered by the study to teachers and policy makers with regards the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in the school curriculum. Also offered by the study are possibilities for further research in the integration of indigenous knowledge system in the curriculum.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Investigation of Sexual Relationships among gay students at the University Of Fort Hare (Alice Campus), Eastern Cape.
- Authors: Mbanga , T.Q
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Gay youth Sex (Psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc. Sci (Psychology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17619 , vital:41129
- Description: The main aim of the study was to investigate sexual relationships among gay students at the University of Fort Hare (Alice Campus), Eastern Cape. A qualitative research design was followed and semi-structured interview schedules were issued to twelve participants. The queer theory underpinned this study and it is based on the notion that individuals are able to determine their sexual identity and sexual orientation as they are. The participants, aged 18-25 years, were purposively selected to share their sexual behaviour as gays. The ethical principles such as informed consent, confidentiality, privacy and protection from harm, were adhered to, throughout the study. Prior identification of the themes, coding took place. The following themes were very important in the research and they helped to achieve the aim of the study and they are; challenges gay students experience in their relationships, closet partners, social networks sexual partners among gay students, condom use among gay students, sexual agreements among gay students, condom use, condom self-efficacy, honesty and communication, social support, self-esteem, liberal community and non-homophobic, traditional male circumcision, sexual agreements among gay students ,pornography viewing , sexual abuse among gay students, discrimination in residence, religiosity and perception towards marriage among gay students. Based on the findings, it is recommended that there should be communication among gay couples to avoid lot of conflicts. Also, there should be education about homosexuality in communities, schools and tertiary institutions as many people treat gays badly owing to lack of knowledge
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mbanga , T.Q
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Gay youth Sex (Psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc. Sci (Psychology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17619 , vital:41129
- Description: The main aim of the study was to investigate sexual relationships among gay students at the University of Fort Hare (Alice Campus), Eastern Cape. A qualitative research design was followed and semi-structured interview schedules were issued to twelve participants. The queer theory underpinned this study and it is based on the notion that individuals are able to determine their sexual identity and sexual orientation as they are. The participants, aged 18-25 years, were purposively selected to share their sexual behaviour as gays. The ethical principles such as informed consent, confidentiality, privacy and protection from harm, were adhered to, throughout the study. Prior identification of the themes, coding took place. The following themes were very important in the research and they helped to achieve the aim of the study and they are; challenges gay students experience in their relationships, closet partners, social networks sexual partners among gay students, condom use among gay students, sexual agreements among gay students, condom use, condom self-efficacy, honesty and communication, social support, self-esteem, liberal community and non-homophobic, traditional male circumcision, sexual agreements among gay students ,pornography viewing , sexual abuse among gay students, discrimination in residence, religiosity and perception towards marriage among gay students. Based on the findings, it is recommended that there should be communication among gay couples to avoid lot of conflicts. Also, there should be education about homosexuality in communities, schools and tertiary institutions as many people treat gays badly owing to lack of knowledge
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Isolation and characterization of extracts of Rosmarinus officinalis l. And comparative evaluation of its antimicrobial activity and selected types of antibiotics against some bacteria species
- Authors: Gbede,Remi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Rosmarinus Essences and essential oils Lamiaceae Medicinal plants
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19142 , vital:39875
- Description: Rosmarinus officinalis L. is known extensively for its multifunctional purposes. The essential oil has been widely used in cosmeceuticals and several ethnopharmacological values. In vitro studies have demonstrated the antibacterial activity of essential oils (EOs) of Rosmarinus officinalis L. against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Vibrio cholerae DSM 19283, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Bacillus cereus. These different bacteria were screened against antibiotics such as Tetracycline, Ampicillin Sodium salt, Erythromycin and Amoxicillin, and some standards namely rosmarinic acid, carnosic acid and carnosol, and also against the methanol, acetone, chloroform and dichloromethane extracts of rosemary. The essential oils of Rosmarinus officinalis L. showed significant inhibitory properties compared to antibiotics with various degrees of growth inhibition. The standards exhibited some activities against the organisms. The GC/MS analysis of the essential oil revealed 34 compounds present with most components acting in synergy to bring about antibacterial activities. The antiplasmodial and cytotoxic activities of two leaf extracts of Rosmarinus officinalis (with hexane and dichloromethane as solvents) using standard procedure were studied. The findings justify the claims on the efficacy of plants for therapeutic uses for antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Antiplasmodial activity of Rosmarinus officinalis recorded IC50 values of 9.99 µg/ml and 9.76 µg/ml in hexane and dichloromethane respectively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Gbede,Remi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Rosmarinus Essences and essential oils Lamiaceae Medicinal plants
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19142 , vital:39875
- Description: Rosmarinus officinalis L. is known extensively for its multifunctional purposes. The essential oil has been widely used in cosmeceuticals and several ethnopharmacological values. In vitro studies have demonstrated the antibacterial activity of essential oils (EOs) of Rosmarinus officinalis L. against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Vibrio cholerae DSM 19283, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Bacillus cereus. These different bacteria were screened against antibiotics such as Tetracycline, Ampicillin Sodium salt, Erythromycin and Amoxicillin, and some standards namely rosmarinic acid, carnosic acid and carnosol, and also against the methanol, acetone, chloroform and dichloromethane extracts of rosemary. The essential oils of Rosmarinus officinalis L. showed significant inhibitory properties compared to antibiotics with various degrees of growth inhibition. The standards exhibited some activities against the organisms. The GC/MS analysis of the essential oil revealed 34 compounds present with most components acting in synergy to bring about antibacterial activities. The antiplasmodial and cytotoxic activities of two leaf extracts of Rosmarinus officinalis (with hexane and dichloromethane as solvents) using standard procedure were studied. The findings justify the claims on the efficacy of plants for therapeutic uses for antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Antiplasmodial activity of Rosmarinus officinalis recorded IC50 values of 9.99 µg/ml and 9.76 µg/ml in hexane and dichloromethane respectively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Job engagement, Self-efficacy and Organisational citizenship behaviour among employees in selected insurance companies in the eastern cape province
- Authors: Ntshentshe, Sinazo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Organizational behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Job satisfaction -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Management -- Employee participation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom (Industrial Psychology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12502 , vital:39269
- Description: The present study investigated “Job engagement, self-efficacy and organisational citizenship behaviour among employees in an insurance company in the Eastern Cape province”. A research issue is emphasized and debated in details methodically. Social exchange theory (SET) and social cognitive theory (SCT were used in the study with the support of variable. Previous studies discovered and established the relationship between job engagement (JE) and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB); as well as self-efficacy (SE) and organisational citizenship behavior; and all variables combined together. Hypothesis is formulated that used to achieve objectives. The study used quantitative research design. The sample (N=100) of the study consist of the employees in the selected insurance companies in Eastern Cape, province. The data was collected with the use of questionnaire method and analyses was done using Statistical Package for the social science.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Ntshentshe, Sinazo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Organizational behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Job satisfaction -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Management -- Employee participation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom (Industrial Psychology)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12502 , vital:39269
- Description: The present study investigated “Job engagement, self-efficacy and organisational citizenship behaviour among employees in an insurance company in the Eastern Cape province”. A research issue is emphasized and debated in details methodically. Social exchange theory (SET) and social cognitive theory (SCT were used in the study with the support of variable. Previous studies discovered and established the relationship between job engagement (JE) and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB); as well as self-efficacy (SE) and organisational citizenship behavior; and all variables combined together. Hypothesis is formulated that used to achieve objectives. The study used quantitative research design. The sample (N=100) of the study consist of the employees in the selected insurance companies in Eastern Cape, province. The data was collected with the use of questionnaire method and analyses was done using Statistical Package for the social science.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Knowledge management practices in a regional economic bloc secretariat: a case of Southern African development community
- Authors: Sikazwe, Dennis
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Knowledge management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Library and Information Science)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11451 , vital:39073
- Description: The effective application of appropriate Knowledge Management Practices (KMPs) is one of the innovative and creative ways for improving organisational work processes. Having been undertaken in a Regional Economic Bloc (REB) at the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana, and at the SPGRC in Lusaka, Zambia, the study assesses KMPs among employees in these worksites. However, not all KMPs adopted can be appropriate. For example, studies show that the western epistemological perspective of knowledge that gives preference to leveraging explicit knowledge at the expense of tacit knowledge seems to be dominant in most organisations, just as evidenced in this study. This study was aimed at achieving to a limited extent exploratory and descriptive goal. The study was solidly grounded on the practice-based approach of knowing and learning in organisations, the OKC-SECI, and the dialogic Communication theories. It was aimed at assessing what, how and to what extent have KMPs utilized among REBs in the course of their day to day operations (SADC secretariat in particular). Using these theories, the study clearly shows how appropriate KMPs help improve secretariat’ work processes in any given REB secretariat’ everchanging work environment, and how it’s tested knowledge is stored, shared and applied as best practices. The study further assessed the conduciveness of the secretariat’s workplace environment in which such practices are carried out, and how appropriate the KM related ICTs available in that environment were. The theoretical underpinnings of the study were used to inform the selection of variables for the study. The approach of the study was firstly to understand what and how knowledge (both explicit and tacit) is generated, stored, shared and applied among the secretariat employees, and the focus was on the above theories. The study made use of the triangulated research approach to adequately capture and analyse both qualitative and quantitative data. By so doing, reliability and validity were enhanced. The copies of the questionnaire were administered to 138 employees of the catchment areas, and only 117 copies of the questionnaire were completed and returned for processing. From the returned copies of the questionnaire, 15 respondents whose responses vi appeared to have addressed the research questions were followed up for in-depth interviews. For qualitative data, the in-depth interviews were used together with the observation of the respondents’ behaviour, workplace environment and the appropriateness of the KM related ICTs available. Data obtained from the study were processed and analysed using SPSS for the quantitative data, while responses from the interviews and observations were sorted and coded. The process of comparing the processed quantitative and qualitative data resulted in the drawing of inferences that resolve the research problem. The study findings clearly show that the SADC secretariat was relatively good in the utilisation of appropriate KLPs; however, this was on average at a very low rate (32, 27.44%; Good), and mostly limited to the management of Information Resource Centres (47, 40.47%; Fair). This was followed by Explicit Knowledge Leveraging Practices (KLPs) (36, 30.75%; Good), while Tacit KLPs were rated the least with a (29, 25.20%; Bad) rating. The study findings further indicated that the conduciveness of the SADC secretariat workplace environment was on average fairly rated (61, 52.55%; Fair), with minimal opportunities for socialisation and collaborative work. The appropriateness of KM-related ICTs available at the secretariat was on average rated moderately at (41, 35.00%) Very good, though they were described as blind to the human, social and cultural aspects of KMPs. Finally, the study findings also revealed that the SADC secretariat was particularly rated bad (54, 45.87%) in finding possible KMP solutions, and was rated very good (51, 43.60%) in identifying the actual major challenges for managing KMPs. The use of a practice-based approach, OKC-SECI and Dialogic Communication theories to underpin the study were found suitable for investigating KMPs from a REB secretariat’s work processes context. The practice-based approach and the Dialogic Communication theory were particularly useful in addressing the issue of interaction, dialogue and sense-making in the workplace while the OKC-SECI theory helped understand knowledge conversion processes at the SADC secretariat. The findings of this study seem to propose that KMPs and KM, in general, can best be studied using a combination of methodologies because of the multi-disciplinary nature of the subject. The study, thus, proposes the “practice – theory – practice “knowledge creation and sharing workplace framework.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Sikazwe, Dennis
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Knowledge management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Library and Information Science)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11451 , vital:39073
- Description: The effective application of appropriate Knowledge Management Practices (KMPs) is one of the innovative and creative ways for improving organisational work processes. Having been undertaken in a Regional Economic Bloc (REB) at the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana, and at the SPGRC in Lusaka, Zambia, the study assesses KMPs among employees in these worksites. However, not all KMPs adopted can be appropriate. For example, studies show that the western epistemological perspective of knowledge that gives preference to leveraging explicit knowledge at the expense of tacit knowledge seems to be dominant in most organisations, just as evidenced in this study. This study was aimed at achieving to a limited extent exploratory and descriptive goal. The study was solidly grounded on the practice-based approach of knowing and learning in organisations, the OKC-SECI, and the dialogic Communication theories. It was aimed at assessing what, how and to what extent have KMPs utilized among REBs in the course of their day to day operations (SADC secretariat in particular). Using these theories, the study clearly shows how appropriate KMPs help improve secretariat’ work processes in any given REB secretariat’ everchanging work environment, and how it’s tested knowledge is stored, shared and applied as best practices. The study further assessed the conduciveness of the secretariat’s workplace environment in which such practices are carried out, and how appropriate the KM related ICTs available in that environment were. The theoretical underpinnings of the study were used to inform the selection of variables for the study. The approach of the study was firstly to understand what and how knowledge (both explicit and tacit) is generated, stored, shared and applied among the secretariat employees, and the focus was on the above theories. The study made use of the triangulated research approach to adequately capture and analyse both qualitative and quantitative data. By so doing, reliability and validity were enhanced. The copies of the questionnaire were administered to 138 employees of the catchment areas, and only 117 copies of the questionnaire were completed and returned for processing. From the returned copies of the questionnaire, 15 respondents whose responses vi appeared to have addressed the research questions were followed up for in-depth interviews. For qualitative data, the in-depth interviews were used together with the observation of the respondents’ behaviour, workplace environment and the appropriateness of the KM related ICTs available. Data obtained from the study were processed and analysed using SPSS for the quantitative data, while responses from the interviews and observations were sorted and coded. The process of comparing the processed quantitative and qualitative data resulted in the drawing of inferences that resolve the research problem. The study findings clearly show that the SADC secretariat was relatively good in the utilisation of appropriate KLPs; however, this was on average at a very low rate (32, 27.44%; Good), and mostly limited to the management of Information Resource Centres (47, 40.47%; Fair). This was followed by Explicit Knowledge Leveraging Practices (KLPs) (36, 30.75%; Good), while Tacit KLPs were rated the least with a (29, 25.20%; Bad) rating. The study findings further indicated that the conduciveness of the SADC secretariat workplace environment was on average fairly rated (61, 52.55%; Fair), with minimal opportunities for socialisation and collaborative work. The appropriateness of KM-related ICTs available at the secretariat was on average rated moderately at (41, 35.00%) Very good, though they were described as blind to the human, social and cultural aspects of KMPs. Finally, the study findings also revealed that the SADC secretariat was particularly rated bad (54, 45.87%) in finding possible KMP solutions, and was rated very good (51, 43.60%) in identifying the actual major challenges for managing KMPs. The use of a practice-based approach, OKC-SECI and Dialogic Communication theories to underpin the study were found suitable for investigating KMPs from a REB secretariat’s work processes context. The practice-based approach and the Dialogic Communication theory were particularly useful in addressing the issue of interaction, dialogue and sense-making in the workplace while the OKC-SECI theory helped understand knowledge conversion processes at the SADC secretariat. The findings of this study seem to propose that KMPs and KM, in general, can best be studied using a combination of methodologies because of the multi-disciplinary nature of the subject. The study, thus, proposes the “practice – theory – practice “knowledge creation and sharing workplace framework.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Knowledge retention practices among healthcare workers at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
- Authors: Jonga, Nqabakazi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Knowledge management Organizational learning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M LIS
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11461 , vital:39074
- Description: Knowledge has transformed to become an economic resource in a knowledge-based society, which determines the proficiency, progress and efficiency of any performed task. However, efficiency can be compromised when the health sector fails to retain the wealth of knowledge from experienced, senior and subject experts who have, or are about to leave or retire from the institution. Knowledge management provides for knowledge acquisition, sharing, transfer and further motivates the creation of influential atmospheres for knowledge sharing in the Public health sector. Healthcare is a knowledge driven process and thus knowledge management and the tools to manage knowledge in the healthcare sector are receiving attention. This study investigated knowledge retention practices in the Public health sector, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study was informed by the Socialisation, Externalization, Combination, Internalization SECI model of knowledge creation and conversion by Nonaka & Takeuchi (1995) and the Knowledge based theory of the firm by Grant (1996). Both theories interpret knowledge sharing and preservation as vital for institutional growth and effective service delivery. The theories advised on the establishment of platforms designated for acquisition of new knowledge, knowledge sharing and retention to assist in future decision making to obtain a competitive edge. The study employed a mixed method approach that is largely quantitative in nature. Self-administered questionnaires were adopted for quantitative data collection and three interviews were conducted with middle management to supplement the quantitative data. The reliability and validity of the research instruments was achieved through adapting, and modifying questions from previously used research instruments from the works of Dewah, (2012); Teffo, (2014) and Tatani, (2015). New questions were further developed and evaluated through expert analysis. The study took place at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape. The population of the study comprised of qualified healthcare workers in the health sector mainly “nurses”. The sample size was 198 and three interviews were conducted with the middle management to obtain qualitative data. xix The findings of the study revealed that the concept of knowledge retention was not dominant in public hospitals such as Cecilia Makiwane; however, certain practices are adopted to stimulate knowledge sharing thus contributing to knowledge retention. Several factors such as budget, ICT use, time allocation, fear of losing the competitive value through knowledge sharing and absence of supporting structures or services have been identified as root causes for reduced knowledge sharing practices among healthcare workers. The study, therefore, recommends the appointment of knowledge officers who would oversee the effective implementation of knowledge management policies and adopt strategies that will assist with knowledge retention. Further recommendations are, effective integration of knowledge management practices into the system, development of an internet based system for effective communication and institutional repositories for knowledge preservation. The study concludes that the development of training programs would assist healthcare workers to be familiar with any new or old invented mechanism.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Jonga, Nqabakazi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Knowledge management Organizational learning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M LIS
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11461 , vital:39074
- Description: Knowledge has transformed to become an economic resource in a knowledge-based society, which determines the proficiency, progress and efficiency of any performed task. However, efficiency can be compromised when the health sector fails to retain the wealth of knowledge from experienced, senior and subject experts who have, or are about to leave or retire from the institution. Knowledge management provides for knowledge acquisition, sharing, transfer and further motivates the creation of influential atmospheres for knowledge sharing in the Public health sector. Healthcare is a knowledge driven process and thus knowledge management and the tools to manage knowledge in the healthcare sector are receiving attention. This study investigated knowledge retention practices in the Public health sector, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study was informed by the Socialisation, Externalization, Combination, Internalization SECI model of knowledge creation and conversion by Nonaka & Takeuchi (1995) and the Knowledge based theory of the firm by Grant (1996). Both theories interpret knowledge sharing and preservation as vital for institutional growth and effective service delivery. The theories advised on the establishment of platforms designated for acquisition of new knowledge, knowledge sharing and retention to assist in future decision making to obtain a competitive edge. The study employed a mixed method approach that is largely quantitative in nature. Self-administered questionnaires were adopted for quantitative data collection and three interviews were conducted with middle management to supplement the quantitative data. The reliability and validity of the research instruments was achieved through adapting, and modifying questions from previously used research instruments from the works of Dewah, (2012); Teffo, (2014) and Tatani, (2015). New questions were further developed and evaluated through expert analysis. The study took place at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape. The population of the study comprised of qualified healthcare workers in the health sector mainly “nurses”. The sample size was 198 and three interviews were conducted with the middle management to obtain qualitative data. xix The findings of the study revealed that the concept of knowledge retention was not dominant in public hospitals such as Cecilia Makiwane; however, certain practices are adopted to stimulate knowledge sharing thus contributing to knowledge retention. Several factors such as budget, ICT use, time allocation, fear of losing the competitive value through knowledge sharing and absence of supporting structures or services have been identified as root causes for reduced knowledge sharing practices among healthcare workers. The study, therefore, recommends the appointment of knowledge officers who would oversee the effective implementation of knowledge management policies and adopt strategies that will assist with knowledge retention. Further recommendations are, effective integration of knowledge management practices into the system, development of an internet based system for effective communication and institutional repositories for knowledge preservation. The study concludes that the development of training programs would assist healthcare workers to be familiar with any new or old invented mechanism.
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- Date Issued: 2019