Browsing by Author "Kubeka, Khosi"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    A capability approach to examining the experiences and perceptions of Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) among homeless women in Cape Town
    (2021) Mhlongo, Ayanda; Kubeka, Khosi
    Homeless women face many challenges. They lack adequate housing and financial support and are confronted with the daunting challenge of securing sanitary products when menstruating (Parrillo and Feller, 2017). Menstruation is a crucial part of women's sexual and reproductive health (Reams, 2001). It is a significant biological experience that signifies a woman's transition from childhood to womanhood (Reams, 2001). For homeless women, purchasing menstrual products is an unreasonable financial burden (BRAWS, 2018). Homeless women end up using items such as rags, old socks, tissue paper, paper towels, torn pieces of clothing, or diapers to satisfy their menstrual needs (Mason et al., 2013). Often, homeless women go without menstrual protection altogether (Mason et al., 2013). This lack results in period poverty. Period poverty refers to a lack of sanitary products, menstrual hygiene education, toilets, hand-washing facilities, and/or waste management (Sanchez and Rodriguez, 2019). Period poverty manifests in the absence of Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM). MHM is a term used to refer to menstruating females having absorbents to absorb or collect blood that can be changed in privacy as many times as required, having soap and water to wash the body, and having facilities to dispose the used menstrual management materials (Sommer and Sahin, 2013). The purpose of the research study was to qualitatively explore the experiences and perceptions of period poverty among homeless women in Cape Town (South Africa) using the capability approach. As a result, the study was guided by a qualitative research design. Nonprobability sampling was used in recruiting participants. In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 homeless women who experienced period poverty and received assistance from two organisations in Cape Town. The findings revealed that homeless women experience period poverty due to a lack of sanitary products and poor MHM. One of key challenges faced by the participants was that they do not have access to an adequate supply of water when having their period. Participants would then make use of dam, water under the bridge, public toilets or make use of a bucket in order keep clean during their period. This affected the confidence of the participants, making them feel inadequate. As a result, they developed unhealthy behaviours to survive the harsh realities of being homeless. This made them vulnerable to different forms of violence and affected their perception of the opportunities they believed they had access to. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that addressing period poverty amongst homeless women requires multifaceted policies and responses. Furthermore, there needs to be intense support from all stakeholders so that the issue of period poverty amongst homeless women is addressed as a wider public-health initiative. The financial burden of sanitary products should be eliminated across the globe. Essentially, free menstrual products should be made available to all menstruating individuals, including homeless women.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    A Capability Approach to Understanding the Intersections between Language, Educational Opportunities, and Identity in South Africa: A Xhosa Speaking Youth Perspective
    (2021) Gonthier, Oceane; Kubeka, Khosi
    The education system is a source of language discrimination and exclusion for many young people in South Africa. In South Africa, African languages are spoken by more than 70% of the population, while the colonial languages English and Afrikaans represent less than 25%. However, most South African schools use English or Afrikaans as the main language of instruction. Learners' transitioning to using and learning in a colonial language, and the role languages plays in youth education and development are the root cause of many challenges, including poor academic performance, unequal access to opportunity, social exclusion, and challenging identity formation. This qualitative study aimed to explore the intersection between language, educational opportunities, and identity from an isiXhosa speaking youth perspective in Cape Town, Western Cape. In depth individual interviews were conducted with 12 black African Xhosa youth, between the ages of 18 and 29. The researcher sought to examine the effects of the language challenges faced by isiXhosa speaking youth during their education journey and to gauge the perspective of isiXhosa speaking youth regarding the role of language in their academic performance, opportunities, and social identity. The researcher adopted the following three concepts as a framework for analysis: Sen's capability approach (1999), social identity theory by Tajfel and Turner (1979), and Soudien's work on language in post-apartheid education (2012). This study was important in order The findings revealed that participants faced various challenges in relation to language use in education, specifically transitioning to English as the main medium of instruction. The participants' experiences differed depending on the age at which they transitioned to using English in the education system, but the outcomes of this transition were similar. Their academic performance was negatively impacted by needing to learn in a different language. They had unequal opportunities throughout their education compared with native English speakers, putting them at higher risk of social exclusion and impacting negatively their access to higher education and employment. The participants' advocated for the need to decolonise education, specifically in regard to perceptions and use of languages, because of the prejudices and judgments based on their ability to speak English rather than their actual skills and capabilities. Participants tended to compare languages and look down on isiXhosa, then facing identity crises when returning to their Xhosa families. They had to navigate multiple identities depending on the language and context in which they found themselves. This study recommended reducing inequities by implementing inclusive language policies and measures to accommodate learners with non-colonial first languages, provide support through their transition to a new language, and not weighting incorrect English against them in non-English class. The recommendations also included the need to adapt national exams and grading systems to ensure all learners' have the opportunity to perform to their best ability. The government must also increase its investment in South African languages to promote their use in professional and public spaces. Finally, institutions must be encouraged to use multiple languages in schools, universities, and workplaces.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    A Qualitative Exploration of the Personal, Schooling and Structural Factors Contributing to High School Learner Dropout in Philippi
    (2019) Vushe, Lovemore; Kubeka, Khosi
    This study, "A qualitative exploration of the personal, schooling and structural factors contributing to high school learner dropout in Philippi” was carried out on a sample of fifteen young people who dropped out of school in Philippi, a township in Cape Town in the Western Cape. Guided by the research questions that sought to explore participants’ own views on the issue, an exploratory qualitative approach was used. A research sample of thirteen females and two males who dropped out of secondary school before completing grade 12 in Philippi was chosen using a snow balling sampling method. The study used a semi-structured interview schedule for face to face interviews with the school dropouts. The findings revealed that learners in Philippi drop out due to a combination of factors personal, schooling and structural. Personal factors like struggling academically, personal negative views on the importance of education, grade repetition shame, teen pregnancy, delinquent behaviour and alcohol and substance abuse contributed to learners’ decisions to quit school before matriculating. School factors included overcrowded classrooms, poorly trained teachers, lack of learning materials and associated poor educational quality, long distances to school and the unsafe learning environments in which some schools were viewed as gang battle grounds also contributed to participants’ decisions to quit school. Structural factors, barriers beyond learners’ control, also contributed to the high learner dropout. These included social, cultural, and economic circumstances. Social factors included lack of social and educational support at home. Participants stated that they dropped out of school because their parents did not encourage and motivate them to complete Matric, did not actively support their academic life and failed to provide the necessary resources and support to ensure they remained focused. Some participants left school in order to respond to cultural issues that needed their attention. Cultural practices like forced marriages, responding to calls to be a traditional healer and behavioral changes emanating from traditional male circumcision created subjective norms and expectations that were not in line with academic progression. Economically, the learners ‘poor financial backgrounds presented an unfair disadvantage in which both absolute and relative poverty strongly influenced their decisions to drop out. Without school uniforms, food and transport fares, some participants opted to drop off in order to look for employment or self sustenance. Recommendations targeted at different stakeholders at different levels to address this early school dropout problem are also discussed. Some recommendations targeted the youths’ attitudes themselves in order to address some personal or individual characteristics, whilst others focused on schools improvement and policies that address existing structural causes. More parental involvement in learners’ educational matters, greater social workers contribution, infrastructure development in poor schools in Philippi, strategic partnerships among civil sector, government departments, parents and schools as well as enhanced teacher support constitute part of the recommendations.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    An exploration of ‘Gurans' phenomena: The face of Youth Violence in Khayelitsha Township
    (2022) Mguzulwa, Sisanda Millicent; Holtzhausen, Leon; Kubeka, Khosi
    Youth violence has been troubling the South African society ever since the country's transition to democracy in 1994. Although the problem has been a countrywide phenomenon, certain provinces and cities, predominantly black inhabited townships in the City of Cape Town, have been most afflicted by the new form of youth violence, code-named ‘Gurans'. Cases of Gurans-related violence first appeared in the City of Cape Town's townships around the year 2000 and have exponentially increased. Of these townships, Khayelitsha has been the most afflicted. While there has been significant scholarly attention to this new form of violence, little has been done to expose the finer grains of the factors that cause the problem. Moreso, little attention has been channelled towards documenting the perspectives and feelings of the perpetrators, victims, school children, community members, and educators working in those communities. Lack of such detailed investigations has derailed its eradication. As such, the aim of this study was to proffer new understandings on how youth-related violence have suddenly morphed into the new Gurans phenomenon and how this has affected the community of Khayelitsha in its entirety. This study therefore highlights the centrality of the theories of Social Identity and Violentisation to analysing and understanding violence among youths in contemporary South Africa. A qualitative research design was applied, involving eight focus group discussions with 106 affected youths, 10 interviews with crew members in Gurans, 5 educators from four different schools in Khayelitsha, and 5 community members of Khayelitsha township. This thesis documents Gurans as a new type of youth violence with specific focus on its meaning, causes, effects, as well as the issues and key players that have been involved in its sustenance. This study culminates in policy implications and initiatives that take on board how the violent youths, families, communities and government must conduct themselves to alleviate the problem. It is further suggested the most critical step necessary in the quest to eradicate the scourge of youth violence from communities is for the society to first understand the personal experiences of youth living in malignant communities, which encourages youth to become violent and to associate with violent groups. Such an approach will help to understand the underlying circumstances on why more youth are turning to violence, why they are devising new methods to mete such violence and as well as the broad effects of the violence.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Assessing the preparedness of the schooling system for The Fourth Industrial Revolution: The case study of two secondary schools in the Ekurhuleni South Education District
    (2022) Haynes, Zena Gwyneth; Kubeka, Khosi
    Research indicates that South African teachers do not understand the use of technology for teaching and learning, the benefits associated with it, and classrooms are not designed to support technology-integrated teaching (Skhephe, Caga and Boadzo, 2020). Furthermore, access to technology for education seems to be limited and unequal across the nine provinces and different school quintiles (Meyer and Gent, 2016 in Kayembe and Nel, 2019). Despite this, the World Economic Forum predicts that approximately 65% of children presently starting school will have jobs in the future that do not exist yet (Soler & Dadlani, 2020). These jobs will require specific skills and knowledge that are consistent with the rapid advances in technology. However, it is unclear if, and how the current South African schooling system is equipping learners with the skills required for future jobs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to assess the preparedness of schools for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in the Ekurhuleni South Education District, in Gauteng Province. The study had four main objectives: to investigate how the 4IR is understood by teachers, learners and the Institutional Development and Support Official (IDSO) in the Ekurhuleni South Education District; to determine what the perceptions and experiences of teachers and the IDSO are on the preparedness of secondary schools in the Ekurhuleni South Education District for teaching in the 4IR; to find out what learners' experiences are of schooling in the 4IR; and to ascertain how learners perceive their schooling experiences to help them after school. This study employed a qualitative research approach to explore how the schools' preparedness for schooling in the 4IR is perceived and experienced by the participants. Twenty individual in-depth interviews were conducted with grade 12 learners. Additionally, seven key informant interviews were conducted with four secondary school teachers, two principals and one IDSO from the Ekurhuleni South Education District. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Online interviews were conducted to adhere to COVID-19 health regulations. However, where learners did not have devices, in-person interviews were conducted. The findings revealed that grade 12 learners were not aware of the 4IR as a concept but had some knowledge of 4IR-related technologies including automation and robotics. Learners described their schooling experiences during 4IR as consisting of various personal and structural challenges. They reported on mostly using smartboards in the classroom but described several challenges with using the technology, such as issues related to power outages and lack of internet connectivity. Teachers described the 4IR in terms of fast and easy access to resources, people and information. They highlighted the advantage of using technology in terms of making lessons more interesting and interactive. Teachers also emphasised that the theft of devices and lack of training impacts on how effectively they use the technology. The principals reported that some teachers still showed resistance to using technology for teaching. They further reported that the schools did not offer any 4IR-related or basic information and communications technology (ICT) subjects and that current curricula was not aligned with the 4IR. The IDSO reported on the implementation of a twinning process of one of the schools, in an effort to facilitate the integration of ICT in the school. The IDSO also appraised the schools as not yet ready for teaching and learning of the 4IR. The lack of technology and other resources and infrastructure at the schools, lack of training and support for teachers, as well as the absence of 4IR subjects and curricula, reveal that the schools in this study are not prepared for schooling in the 4IR. Recommendations are made to the Gauteng Department of Education to offer better technology training and support to teachers. The schools and district office are encouraged to put measures in place to better protect devices and infrastructure from damage and theft. Recommendations for further research are also offered.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Examining the ecological risk and protective factors of substance abuse and its effects on educational and behavioural outcomes among high school learners: implications for a school based intervention model
    (2021) Welby-Solomon, Janine; Kubeka, Khosi
    This study was an exploration into the Ecological Risk and Protective Factors on Adolescent Substance Use and its Effects on Behavioural and Educational Outcomes. The data was gathered using a qualitative research approach. Focus groups were conducted with the assistance of a semistructure interview guide to gather information on the research topic. The researcher used gatekeepers within Arcadia High School, Bonteheuwel High School and The College of Science and Technology school environments to gain access to participants. A non-probability sampling method was used to select 37 participants. Participants either identified as Coloured or Black, between the ages of 13 and 18 years old and were all high school students. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and Tesch was used to create a framework of analysis. The main assumptions of the study were as followed: ● Adolescent substance use is not only influenced by individual characteristics but also family, environmental and peer influences; ● Protective factors against adolescent substance use include strong familial bonds, positive peer influences and attachment to the schooling environment. ● Adolescent substance use has a negative effect on behavioural outcomes. ● Adolescent substance use has a negative effect on educational outcomes. The findings of the study show that there were a number of factors that contributed towards the vulnerability of adolescents that ultimately resulted in them using substances. Environmental factors such as poverty played a crucial role in substance use behaviours. Similarly, family influences, such as parental substance abuse and lack of parent-child connection contributed towards adolescent socialization around substance use and substance- use behaviours. The predominant protective factor appeared to be the school environment. The school environment acted as a pseudo family for adolescents where they felt safe, protected and received positive emotions such as love and understanding. The researcher recommends the development of a multi-level intervention approach that addresses the imbalances in the adolescents immediate and non-immediate environments that contribute to their substance use behaviours. This multi-level intervention strategy will run parallel to the Life Orientation programme and will focus on multiple levels of psychosocial intervention strategies that will assist adolescents in dealing with substance use.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Experiences and perceptions of women involved in food garden projects in Khayelitsha
    (2013) Ndlovu, Sibusiso; Kubeka, Khosi
    The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of women involved in food garden projects. This was evaluated against the Community Driven Development approach which is a development initiative to empower community groups by giving them control over resources and decision making in their efforts to improve their living conditions. The context in which the seventeen women who participated in the study live is one of poverty. Many women in the study mentioned lack of employment as their motivation for joining food gardens, which they saw as a way of escaping poverty and providing food for their households. An exploratory and descriptive study was conducted to obtain information from the women involved in food gardens as it allowed the researcher to gain data in an open, flexible and inductive manner. This research design was appropriate for the study as research participants were best understood within their natural setting. Seventeen face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted. The participants’ ages ranged from twenty-eight to sixty years old. The majority of the women interviewed were in their fifties. A semi-structured interview schedule was used as a guideline and was however, not followed rigidly. Data was collected through an audio recorder and consent forms were signed by the participants. Transcription was done using Tesch’s (1990) method of analysis. The findings indicated that food gardens provide an opportunity to the women to take action to sustain their livelihoods, providing a form of self employment, food and a means to generate some income. The food gardens also created social networks for these women which resulted in them being included in the community’s activities as they had developed networks which acted as sources of support. However, the women repeatedly iterated that lack of funds and inconsistent support from role players such as government and other agencies hindered the success of their activities. Their main comments on recommendations for assistance and support were directed to the government and other organisations working with people in the grassroots level. Support for these local initiatives may contribute to their success.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Exploring the perceptions of rural youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) on factors that influence their employability
    (2017) Tele, Azinga; Kubeka, Khosi
    Young people in rural areas bear the brunt of unemployment in South Africa. This is because many of them do not have access to the relevant opportunities and information needed to help them transition into adulthood roles and the labour market. The restricted access to opportunities poses as a threat to the successful transition and employability of these young people. This qualitative study explored perceptions of factors affecting employability among a select sample of youth that were not in education employment or training (NEET) from a rural community of Engcobo in the Eastern Cape Province. In-depth-individual interviews were conducted with 19 black African youth comprising of 8 males and 11 females between the ages 18 and 34 years. The research sought to explore the opinions of the youth to inform us of the factors they think influence their employability by adopting an Integrated Model of employability by McQuaid and Lindsey (2005). The study was important in order to gauge the voices of these youth regarding their employability. The researcher explored factors influencing the respondents' entry into employment, the factors useful to their gaining employment and personal experience of their unemployment status. The findings revealed that circumstances leading to youth's unemployment may differ, but the way in which youth experience unemployment remains the same whether young or old. The fact that young people experience unemployment the same shows that being NEET at one stage raises the likelihood of remaining in the NEET for a longer period. The respondents' unemployment status affected their behaviour and the way in which they saw themselves: as not contributing members to their families or society. The findings also revealed that rural young people are not employed mainly due to the scarcity of jobs in their local town. Their low levels of educational attainment and skills sets also played a role in this regard. Social networks play a major role in helping young people find information about employment; however this was restricted to a certain extent for rural youth as access to formal information systems is non-existent. The lack of formal information systems plays a major role in hindering the mobility of the youth, be it in education or finding employment. The factors identified were mostly as a result of personal circumstances that may have led them to leave school and external factors related to the labour market. The following recommendations were provided. Efforts to provide alternative educational and training opportunities to accommodate the lengthened transitions to adulthood of NEET youth from rural areas must be given priority. Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges can be used as a mechanism to achieve this. TVET Colleges must be responsive and cater for the needs of the communities and be more visible and accessible. Equally important is clarifying what options are available for young people in terms of technical, vocational education and training opportunities. As such TVET colleges have to find effective ways to share information with youth from rural areas about the programmes they offer and how to access these. Furthermore, relevant employment opportunities that are in line with the youth's needs and skills sets have to be considered. For instance the government could make agriculture and farming more popular amongst the youth in rural areas. This could be done by providing youth friendly services and information about the use of land. In addition to the use of social networks, formal information systems have to be introduced to rural areas to help facilitate job search. This could include information centres for young employment seekers and access to the internet to help expand their reach. Unemployment serves as a major form of exclusion for youth in society at large. This paper argues for a holistic approach that considers both structural barriers and young people's deficits to design interventions towards education, employment and training.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Exploring youth participation in community development organisations in the Western Cape
    (2015) Matsela, Tebatso; Kubeka, Khosi
    The aim of the study was to explore youth participation in Community Development Organisations and its implications for positive youth development from the perspective of a select sample of Youth in the Western Cape. A purposive sample of 18 youth respondents between the ages (14-35) from five communities in the Western Cape were approached. The study used Lerner (2004) and Lerner et al.'s (2005) Positive Youth Development model (PYD), and the Critical Youth Empowerment model (CYE) by Jennings et al (2006). The study adopted a qualitative exploratory approach, using a structured interview schedule for face to face interviews with the young people. The findings revealed that young people volunteer in youth-initiated organisations within their communities because they are able to occupy instrumental roles. The findings also revealed that young people participate because they want to see positive change in their communities. Additionally, youth participation in community development has a positive impact on young people's lives (skills acquisition, personal growth, opportunities made available, connection to their communities and community members). Lastly, the findings revealed that young people are capable of making a positive contribution by getting involved in meaningful activities in their communities. The study's main recommendation is for increased efforts in education institutions, community councils and development organisations to involve young people in effective and instrumental participation in community development initiatives. Another recommendation is for the adoption of the Positive Youth Development approach in community and youth development programmes/strategies across the country.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Project title: an exploration of high school learners’ educational journey and how it shapes their aspirations
    (2019) Malhotra, Vidushi; Kubeka, Khosi
    As a consequence of Apartheid, schools today are still grappling with the process of desegregation of an unequal education system in South Africa. The inequality of skills acquired by children and the poor quality of education received undermines their ability to understand or develop aspirations. This qualitative study aims to explore the educational journey of high school learners and how the journey shapes their aspirations. Drawing upon the background of high school learners, particularly their family background, socio-economic status and neighborhood, this study examines the aspirations informed by the educational journey of learners. First, the findings revealed that academic interests of learners were not steered by the stature of the school they attended. The reasons that are understood to be positively affecting the change in academic interests are more self-driven than influenced by factors that are outside of the personal journey of the learners. Second, parents who were educated themselves valued the importance of quality education, which meant not only improving marks, but also building and working towards an aspiration. Third, learners who came from decent and peaceful neighborhoods mostly reported a supportive community and one that is always striving for a better future through education. This community dynamic also had a positive effect on the learners’ focus and ability to study after school hours. The results of the study also mention the shortcomings of the current South African education system in the way that it only allows for limited real-world exposure and restricts learners from making informed subject choices. Recommendations for corrective measures in the form of introduction of gap year programs, better subject choices and exposure to career fairs and interaction with field experts are made by the researcher.