UNAM Gā-aisib Repository (University of Namibia)
Not a member yet
3204 research outputs found
Sort by
Investigating factors that hinder reading comprehension in English second language of grade 4 learners: A case of selected primary schools in the Kavango west region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Curriculum and Assessment Studies)The main aim of this research was to investigate the multifaceted factors that impede
reading comprehension in English Second Language of Grade Four learners using a
case of selected primary schools in the Kavango West region, in Namibia. Strong
reading comprehension skills are fundamental to understanding and mastering
academic content across all subjects, however, many English teachers at the Lower
Primary Phase face challenges in teaching reading comprehension fluently. This study
adopts a qualitative research method to investigate the interplay of socio-economic,
instructional and individual variables. The researcher used non-probability sampling,
that is, convenience and judgmental sampling. The total sample size was ten Grade 4
English Language teachers. Through extensive literature review, classroom
observations and structured interviews, the research identifies key findings such as
limited access to reading resources, ineffective teaching methodologies and diverse
learner backgrounds. Some of the challenges that teachers faced when teaching reading
comprehension were ascribed to a lack of reading materials in English accessible to all
learners. Additionally, a lack of self-efficacy was also noted as teachers felt frustrated
in implementing reading strategies because of heavy workloads and parents’ limited
involvement with their children’s schoolwork. The findings of this research offer
valuable insights into the nuanced barriers faced by Grade 4 learners, enabling
educators, policymakers and stakeholders to implement targeted interventions. Some
of the interventions recommended in this research include more varied teaching
approaches to be applied when teaching. The research further recommends that
teachers need to be patient when teaching learners how to read comprehension so that
they attend to all the learners’ needs, whether highfliers or slow learners. The
government should build more schools and classrooms to prevent the overcrowding of
classroom
Clinical pharmacy practice in private hospitals in Windhoek Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Clinical PharmacyThe practice of clinical pharmacy in Namibia is poorly understood, with limited documented
evidence of its application in clinical settings. There is broad awareness of the need for the
implementation of clinical pharmacy services among healthcare professionals; however, there
is a need to further examine the acceptance and integration of clinical pharmacy practice among
these professionals. This study assessed the current practice of clinical pharmacy in private
hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia, specifically focusing on the level of integration of clinical
pharmacy practice into the multi-disciplinary healthcare team and differences in perceptions
between healthcare team members. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed online to
healthcare professionals (medical practitioners, pharmacists, and nurses) working in private
hospitals in Windhoek. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. A total of 53 healthcare
professionals responded to the questionnaire, of which 60% (n=32) were nurses, 20% (n=11)
were doctors (general practitioners (n=4) and specialists (n=7)), and 19% (n=10) were
pharmacists. The majority (66%, n=35) of the responses confirmed that clinical pharmacists
are an integral part of the multi-disciplinary team. Additionally, 43% (n=23) of participants
indicated that pharmacists are actively engaged in most areas of care relating to the distribution
of pharmaceuticals in their respective hospitals, while a minority (9%, n=5) indicated that
pharmacists are not involved in these roles. The study further found that most participants
(47%, n=25) indicated that pharmacists are only involved in a few patient care rounds, which
reflects that pharmacists in private hospitals in Windhoek still have a lot to do in order to be
more involved in clinical practice. Overall, healthcare practitioners in private hospitals in
Windhoek are aware of clinical pharmacy practice and view the practice as an integral part of
multi-disciplinary care. However, the implementation and provision of clinical pharmacy
services are still in their infancy, presenting an opportunity for growt
Factors contributing to low academic performance in physical science: A case of junior secondary schools in Shinyungwe Circuit, Kavango east region Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science EducationThis study aimed to explore the factors contributing to low academic performance in
Physical Science among Grades 8 and 9 learners in the Shinyungwe Circuit, Kavango
East Region, Namibia, and to propose strategies to address these challenges. A
qualitative case study design was employed to investigate the issues faced by learners
and teachers in four selected schools, chosen due to their proximity and historically poor
performance in Physical Science as reported by the Ministry of Education, Arts and
Culture (MOEAC, 2017, 2018 & 2019). Furthermore, this study data were collected
through open ended questionnaires from 12 learners, classroom observations, and
interviews with 8 Physical Science teachers and the Senior Education Officer. Moreover,
the findings revealed several key factors contributing to low academic performance,
including a lack of teaching materials and resources, inadequate infrastructure such as
laboratories, insufficient foundational knowledge in science from upper primary school,
language barriers, limited parental involvement, excessive teacher workloads, a shortage
of qualified teachers, and negative learner attitudes towards Physical Science. Guided by
a constructivist framework, the study emphasized the importance of understanding these
challenges within the specific educational context of the Shinyungwe Circuit. This
approach allowed for the identification of actionable, context-sensitive strategies tailored
to the local needs. The study recommends the implementation of targeted interventions,
such as professional development workshops for teachers, investment in infrastructure
(including laboratories and classrooms), the recruitment and training of qualified
Physical Science teachers, partnerships with resource-rich schools, and the use of
technology-enhanced learning tools like instructional videos. Additionally, promoting
the consistent use of English in school environments and increasing parental
involvement through the provision of necessary learning tools and support were
identified as essential strategies to enhance learner engagement and academic
performance. Thus, by addressing these factors and proposing practical solutions, this
study lays the groundwork for improving academic outcomes in Physical Science,
contributing to the broader educational development of the Shinyungwe Circui
A comparative study of analgesic effect of caudal bupivacaine with dexmedetomidine versus bupivacaine alone for infraumbilical surgeries in children in Windhoek Central Hospital
No full textA thesis in partial fulfilment for the requirements for the Degree of Master of Medicine (Anesthesiology, Critical care and Pain management)Background: Paediatric pain is frequently underassessed and undertreated due to
challenges in pain expression among children, which can result in its under
recognition. Untreated pain can potentially lead to long-term consequences on
children's emotional and psychological welfare. The use of caudal blocks has evolved
to become the most common regional anaesthesia technique for providing
intraoperative and postoperative analgesia in children undergoing infraumbilical
surgeries. Existing literature has demonstrated that caudal administration with
bupivacaine alone typically has a short duration of action, and its analgesic effect can
be prolonged by incorporating adjuvants such as dexmedetomidine. The overall
objective of this study is to compare the difference in the duration of analgesic effect
between caudal bupivacaine alone and bupivacaine with dexmedetomidine by using
first time request of ibuprofen syrup based on the modified Hannallah pain score of ≥
4. Methodology: This was a prospective randomised double-blinded control study and
data were collected over a period of five months. The study included children
scheduled for elective infra-umbilical surgeries. A total of 50 children, aged 1 – 8 years
were recruited and divided into two groups (A and B) of 25 children each. Group A
received caudal block with 0.25% bupivacaine at a dose of 0.5 or 1 ml/kg. Group B
received 0.25% bupivacaine caudal bupivacaine at a dose of 0.5 or 1 ml/kg with
dexmedetomidine (1mcg/kg). Patients were monitored for 24 hours and data were
collected using a research questionnaire designed for the study. The data were analysed
using SPSS for Windows, version 26.0. (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA).
Results: For Group A patients, the mean time to first request for rescue ibuprofen was
471±230 minutes. In contrast, Group B patients had a mean of 1339±210 minutes.
These differences were statistically significant. Total consumption of ibuprofen syrup
was 298.00±150.665 milligrams in Group A and 53.20±82.952 milligrams in Group
B, the difference was statistically significant. No significant difference was observed
between the two groups in the incidence of pain scores, haemodynamic parameters
and side effects. Conclusion: The addition of dexmedetomidine significantly extended
the duration of analgesia provided by caudal bupivacaine in paediatric patients
undergoing infraumbilical surgeries without an increase in the incidence of
haemodynamic changes and side effect
Language choice and preference in multilingual families: An analysis of code-switching between the first language and English by selected UNAM main campus lecturers and their families
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in English StudiesNamibia is a country that is rich in languages and even though English is the official language,
there are officially ten other local/indigenous languages that are spoken in the country. Studies
have indicated that the use of English has been observed to be common in many homes in
Windhoek, Namibia. The study sought to examine language choices and preferences within
selected households of UNAM Main Campus lecturers, as well as explore the reasons behind
the practice of the linguistic behaviours of code-switching and code-mixing (if such do exist
within the families). Furthermore, the enquiry also examines the factors influencing the
lecturers’ families’ language practices in relation to language choice and preference. Adopting
the mixed method research design, data was collected through face to face interviews and an
online questionnaire. The main participants were lecturers who have children and speak more
than one language – are at least bilingual. Discourse Analysis (DA) was used to analyse the
data collected from 17 questionnaires and 6 interviews. The data was then interpreted through
the lenses of the Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) (Giles, 2011). The findings
revealed that code-switching is practiced in all the participants’ households and it was mostly
related to the influence from watching cartoons for toddlers and school for school going
children. Parents found it easy to communicate in both their first languages (L1) and English
or Afrikaans with their children. Language preference differed from one person to the next as
some preferred their mother tongue more than English since mother tongue represented their
identity, while some did not value which language was spoken at home as long as the family
members (especially the children), are able to express themselves and communicative goals
were met. Language choice on the other hand was observed to be determined by the
person/people that the person is speaking to. Parents found it easy to choose English when
talking to their toddlers, because the cartoons they watch which are in English, while
conversations with grown children depended on the children’s proficiency in the mother tongue
or a third language they learnt at school. The study recommends sending young members of
the family to rural homes to fully acquire mother tongue where there are more opportunities
for them to meet and interact with native speakers of the preferred indigenous languages
Analysis of the accuracy of GNSS inferred precipitable water vapour against that from a 210 GHz WVR at the H.E.S.S. site
No full textIn this study, a 210 GHz WVR was installed in situ at the H.E.S.S. site and used to investigate the accuracy and reliability of the GNSS-derived PWV results by Frans et al. (2025) of both the H.E.S.S. site and the Gamsberg Mountain. Since the
used in the calculation of the GNSS PWV was determined through interpolation by the NGL, the study would also look into improving the GNSS station PWV measurement by developing a
with respect to on-site
for the H.E.S.S. site and the region in general by using the 210 GHz WVR and GNSS station dataThe High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) site and the Gamsberg Mountain have been identified as potential sites for the Africa Millimetre Telescope (AMT). The AMT is poised to observe at millimetre and possibly at submillimetre wavelengths. At these wavelengths, precipitable water vapour (PWV) in the atmosphere is the main source of opacity during observations and therefore needs to be accurately assessed at the potential sites for the AMT. In order to investigate the PWV conditions for the AMT, identical Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) stations were installed and used to assess the PWV at the two potential sites. In this study, the accuracy of those PWV measurements by the GNSS stations was assessed by comparing the H.E.S.S. installed GNSS station PWV measurements to that from a 210 GHz Water Vapour Radiometer (WVR) also installed at the H.E.S.S. site. A correlation of 98 per cent and an offset of 0.34 mm was found between the GNSS station and the 210 GHz WVR PWV data when on-site pressure and the Nevada Geodetic Laboratory (NGL) weighted mean temperature (
) were used to calculate the GNSS station PWV data. In comparison, the offset reduces to 0.15 mm when on-site derived
and pressure were used to calculate the GNSS station PWV. The results show that the GNSS station with on-site meteorological data can be used with high accuracy to reliably determine the PWV conditions at the H.E.S.S. sit
Effects of income-generating training on development of business skills in the Ohangwena region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education( Adult Education)The study assessed the effects of Income-Generating Training Development of Business
Skills in the Ohangwena Region, Namibia. The study was guided by the following
objectives: To determine the effect of income-generating skills development training on
the productivity and quality of work for the beneficiaries, to assess how income generating skills development training has improved the business competencies of
beneficiaries’ business skills, to evaluate the quality of the training content offered by
Ministry of Gender, Equality and Poverty Eradication and to identify monitoring strategies
for management to ensure funded businesses in the Ohangwena, Namibia are sustained.
The study made use of a semi-structured interview guide and a focus group discussion to
assess the effects of income-generating skills development training on the beneficiaries’
business skills. Quarterly assessments were used to assess the changes attributed to the
skills training intervention, by looking at the outcomes of beneficiaries who received the
training between 2015 and 2017. The findings highlighted that from 2015 to 2017, the
income-generating skills development training provided by the Ministry of Poverty
Eradication and Social Welfare and development partners had a positive impact on the
beneficiaries’ business skills. The study also brought to light the most highlighted themes
on the effects of income-generating skills development training, such as increased
productivity and quality of work, motivation, increased financial management, self reliance, innovation and creativity, empowerment, and good business reputation of
training recommendations include expanding the training duration, investing adequate
funds into the training, and using other platforms such as radio to share the experience
with other business counterparts in various regions. Moreover, there is a need for more
improvement in the trainers ‘training capacitie
Examining the relationship between macroeconomic fundamentals and exchange rates: Evidence from the Common Monetary Area (CMA)
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in EconomicsThis study investigated the relationship between macroeconomic fundamentals and exchange
rates in the Common Monetary Area (CMA) using the Pooled Mean Group (PMG)
methodology within a Panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PARDL) framework, accounting
for structural breaks. Utilising panel data from 1991 to 2022, the study first applied Fisher-type
Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) and Phillips-Perron (PP) tests to determine the integration
orders of variables, which were found to be a mix of I(0) and I(1). This mixed integration
justified the PARDL approach. The findings revealed that the relative money supply
significantly affects the exchange rate in both the long and short runs, with increases in money
supply leading to currency depreciation. Thus, the overarching relationship between
macroeconomic fundamentals and exchange rates in the CMA indicates a complex interaction
where monetary supply significantly influences currency values in both the long and short run,
albeit with varying magnitudes. The negative impact of increased money supply on the
exchange rate necessitates vigilant monetary policy to prevent undue depreciation and
associated economic vulnerabilities. However, the study found that interest rates and GDP
growth had a neutral impact on exchange rate fluctuations, which suggests that these variables,
under current economic conditions, may have a muted direct effect on exchange rate
fluctuations, possibly due to integrated economic policies or external economic shocks that
overshadow domestic policy impacts. The Granger causality results reveled significant
causality from relative money supply and inflation to the nominal exchange rate showed the
predictive power of these macroeconomic fundamentals on exchange rate fluctuations. The
study recommends that central banks maintain stringent controls over the money supply to
mitigate abrupt exchange rate fluctuations. Monetary policies should be carefully calibrated to
manage inflation levels that could lead to rapid changes in exchange rates. Additionally,
considering the significant short-run impacts of GDP growth, economic policies should also
aim to foster stable economic growth that contributes to currency appreciation and
macroeconomic stability. Moreover, economists should look at the underlying mechanisms
through which GDP growth impacts exchange rates in the short run and explore the potential
buffering effects of economic expansion on currency stabilit
Conservation of endangered species in Namibia: An investigation of factors contributing to the poaching of rhinos in the Etosha National Park
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Security and strategic studiesRhino poaching remains a critical conservation and security challenge in Southern
Africa, threatening the survival of rhino populations and undermining conservation
efforts. While extensive research has been conducted on wildlife poaching at the
global and regional levels, there is a significant gap in understanding the specific socio economic, legal, and governance-related factors contributing to rhino poaching in the
Etosha National Park (ENP), Namibia. This study aimed to fill this gap by
investigating the key drivers of rhino poaching, assessing the weaknesses in existing
conservation measures, and proposing effective policy recommendations to mitigate
the crisis. The study was underpinned by Routine Activity Theory to explain the
motivations behind poaching and Environmental Governance Theory to frame the
effectiveness of conservation policies and law enforcement strategies. A qualitative
research strategy was employed, focusing on in-depth thematic analysis. The study
population comprised employees under the Directorate of Wildlife and National Parks
(DWNP) within the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) as well
as business and middle-aged individuals residing within a 150 km radius of ENP. Non probability and snowball sampling techniques were used to identify key informants,
resulting in 18 in-depth interviews from an initial target of 20 respondents. The
findings reveal that economic desperation, high black-market prices for rhino horns,
corruption and bribing within law enforcement agencies, and the exploitation by
criminal syndicates are the primary factors driving poaching in ENP. Additionally,
weak law enforcement and legal loopholes enable persistent poaching, as inconsistent
penalties fail to deter offenders. The study further identified a lack of comprehensive
intelligence-sharing mechanisms among regional and international stakeholders,
which exacerbates the challenge of controlling the illicit wildlife trade. To mitigate
rhino poaching, the study recommends strengthening legislative frameworks to impose
harsher penalties, enhancing community-based conservation programs to provide
sustainable alternative livelihoods, and integrating advanced technology, including
drones, real-time GPS tracking, and CCTV surveillance, into anti-poaching strategies.
Furthermore, fostering international cooperation and intelligence-sharing can play a
crucial role in disrupting the supply chain of illicit wildlife products. This study
contributes to the existing body of knowledge by bridging the gap in localized research
on rhino poaching in Namibia, offering a multidisciplinary perspective that integrates
criminology, conservation science, and policy analysi
Assessment of the thermal and energy performance of Photovoltaic modules in Agrivoltaics systems
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Renewable EnergyThe study evaluates the thermal and energy performance of photovoltaic modules in
an agrivoltaic system in Benin, west Africa. This was done by employing three sets of
heat transfer coefficients: Faiman, Benin, and Büren into the Faiman module temperature prediction model. The dataset for this study extends from April to July
2023, marked by high ambient temperatures exceeding 30℃. According to the
findings, the cooling effect was significant for the results of Büren coefficients, and
the agrivoltaic system generated up to 3.0% more energy than the non-agrivoltaic,
especially at higher module temperature ranges of 40 ℃ - 55 ℃. The Benin
coefficients demonstrated a moderate cooling effect, evidenced by a positive energy
yield difference of up to 1.0% in the month of May. However, the cooling effect
reduced in the hotter month of July resulting in a -1.0% energy difference between the
two systems. The Faiman coefficient, on the other hand, demonstrated no cooling
effect, as shown by consistently yielding negative energy differences, especially in
May (-1.0%).
The statistical analysis indicates that the Faiman coefficients provided a closer fit to
the actual Benin-derived temperatures (R2
: 0.99 and MAE: 0.54 ℃). Whereas the
results from the Büren coefficients showed the strongest cooling effect, achieving a
reduction in module temperatures of up to 4℃ relative to the non-agrivoltaic system.
The findings highlight the need for site-specific coefficient tuning to enhance the
accuracy and the reliability of the finding