There is a concern in South Africa that most learners arrive at university underprepared. This is also a major concern for students who enroll for the BEd programme specialising in geography education. Due to the learners' articulation gap, they are unable to cope with the standard that is expected of them. Hence this study investigated the level of geography learners' preparedness when they arrive at university. The aim of the study was to investigate the challenges experienced by geography students in their first-year of study. The researchers used a qualitative approach grounded in phenomenology as the research design. Purposive sampling was used to select students who failed geography education in both semesters in their first-year of study, the academic year 2016. Two lecturers who teach geography in the first-year were sampled. The geography curriculum used in the secondary schools and university were also reviewed to determine the extent of alignment between the two. A thematic approach was used to analyse the data. The results of the study revealed that geography students enter university without proper preparation, and are therefore unable to cope with their first-year of study. The study further revealed that teachers who teach geography in secondary school are not sufficiently trained to teach geography, which results in their engaging in surface learning as opposed to deep learning. The study recommends that there be collaboration between secondary schools and universities to discuss the university's expectations with regard to learner preparedness. Moreover, geography teachers should be trained on an ongoing basis in order for them to keep up with current trends in the area of geography education.
The rapid increase of poverty, crime, and unemployment in South Africa results in youth vulnerability. Youth not in employment, not in education, and not in training are most vulnerable to life setbacks, find it difficult dealing with criticism, rejection, and failure. Thus, youth workers responsible for the coordination of youth service programme need to design an autonomy-supportive programme that can prepare youth mentally before youth are placed in a youth development programme that seeks to enhance youth employability. The National Youth Development Agency in South Africa under the National Youth Service Programme has developed a mental toughness programme curriculum that NYS volunteers undergo before participating in youth skill development programme or community service programme for a minimum of five days. The aim of the study is to explore the impact of the Mental Toughness Programme on the positive development of youth through youth lived experience in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. This study made use of a qualitative research approach, non-probability sampling to sample eight youth who participated in the Mental Toughness Programme offered by the National Youth Development Agency. In this study, we recommend that the National Youth Development Agency knowledge and research division should conduct a longitudinal study that can evaluate the impact of the Mental Toughness Programme on positive youth development in South Africa. The National Youth Development Agency should revise the mental toughness programme curriculum in a way that the programme goes beyond five days and physical toughness should be cooperated in the curriculum to enhance social cohesion.
Received: 27 July 2021 / Accepted: 6 October 2021 / Published: 3 January 2022
The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that contributed to violent behaviour among young ex-offenders, and the challenges that young ex-offenders faced when reintegrating into mainstream society on the Cape Flats in South Africa. The researchers used a qualitative approach grounded in phenomenology as the research design. The study population consisted of eight young ex-offenders on the Cape Flats who had served sentences in prison. Purposive sampling was used to select them for participation. The data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and a phenomenological analysis was used to analyse the participants’ responses. Ethical considerations such as informed consent, privacy, voluntary participation, and confidentiality were given due attention in this study. The results of the study revealed that factors such as the lack of parental affection, peer pressure, the use of drugs, and domestic violence contributed to violent behaviour among young ex-offenders on the Cape Flats. The study concluded that, when returning to the community, young ex-offenders face challenges such as family and community mistrust and a lack of employment opportunities. The study recommends the involvement of all young ex-offenders in activities of the National Youth Service, fully supervised by the National Youth Development Agency and officials of the Department of Correctional Services for a certain period as part of youth work practice in South Africa.
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