UNAM Gā-aisib Repository (University of Namibia)
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Continuity and change in gender relations within the contract labour system in Kavango, Namibia, 1925–1972
No full textThe gendered historical investigation of migrant labour in Namibia (and southern Africa more broadly) has rightly considered the ways in which women left behind in the sending areas were obliged to take on additional agricultural duties in the absence of men. This has been viewed by some scholars as a form of material exploitation of women and a potential subsidy to white employers in these settler colonial spheres. While there is some validity to these claims, the relationship between the sending areas and the work site was not simply a material one, and contract/migrant labour recruiting systems entered spaces with existing gendered cultural repertoires concerning how to deal with absent men. The significance of these cultural frameworks is worthy of additional empirical, comparative and theoretical investigation. Through the use of oral interviews supplemented by archival materials, this article discusses these issues in the context of Kavango, north-eastern Namibia, which, for much of the 20th century, was a major source of contract labourers to the colonial economy in what was then South West Africa. The article argues that colonialism and labour recruiting schemes built upon and transformed existing precolonial cultural frameworks such as ‘the people’s child’, women’s observance of taboos and a local conception of ‘home’. This article further posits that the maintenance of this migrant labour system was dependent upon its integration into local worldviews
The impact of information and communication technology on the profitability of small and medium enterprises
No full textFor the past decades, literature has shown that Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) play an important role on the wellbeing of small and medium enterprises. Small medium enterprises acquire a satisfactory amount of benefits from using ICT tools, African countries like Kenya, South Africa and Cameroon show that the use of ICT in SMEs improve communication, promote teamwork, visibility of services since customers can use internet to read on a certain service,
competitive advantage and employees are able to work remotely. However the problem is, SMEs are still using traditional tools to stay competitive in the market. With the above mentioned benefits there are certain challenges preventing SMEs from adopting ICT tools in their business such like lack of ICT infrastructure, security concern, lack of finance to purchase ICT tools and time barrier.
Therefore, the aim of the study is to analyse the impact of ICT tools on the profitability of SME. A quantitative method was used to collect data in this thesis. The population of the study were registered SMEs in Keetmanshoop, close ended questionnaires was adopted to collected data and computerprogramme called excel was used to present the data in a form of charts and graphs
A multinomial modelling of the determinants of child labour in Namibia using the 2018 Namibia labour force survey
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of master of Science (Applied Statistics and Demography)Child labour has been a serious concern in the world especially in developing countries and it is rapidly becoming a common problem in Namibia. Despite children not allowed to work by law in Namibia, child labour is still being heavily practiced in the country. Hence, this study was aimed at determining the factors contributing to child labour in Namibia, thereby further assisting the Namibian government and relevant stakeholders in the development of necessary procedures to eliminate child labour in country. To this end, the 2018 Namibia Labour Force Survey with a total number of 507,185 children aged 8 to 17 years and 5,136 employed children was analysed using a multinomial logistic regression model. Results of the analysis revealed that the child’s residence (urban/rural), region, age, literacy status and educational attainment were all significant determinants of child labour in Namibia. In addition, it was observed that more employed children resided in rural areas due to various farming activities that occurs in these areas. The likelihood of employment for children residing in the urban areas was less compared to being unemployed. Moreover, the odds of being economically inactive for children in the age groups below 15 years was high compared to being unemployed. This was due to the free primary education that was introduced by the Namibian government in 2013. The results also indicated that the educational status of the children was significant to child labour and the odds of employment for children with no education attainment was higher compared to being unemployed while the odds of being economically inactive was lower. This emphasizes the imperative need for urgent intervention to address the issue of employing children which are mainly necessary to enlighten the programme developers and policy makers in the fight against child labour in Namibia
Assessing risk factors associated with primary hypertension among military personnel at Peter Mweshihange Military Heakth Centre in Windhoek
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Public HealthHypertension is a preventable major risk cardiovascular non-communicable disease with a prevalence of 57% among adults aged 35 to 64 years in Khomas region, which is the highest in all regions in Namibia. The Health Management Information System (HMIS) database of the Peter Mweshihange Military Health Centre shows a high prevalence of hypertension among the military personnel in Windhoek. This study was conducted to explore non- modifiable and modifiable risk factors associated with hypertension among the military personnel in Windhoek, Namibia. A quantitative, cross-sectional and analytical study was performed using
an interviewer-administered questionnaire as a data collection instrument. Simple random sampling was used to select a sample of 450 participants from 3257 military personnel population. However, 458 were distributed to cater for low responses. The study indicates that the majority (69.7%) of the participants were male, which shows that the military is a male-dominated profession. The findings from multivariate logistic regression found age (0.000) and blood relatives with hypertension (0.000), the frequency of tobacco use on a daily basis (0.044) or every 2 hours (0.031) was statistically significantly associated with hypertension and mitigating factors for hypertension such as regular check –ups (0.000) were
protective against hypertension. It is recommended that surveillance, prevention, educational and awareness programmes on hypertension risk factors to be introduced and maintained among military personnel. Modification of lifestyle, such as reduction of alcohol consumption, reducing or cessation of tobacco use, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy body weight, especially when above 30 years need to be adhered to by military personnel at Peter Mweshihange Health
Centre in Windhoek. Furthermore, military personnel should go for regular blood pressure check-ups especially those who have blood relatives with hypertension whether they are hypertensive or not hypertensive for early detection and control. Further research, particularly with a different study design, such as case control study, is necessary to assess the disease status (cases and controls) of the respondents at the beginning of the study by measuring their blood pressure
An investigation into teacher job satisfaction in selected secondary schools in the Khomas Education Region, Namibia
No full textA Mini-thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of
Master of Educational Psychology Guidance and CounsellingThe global demand for qualified teachers has prompted much research regarding the
reduction of teacher turnover and attrition. This study employed a sequential, mixed
method approach, administering a questionnaire followed by semi-structured
interviews. Participant responses to the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaires (MSQ)
were analysed to determine the general level of satisfaction among secondary school
teachers in the Khomas Region of Namibia. Furthermore, the MSQ assessed which of
its 20 sub-categories caused the most dissatisfaction among teachers. Satisfaction
scores derived from the data analysis of the MSQ were compared to biographical
markers of the participants, such as age, gender, culture, level of education, years of
experience and type of school. Participating schools were selected by means of
stratified random sampling, and interview participants were selected based on their
general satisfaction scores on the MSQ. Interview data were interpreted through
thematic content analysis and triangulated with the questionnaire findings. It was
found that teachers in the Khomas Education Region were generally "satisfied" to
"very satisfied" with their jobs. Teachers were found to be more dissatisfied with
categories, such as compensation, advancement, company policies and practices,
social status and authority. No statistically significant differences could be established
between satisfaction and age, culture or gender. Furthermore, it was established that,
while staff members at rural government schools were generally more satisfied than
those at urban government schools and private schools, such differences were not
statistically significant. The interviews indicated that funding for education was
problematic in the Khomas Education Region, while specifically teachers from
government schools cited a lack of learning materials and teaching resources as a
source of frustration; private school teachers confirmed that there was much room for
improvement. Furthermore, the participants iterated that the social standing of a
teacher, coupled with an inadequate salary, was the cause of much of the
disengagement ofteacher
Evaluating the Government of Namibia social media use policy and implementation plan
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of
Master of Arts in Media StudiesThe Social Media Use Policy (SMUP) ofNamibia and the Implementation Plan was developed
for implementation in 2016 by ministries, offices, and agencies, local as well as regional
authorities to assist the Namibian government to utilise social media as an aid to effective
citizens' engagement as well as to guide the manner in which social media is to be used. The aim
of this study was to assess the SMUP and the implementation plan by determining whether each
government entity does recognize and implement the social media use policy, identifying the
main types of social media platforms established and used by government agencies, examining
the level of adherence to guidelines in the use of social media by government communicators
and evaluating whether the selected social media strategies reflect minimum standard
components as established by the SMUP. To collect and analyze relevant data, a mixed-methods
research approach was adopted that involved interviews with government public relations
practitioners, survey of social media users in Namibia as well as document analysis of
government departments' social media reports and sites. The main findings of the study were
conclusive of the fact that despite various types of social media prescribed by the SMUP,
Facebook was mainly utilised by government institutions. In addition, the level of influence and
engagement with citizens via social media was found to be below expected levels in relation to
the number of social media users in the country. This findings point to the fact that government
institutions are not entirely adhering to the SMUP guidance. While the present study was a broad
national overview, it should be replicated regionally to help identify weaknesses and track
progress towards speeding up the effectiveness of social media in service delivery to the
citizenr
"When men beat women": A critical examination of the literary presentation of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the anthology We must choose life (2008) by Elizabeth Ikhaxas (Ed.)
No full textA research thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in English StudiesGender-based violence is a global problem of great concern. This thesis is a critical
examination of the literary presentation of gender-based violence in the anthology We Must Choose Life (2008) by Elizabeth IKhaxas (Ed). The study is framed within the paradigm of “when men beat women” which examines male on female violence as a form of gender-based violence in Namibia as presented in the selected literary anthology We Must Choose Life (2008). Largely a desktop study, the thesis is qualitative in nature and employs a content analysis approach to analyse the selected pieces within the anthology. The textual analysis was informed by three theoretical frameworks, namely, Ecofeminism (d'Eaubonne, 1974), Trauma
(Caruth, 1996) and Resilience (Rutter, 1987). Ecofeminism examines the suffering of women from the dominant influence of a male-oriented society. Trauma Theory explores a person’s emotional response to an overwhelming event that disrupts previous ideas of an individual’s sense and the standards by which one evaluates society, while Resilience Theory emphasises the strengths that one has, rather than one’s vulnerability, through exploring the coping strategies. The study revealed that gender roles, norms and assumptions form a repository of the techniques of violence and acceptance of violence. In this respect, specific forms of abuse
of women have been identified as gender-based violence with the level of acceptability. It was further observed that some Namibian women have long-standing abusive relationships due to over-dependence on the perpetrators of violence for socio-economic support, fear of the perpetrators’ reprisals, as well as conformity to cultural and religious practices. Based on the findings, the study recommends further investigation of gender roles and relationship problems,
in particular, gender-based violence. Further studies to encourage men to write an anthology that examines gender-based violence against men in society, and empowers women to be actively involved in the development of a violence-free environment are still green areas for research
Effects of the shortage of midwives on performance and quality of care, in maternity ward, Rundu Intermediate hospital and Nyangana district hospital, Kavango East region
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Nursing ScienceMidwives play a vital role in improving maternal and neonatal health. An adequate number of professional midwives is associated with improved quality of care and decreased maternal and newborn mortality. An increased workload due to the shortage of staff exposes midwives to unnecessary pressure, which might affect the quality of care they provide to patients. Addressing barriers that hinder midwives from providing quality care is a step towards improving the health care deliverance and hence, a step towards achieving the Millennium Developmental Goal (MDG) 5 and the Standard Developments Goal (SDG) 3. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the shortage of midwives on their performance and quality of care, in the maternity ward of Rundu Intermediate Hospital and Nyangana District Hospital, Kavango East Region, Namibia. A quantitative analytic descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a purposive, non-random sampling method on fourty (40) midwives, in which thirty-one (31) were from Rundu Intermediate Hospital and nine (9) from Nyangana District Hospital. A self-administered questionnaire was used. The results revealed that the major effects of the shortage of midwives on their performance were as follow: increases workload (100%), feelings of fatigue and emotional exhaustion (97.5%), increases stress levels (95%), causes burnout and moral distress (87.5%), increases job dissatisfaction (87.5%), decreases willingness to work (70%), causes high staff turnover (65%), decreases the ability to work (65%) and increases medical errors committed among midwives (60%). Moreover, late attendance to patients (95%), poor monitoring of patients’ conditions (92.5%), inadequate or poor patient care (90%), delay in treatment of patients (87.5%),
delay in initiating emergency interventions (82.5%) and lack of performance in the implementation of the EmOC (Emergency Obstetric Care) guideline (82.5%), were among the effects of the shortage of midwives on the quality of care. Other effects on the quality of care included increase in mortality rate (i.e. still birth, neonatal and maternal death) (77.5%), unnecessary complications that delay recovery (75%), negative attitude of health workers towards patients (67.5%) and medical errors committed by midwives (67.5%). The study concluded that the shortage of midwives has negative effects on both midwives’ performances and quality of care. The study recommended the followings: the MoHSS and the professional councils to come up with proper midwife-to-patient ratio to reduce workload pressure; the human resource of the MoHSS to make provision of recruiting adequate staff in maternity sections; and provide adequate equipment to enhance performance of few staff. In addition, the obstetric care trainings need to be provided to all midwife staff prior to allocation to maternity sections. The MoHSS should make provision of a service that provides the midwives with emotional and psychological support, to assist them on coping with stress from work-related pressures and help them deal with their emotions. The MoHSS should also create a conducive working environment to attract more staff, therefore, overcome staff shortage, and eventually, minimise effects of the shortage of midwives
Children with Plasmodium vivax infection previously observed in Namibia, were Dufy negative and carried a c.136G>A mutation
No full textIn a previous study, using a molecular approach, we reported the presence of P. vivax in Namibia. Here, we have extended our investigation to the Dufy antigen genetic profle of individuals of the same cohort with and without Plasmodium infections. Methods: Participants with P. vivax (n=3), P. falciparum (n=23) mono-infections and co-infections of P. vivax/P. falciparum (n=4), and P. falciparum/P. ovale (n=3) were selected from seven regions. Participants with similar age but
without any Plasmodium infections (n=47) were also selected from all the regions. Dufy allelic profle was examined using standard PCR followed by sequencing of amplifed products. Sequenced samples were also examined for the presence or absence of G125A mutation in codon 42, exon 2. Results: All individuals tested carried the − 67 T>C mutation. However, while all P. vivax infected participants carried the c.G125A mutation, 7/28 P. falciparum infected participants and 9/41 of uninfected participants did not have the c.G125A mutation. The exon 2 region surrounding codon 42, had a c.136G>A mutation that was present in all
P. vivax infections. The odds ratio for lack of this mutation with P. vivax infections was (OR 0.015, 95% CI 0.001–0.176;p=0.001). Conclusion: We conclude that P. vivax infections previously reported in Namibia, occurred in Dufy negative participants, carrying the G125A mutation in codon 42. The role of the additional mutation c.136 G>A in exon 2 in P. vivax infections, will require further investigations
The relation between personality types and acdemic performance amongst Grade 9 learners in Windhoek
No full textA research proposal submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Guidance and Counseling)Research suggest that personality is a strong predictor of academic achievement at
school level and beyond, but also at societal level as it serves as the building blocks to future success and economic advancement. The purpose of this study was to
investigate the effect of personality traits on academic performance in the subjects of
English and Mathematics at grade 9 level. It also aimed to contribute to the limited
research done on this topic specifically in Namibia. Personality traits were compared
to participants’ academic performance in term 1 in the subjects of English and
Mathematics. Results indicated that there was no statistically significant relationship
between personality traits and performance in English. The personality traits of
Thinking, Sensing and Perception showed statistical significance to performance in
Mathematics, whereas the personality traits of Feeling, Intuition and Judgement
showed no statistical significance to performance in Mathematics. This information
may inform teaching approaches and could also be beneficial to Educational
Psychologist as it could partially explain why some learners do not perform in
Mathematics