EUREKA: Social and Humanities
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Post COVID-19 patterns of social protection spending and poverty alleviation in South Africa
Full text linkIt is with no doubt that social protection has been a key weapon for development in most low-income countries. As part of its commitment, South Africa has implemented and continued with additional measures, such as Social Relief Distress (SRD), since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the major concerns hovers around the long-term sustainability of fiscal allocations to this obligation. This paper, therefore, analyses patterns of social protection spending using STAR (Situation, task, action, results) method on year on year (YoY) data (2019/202 and 2020/21). Firstly, the paper shows that the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to already existing extreme poverty levels and people’s vulnerability. The study exposes a need to assess the long run sustainability of the fiscal commitment to poverty reduction and the protection of the vulnerable. Secondly, it demonstrates that post -COVID -19 fiscal commitments to poverty reduction. The study compares and analyses year-on year data of fiscal allocation to social protection, the number of beneficiaries and poverty rates and further forecast prospects of sustainability. Social protection improved during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, improving the number of beneficiaries. However, this was realised through borrowing and costly fiscal trade-offs. This paper provides alternative measures that can be implemented to create a fiscal space and finance the social protection ga
A systematic review of the communicative approach to teaching English first additional language in the further education and training phase
Full text linkThe spread of English as an international language, along with the desire to maintain local languages, has led many researchers to consider multilingualism as the norm rather than the exception. Consequently, bi/multilingual education has bloomed over the last decades, giving birth to English first additional language. Lately, language teaching approaches have consistently oscillated from one end to the other, following successive changes in linguistic ideologies and learning theories. Therefore, this study explored the communicative approach to teaching English first additional language in the Further Education and Training Phase. This study used a systematic literature review to gather data. This data was retrieved from major databases, including SCOPUS, Semantic Scholar, Google Scholar and Web of Science. After identifying all the articles for the research review, we coded them according to the research questions and theoretical focus. The findings revealed that the need for successful learning of communicative skills of the English language suggests that communicative ability is the goal of language teaching. The communicative approach in English first additional language teaching and learning gives primary importance to the use or function of the language and secondary importance to its structure or form. Learner-centred approach enables life-long learning and independent problem-solving. Besides, by putting responsibility for learning in the hands of learners, we encourage them to be active and responsible participants in their own learning. Also, it appears that even more resourcing and more experienced teachers are needed to ensure that all EFAL learners are exposed to a more cognitively demanding curriculum and more training is going to be essential if teachers are to improve the quality of social interactions in the classroom by using the communicative approach, so that learners in disadvantaged settings receive the same degree of warmth and encouragement as their peers in more affluent classe
Social media and migration: analysis of its influence on African migrants in South Africa
Full text linkSouth Africa, after the adoption of inclusive governance in 1994 became the new migration hub for new migrants from Africa, and across the globe. For some of these migrants, South Africa is their second-best choice, and for others, a destination. Thus making South Africa among the top immigrant receiving countries in Africa. In an era where digital interconnectivity shapes the fabric of society and the economy, social media stands as an imperative pillar for the connectivity and mobility of migrants. Apart from being a powerful tool that aggregates, coordinates, and reproduces social representations of any society, it is instrumental to reaching large groups of audiences. In Africa, social media have grown popular, with more than 384 million users on the continent and more than 28 million users in South Africa. Using social media theory and the qualitative research method, this study explores the influence of social media on the decision making of African migrants and the relationship between migration, integration, the connectivity of these migrants to their state of origin, and the influence of social media on African identity in South Africa. The work concludes that though migrants explore social media to their advantage but South African netizen through negative use of social medial exposed the already fractured African identity showing that Africans are not united, that what colonial mappings have created have had a negative effect on Africa and has also created a sense that one African is better than the othe
Navigating "sticky floors": barriers faced by female academics in a rural-based university
Full text linkThe underrepresentation of women in academic settings continues to be a worldwide issue, notably in rural Universities where cultural and structural obstacles remain. This study explores the notion of "sticky floors" systemic barriers that impede female academics from progressing in their careers. Despite the existence of policies advocating for gender equity, women in rural Universities still encounter obstacles like institutional policies and promotion criteria. These obstacles hinder career advancement perpetuating gender inequalities in academic leadership positions. Intersectionality theory is used as the framework of the study. The study employed qualitative research methods to explore factors that contribute to the under-representation of women in senior academic positions in higher education institutions in South Africa. To select twenty-five female academics who met the study's requirements, Amalgamation of convenience and purposive sampling methods was employed. Self-administered semi-structured interviews were used to gather data to elicit and shed light on women's perspectives on matters of their professional advancement. The paper employed thematic analysis for data analysis. The findings demonstrate, that even though much has been done to support female academics at HEIs, Higher education institutions remain predominantly male-dominated across various employment sectors, particularly in academic settings where female professionals encounter barriers to advancement. Women continue to experience numerous obstacles when attempting to climb the educational hierarchy, leading to their limited presence in senior academic positions and leadership roles. The study indicates that a combination of individual, societal, and institutional obstacles impedes women's professional development and upward mobility in academic institutions. These findings suggest that higher education institutions must collaborate extensively with diverse social organizations to combat gender disparities, both within academic environments and related professional domains
Exploring the travel behaviours, motivational factors, and visitor preferences at some of prominent heritage sites in South Africa
Full text linkThis study investigates the travel behaviour, motives, and preferences of visitors to selected cultural heritage sites in South Africa: Vilakazi Street, the Voortrekker Monument, and the Maropeng-Cradle of Humankind. Recognizing cultural heritage as central to local identity and tourism, the research emphasizes its potential to attract tourists through education and authentic experiences. It employs a quantitative method with a self-administered questionnaire, distributed to 400 visitors at the three sites with the help of the fieldworkers. The participants were asked to participate at three heritage sites separately through a convenient sampling method, with a group sampled from each site following a non-probability approach. The statistical analysis was employed to draw the conclusions of the study. The analysis reveals that educational experiences and cultural curiosity are primary motives for visiting heritage sites. Preferences for historical significance, cultural representation, and immovable cultural heritage were identified through factor analysis, indicating a multifaceted appeal of these sites. Visitor insights underscore the importance of effective marketing and management strategies to enhance cultural heritage tourism in South Africa. The findings advocate for preserving and promoting cultural sites as essential assets for tourism growth and community engagement, highlighting the need for sustainable practices that enrich visitor experiences and foster cultural understandin
The value of student profiling in enhancing academic support within the higher education sector
Full text linkUnderstanding the unique characteristics and needs of the first-year student population is crucial in the development of an effective support program and in fostering a successful transition into higher education. The recognition of the student profile provides strategic information for planning educational policies in the university environment. This study aims to identify and analyse the profiles of first-time entering students (FTENs) based on demographics, socioeconomic background, such as funding, ethnic groups, quality of schooling and skills, in high education. A quantitative approach has been adopted data to analyse data of FTENs, registered for the year 2021. The data has been sourced from the sampled university’s ITS. Most of the data is secondary data, extracted from student readiness survey, BUSSE survey as well as various external sources. Using descriptive analysis, we show that demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of areas feeding the sampled university play a huge role in defining a student. Furthermore, these characteristics, demonstrated by skills gap, should inform a comprehensive model of academic support. This model should respond to the skills gap, caused by the quality of schooling, it should seek to address funding needs, created by socioeconomic background
Childhood trauma, peer pressure, parenting styles and gender on adolescent substance abuse in Ibadan: a structural equation modelling approach
Full text linkThe effective intervention strategies depend on the correlations and structural pathways linking these factors to adolescent substance abuse. The correlations and structural pathways linking childhood trauma, peer pressure, parenting styles, and gender to substance abuse among adolescents form the basis of this study. The study employed a survey research technique. A total of 242 secondary school students in Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria were chosen through a multistage sampling technique. The questionnaire was the instrument, adopted for data collection, while the collected data were analysed using a correlational design and the Structural Equation Modelling approach. The study adheres to ethical consideration. Among the variables of interest, childhood trauma (r = .593, p < .01) and peer pressure (r = .548, p < .01) showed positive correlations with substance abuse, whereas parenting styles had a negative correlation (r = -.472, p < .01). Accordingly, the SEM results indicated that childhood trauma significantly contributed to peer pressure at β = 0.52, p < .001, and substance abuse at β = 0.42, p <.001, partially through the mediation of peer pressure. The model indices also proved good adequacy: χ²/df = 2.34, CFI = 0.96, and RMSEA = 0.048. Childhood trauma and peer pressure increases the likelihood of substance abuse, however, supportive parenting reduces the risks. Gender differences in current adolescent substance use call for different interventions
The nexus of poverty and water access in female-headed households
Full text linkAccess to safe drinking water remains a global challenge, particularly for developing countries where poverty and service delivery intersect. This is a resonant issue for a country like South Africa with vulnerable groups, such as women, being the most affected when there is reduced water access. There is a clear link between poverty and lack of access to clean water. The main objective of this paper was to investigate the link between water access and poverty in female headed households. The paper uses data from the General Household Survey of 2022, conducted by Statistics South Africa. A binary logistic regression was used to arrive at the odds of being poor. The findings of this study indicate that female household heads who are African, single, who do not pay for water, who use natural sources of water and have a large household size are likely to be poor together with their households. This clearly shows the challenges that need to be addressed to achieve sustainable development goal 6. The government needs to be intentional and deliberate in addressing the plight of vulnerable women by having directed policies on water access and poverty reductio
Harnessing institutional research for strategic integration: a network analysis of digital technology adoption in human-centric teaching and learning models
Full text linkThis study examines the integration of Institutional Research (IR) and digital technology adoption in higher education, with a focus on fostering human-centric teaching and learning models. The research adopts an epistemological stance, emphasizing collaboration between researchers and decision-makers, reflection on knowledge production, and the promotion of equitable and evidence-based decision-making in higher education institutions (HEIs). To map collaborative networks, network visualization software, such as Networkx, was used, leveraging centrality metrics like degree, betweenness, and closeness centrality to identify key contributors and partnerships. Trend and cluster analysis were conducted using keyword co-occurrence techniques and clustering algorithms to detect emerging themes and group related topics. Emerging thematic trends underscored the growing importance of ethical AI, inclusivity, and hybrid models that combine traditional pedagogy with advanced technologies. The study also revealed gaps in interdisciplinary knowledge diffusion, emphasizing the need for stronger connections between technical fields and behavioral sciences. Proposed pathways include strengthening mentorship from central hubs to peripheral nodes → fostering diverse collaborations, aligning AI tools → human-centric frameworks, and integrating technical disciplines ↔ behavioral sciences to ensure holistic innovation. These insights highlight the transformative potential of IR and AI-driven technologies to advance governance, collaboration, and equity in higher education
The role of academic writing for first year master’s students at a university of technology
Full text linkThis research study provides a literature review on academic writing and the approach to instructional design for first year master’s students at a University of Technology (UoT) in South Africa. In the process of acquiring academic writing skills, there is no one tool that is considered better than the other. Most of the literature that has been reviewed in this study on academic writing, does not emphasise much on the use of technology’s effectiveness for postgraduate students. The findings of this study recommend the use of technology tools, such as “Wikis”, and that it should be applied within the context of a larger process of an academic writing learning environment. Whenever a technological tool is applied as part of improving academic writing, supervisors need to effectively transmit this to their postgraduate students by creating a conducive research environment. Although technology offers postgraduate students with an opportunity to collaborate outside a formal learning environment, several factors can negatively impact on student ability to write academically.
While the literature review focused on academic writing primarily, some parts focused on promoting the notion that supervisors should design their supervision style in the development of student reading and writing as a way of enhancing student research skills acquisition. As a result, supervisors and postgraduate students will be more aware of the connection between academic writing and conducting researc