Walter Sisulu University
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Policy Imperatives: A Case of Gender Non-Conforming Learners
Get PDFAs the Bill of Rights prescribed by the South African Constitution stipulates, all people, irrespective of gender, race and religion, have a right to equal opportunities. This is articulated by the Gender Schema Theory as it stipulates that some cohorts of learners are aligned to socially accepted behaviours while other gender aschematic learners perform parallel to socially recognized behaviours. Therefore, all learners are entitled to equal treatment and they have a right to education, especially because South Africa is a country renowned for its rainbow-nation characteristic, allowing it to accommodate diverse citizens. It is for this reason that this paper investigated whether school policy logistics have an impact on gender non-conforming learners in one rural Senior Secondary in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Two teachers were purposefully sampled as participants for this qualitative case study research. To collect data, semi-structured interviews were administered. Using thematic analyses led to the formation of themes which were used to discuss findings. The study found that (i) there are dynamics in policy formulation and also that (ii) there is a violation of school policies. This subjects them to social exclusion and social control that marginalises gender minorities. The study recommends that gender specific school policies be redefined to promote gender neutral and inclusive schools, thus creating societies where everyone is welcome and protected as suggested by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa
Teaching Reflections of Secondary Mathematics Final Year Student Teachers
Get PDFUniversities have the sole responsibility of producing teachers in most countries including South Africa. Part of teacher education involves school based experiences where student teachers seek to integrate theory and practice. The purpose of this study was to explore how final year secondary mathematics student teachers’ reflect on their school based experiences. The three step guided reflection conceptual framework was used to frame this study. A case study design was adopted with the self-reflection report as the data source. The participants were 39 teacher candidates registered for a final year school-based experiences course majoring in mathematics and another science subject. The results indicated that guided reflection was appropriate to unravel instructional challenges and successes that student teachers went through in the six month period. Moreover, student teachers perceived school based experiences as impactful on their future teaching career, as an opportunity to gain teaching experience and to put theory into practice under the guidance of experience mentors. However, student teachers significantly encountered negative attitudes towards mathematics which complicated their efforts of instruction in all the topics. With low motivation levels to study mathematics, all topics were difficult to the learners and student teachers had to come up with new instructional strategie
Spatial Distribution of Drug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infections in Rural Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
Get PDFTuberculosis (TB), an infectious airborne disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is a serious public health threat reported as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. South Africa is a high-TB-burden country with TB being the highest infectious disease killer. This study investigated the distribution of Mtb mutations and spoligotypes in rural Eastern Cape Province. The Mtb isolates included were 1157 from DR-TB patients and analysed by LPA followed by spoligotyping of 441 isolates. The distribution of mutations and spoligotypes was done by spatial analysis. The rpoB gene had the highest number of mutations. The distribution of rpoB and katG mutations was more prevalent in four healthcare facilities, inhA mutations were more prevalent in three healthcare facilities, and heteroresistant isolates were more prevalent in five healthcare facilities. The Mtb was genetically diverse with Beijing more prevalent and largely distributed. Spatial analysis and mapping of gene mutations and spoligotypes revealed a better picture of distribution
Treatment Outcomes and Associated Factors among Tuberculosis Patients from Selected Rural Eastern Cape Hospitals: An Ambidirectional Study
Get PDFAn essential metric for determining the efficacy of tuberculosis (TB) control programs is the evaluation of TB treatment outcomes; this study was conducted to investigate treatment outcomes and associated factors among tuberculosis patients in rural areas of Eastern Cape, South Africa. Assessing treatment outcomes is fundamental to facilitating the End TB Strategy’s set target. Clinic records from 457 patients with DR-TB were examined for data collection while 101 patients were followed up prospectively. Data were analyzed using Stata version 17.0. The odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated to check the association between variables. p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Of the 427 participants, 65.8% had successful treatment whilst 34.2% had unsuccessful TB treatment. A total of 61.2% and 39% of the HIV-positive and HIV-negative participants had a successful TB treatment whilst 66% and 34% of both HIV-negative and positive participants had unsuccessful TB treatment. From the 101 patients that were followed up, smokers took longer to have treatment outcomes compared to non-smokers. In the study with HIV/TB co-infection, men predominated. HIV and tuberculosis co-infection made therapy difficult with unfavorable effects on TB management. The treatment success rate (65.8%) was lower than the WHO threshold standard with a high proportion of patients being lost to the follow up. The co-infection of tuberculosis and HIV resulted in undesirable treatment outcomes. Strengthening TB surveillance and control is recommended
Impact of novel software on laboratory expenditure at an academic hospital in South Africa
Get PDFBackground: Countries across the globe report an increase in expenditure associated with medical laboratory testing. In 2020, the United States Department of Health and Human Services reported that laboratory test expenditures increased by 7.1 billion USD in 2018. In South Africa, laboratory testing expenditure in the public sector increased from 723 million USD in 2021. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an innovative software, electronic gatekeeping (EGK), on medical laboratory test expenditures at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, an interrupted time series analysis technique was used to evaluate trends in expenditure during a 48-month study period. To measure the impact of EGK on laboratory expenditure, we analysed laboratory expenditure over two study periods: a period of 24 months occurring before EGK implementation (01 June 2013 to 31 May 2015) and a period of 24 months occurring during EGK implementation (01 June 2015 to 30 May 2017). Results: There was a significant reduction (211928 fewer tests) in the number of tests performed during the intervention (434790) compared to before the intervention (646718). Laboratory test expenditure was 1 105 036.88 USD during the intervention period, demonstrating a cost savings of $558 719.84 USD. Conclusion: Electronic gatekeeping is a cost-effective intervention for managing medical laboratory expenditures. We recommend that the health sector scale up this intervention nationally
Gender and Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Nigeria
Get PDFWe conducted a retrospective study of 2555 DR-TB patients admitted to treatment between 2010 and 2016 in six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. We characterized the gender distribution of DR-TB cases and the association between demographics and clinical data, such as age, treatment category, number of previous TB treatment cycles, and geopolitical zone, with gender. The independent effects of being a male or female DR-TB patient were determined using bivariate and multivariate analyzes with statistical significance of p 0.05 and a 95% confidence interval. Records from a total of 2555 DR-TB patients were examined for the study. A majority were male (66.9%), largest age-group was 30–39 years old (35.8%), most had MDR-TB (61.4%), were HIV-negative (76.6%), and previously treated for TB (77.1%). The southwest treatment zone had the highest proportion of DR-TB patients (36.9%), and most DR-TB diagnoses occurred in 2016 (36.9%). On bivariate analysis, age, HIV status, treatment zone, and clinical patient group in DR-TB were significantly associated with male gender. On multivariate analysis, males aged 20–29 years (AOR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.33–0.59, p = 0.001) and HIV-positive males (AOR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.33–0.59, p = 0.001) had lower likelihood of MDR-TB as males in the south–south treatment zone (AOR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.23–2.85, p = 0.03), and being male and aged ≥60 years (AOR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.05–4.54, p = 0.036) increased the probability of DR-TB. The older male population from south–southern Nigeria and women of childbearing age had lower incidence of DR-TB than men of the same age. Tailored interventions to reduce HIV and DR-TB prevalence in the general population, particularly among women of childbearing potential, and treatment support for young and older men are relevant strategies to reduce DR-TB in Nigeria
Inkciyo yomntwana
No full textThe genital girdle crafted entirely from beads, featuring a fringed apron delicately supported by a woven strap in the distinctive ithambeka design, embodies a tradition deeply rooted in cultural significance and familial love. Designed to adorn the smallest members of the community, this exquisite garment serves as more than just an adornment; it's a symbol of protection, prosperity, and the nurturing embrace of tradition. As babies begin to crawl and take their tentative first steps, the girdle offers a sense of security and encouragement, guiding their explorations with gentle grace. Each bead woven into its fabric carries with it the hopes and dreams of their family and community, creating a tapestry of love and connection. Through the act of donning this girdle, infants are enveloped in the warmth of their cultural heritage from the earliest moments of their lives, instilling a sense of belonging and identity that will accompany them on their journey of growth and discovery. Thus, the genital girdle becomes not only a cherished keepsake but also a powerful symbol of the enduring bond between past, present, and future generations within the community.Purchased from Mrs Joan BrosterForms part of: Walter Sisulu University Beadwork Collectio
Appraising the sustainability of groud water quantity and quality
Get PDFSouth Africa is a semi-arid region that suffers from water scarcity. With a changing climate, incidents such as droughts and human migration will exacerbate the water scarcity already experienced. Thus, the assessment of groundwater quality and quantity is a major step toward ensuring a viable sustainable water argumentation for general use and to serve as one of the most basic needs of human beings. Hence, this study appraises the sustainability of groundwater resource availability and assesses its water quality at the King Sabatha Dalindyebo Local Municipality within the Mthatha River Catchment (MRC). The objectives were to: i) examine the extent of groundwater potential in the area ii) investigate the determinant factors that characterized the groundwater and surface water interaction and assess the impacts of climatic variables on yield iii) compare the physico-chemical and microbial concentration samples collected at different boreholes in the MRC with respect to South African and World Health Organization (WHO) standards and iv) develop the temporal variation trend in modeling the groundwater quality parameters. Using a systematic sampling method, a preliminary survey was carried out to identify the location and selection of the appropriate boreholes’ representation. Thereafter, reconnaissance map and characterisation of the 10 selected borehole's location was made to spatially represent the sites. The water samples were made thrice per site (totally 30 samples). The collected samples were transported to Talbot and Talbot Laboratory, where they were analysed for their physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters using established procedures. Other parameters such as depth of hole, water level, borehole yield, abstraction rate, the screen length, drawdown, morphometry, geological, land-use variables, were generated after rigorous geographical information system (GIS) analysis in QGIS environment and Excel in achieving the study aims. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used for the estimation of the groundwater flow or baseflow drawing strength from the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer flow (Ksat) (mm/day), sub-basin divide for the groundwater system to the main channel Lgw (m), and the water table height (m). Thereafter, the principal iv component analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, and correlation analysis were used to assess the controlling factors for the spatial variation of recharge in the watershed characteristics and assess the impacts of climatic variables on groundwater yield. The simulated results revealed a mean monthly water yield range of 2.7-14.8 m3/s for groundwater over the study years (2000-2019). The development of temporal variation trend modeling of the physico-chemical composition of the groundwater varied from one borehole to another despite their proximity, thus, making it difficult to generalise the water quality parameters fluctuation. The water quality results showed that the majority of the variables are not within acceptable standards. Ammonia and total coliform levels depict a range between 1.5 mg/l minimum to 10 mg/l maximum with to 1000 counts/mL for total coliform. Also, there was no clear relationship between the location of the boreholes and the borehole yield among the selected samples. However, there was a significant difference between the borehole yield and the risk description matrix for the various water quality parameters. Most of the borehole water quality depicts a non-health aesthetic, acute health, and disinfectant status for the area. Keywords: Water scarcity, groundwater, seasonal variability, aquifer scaleThesis (Masters) -- Faculty of Natural Sciences, 202
Ipasi lentloko
No full textA head-band a flat white bead strip edged in red and decorated in stars design with two pearl buttons at the back, worn by young man, It is part of Walter Sisulu University Beadwork Collection that was acquired from Mrs Broster in 1992,used by married man of abaThembu cultural group.Purchased from Mrs Joan BrosterForms part of: Walter Sisulu University Beadwork Collectio
Private suplementary tutoring and grade 12 education in Geometry performance
No full textThe primary intention of this study was to explore the extent to which private tutorials relate to Euclidean Geometry performance amongst Grade 12 learners from selected schools in OR Tambo Inland District. The first objective was to examine the correlation between private tutorials and Euclidean Geometry performance. The second research question was to investigate the Euclidean Geometry means scores of students who attend private tutorials as compared to the group of students who do not attend private tutorials. The study had a sample size of 347 participants from four schools. Lev Vygotsky's Socio-cultural Theory was used as a theoretical framework to underpin the study. The study adopted quantitative research methodology to answer the research questions. A questionnaire and a standardised Euclidean Geometry test were administered to collect the data from the participants. Correlational and regression analysis were performed to analyse to data. The outcomes of the study reveal that private tutorials and Euclidean Geometry performance were significantly correlated. Furthermore, private tutorials were found to be the determinant or predictor of performance in Euclidean Geometry. Secondly, students who are attending private tutorials significantly outperformed their counterparts (i.e., students who are not attending private tutorials) in Euclidean Geometry. Recommendations were made to implicate stakeholders to enhance the effective use private tutorials to boost Euclidean Geometry performance while also improvising alternative measures to students who might want to attend private tutorials, but affordability becomes a detrimental hindrance.Thesis (Masters) -- Faculty of Education, 202