UNAM Gā-aisib Repository (University of Namibia)
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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
An investigation into the effects of reward practices on job satisfaction and employee performance in Namibia Post Office
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Business Administration Management StrategyThe study investigates the effects of reward practices on job satisfaction and employee performance
in the Namibia Post Office (NamPost). More specifically, the study aims to determine whether
employees are motivated and satisfied with current reward practices. The company has failed to
keep up with new rewards systems and the company also has a high labour turnover. Emphasis is
put on reward systems and types of rewards, Maslow's (Hierarchy of needs), Herzberg's Two
Factor Theory, Vroom's Expectancy theory, Equity Theory, the Goal Setting Theory and Effort
Reward Imbalance. This study was quantitative in nature with the descriptive research design.
Disproportionate stratified sampling was used to draw a sample of 80 respondents for the study in
categories of clerical, Supervisory and Specialist. The quantitative research falls short of
explanations or expressions of respondents and therefore might fail to be conclusive as it might
lack certain information. Sampling method may lead to selection of employees that might fail to
understand the concept as it requires some appreciation of the concept to answer accordingly. A
self-developed questionnaire with structured questions was administered to respondents The study
used SPSS as the analysis software and the descriptive statistics and Pearson's cmTelation analysis,
Chi-square goodness of fit tests and ANOVA were used to analyze the data and test the relationship
between the variables. The findings indicated that reward system contributes to job satisfaction
and employee performance. The study urges the organization to improve on the reward system in
order to improve on its employee job satisfaction and performanc
The impact of consumer debt on financial sustainability of village councils in the Hardap region of Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Business Administration FinanceThe main purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of consumer debt on financial
sustainability of village councils in the Hardap Region namely: Gochas, Gibeon,
Kalkrand, Stampriet and Maltahohe Village Councils. The study adopted mixed methods
with both positivist and interpretivist paradigms. Both probability and non-probability
sampling methods were applied. Through stratified sampling, the researcher drew 70
respondents from the 96 employees of the 5 peri-urban councils and simple random
sampling technique was used to pick 25 residents from all the five village councils in the
Hardap Region. The total study sample for this study was made up of 100 participants.
The study adopted two sets of data collection instruments in the form of a questionnaire
with structured questions and an interview guide to collect quantitative and qualitative
data respectively. All qualitative data was analysed thematically and presented in narrative
fonn using direct quotations from respondents. Quantitative data was analysed using
descriptive statistics and presented in the form of tables. The results revealed that
government grants, consumer debt and borrowed funds have a direct impact on the
financial sustainability measured in terms of surplus/deficit. Hence, village councils
should come up with financial strategies or policies aimed at enhancing the income
generating capacity of these non-profit organisations and which will at the same time
maintain the overall operational expenditure at its lowest possible level
Namibian art song literature: An exploration
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Performing ArtsArt songs are a genre of music whose style of singing originated from Europe where it was fine tuned by Schubert, an Austrian composer of the Romantic era. These songs are used for concert
performances and more importantly, for voice training at music institutions. Art songs involve the
elaborate setting of poem text to music, traditionally for the piano and voice. In Namibia, many
students prepare for voice exams that are assessed by international institutions such as the Trinity
College of London whereby they choose songs from a Western repertory and very few, if not none,
are from Namibian/African origin. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the
availability and creation ofNamibian art song literature for voice students.
The research was aimed at determining whether Namibia has a canon of art songs in general as
well as find out the need for Namibian art songs and the creation of it using Namibia proverbs and
folksongs as a guide. A qualitative survey together with action research methods were used to
collect data, open-ended questionnaires were sent by email to participants as there were travel
restrictions due to Covid-19, and artistic research paradigm, art-based research and action based
research was also followed as the researcher composed songs as part of initiating song literature
for singing in Namibia. The study was conducted against the theoretical framework of cross culturalism, discourse theory, and interpretivism. African pianism, Afro-centricity, Namibian
vocal styles and New classicism as Western and African elements of music were combined in
composing art songs with Namibian idioms.
The participants targeted were voice teachers and voice students in Swakopmund and Windhoek.
The data collected from the questionnaires were colour coded and analysed to derive findings. The
research showed that the participants have a hunger for Namibian art songs and the creation of
such songs will instil National pride, identity and confidence in the songs they study and prepare
for exams. Furthermore, the creation of Namibian art songs will preserve Namibian cultures,
languages and encourage an appreciation of Namibian musical idioms and aesthetics. Thus, the
need to decolonise western art song repertory required to gain an internationally recognised
qualification in singing.
In response to the lack of art songs from Namibia, the researcher composed and arranged thirty art
songs as to head-start an anthology. It is recommended that a Namibian art song anthology be
started through seminars with poets and composers from different ethnic backgrounds in order to
be inclusive of the Namibian diverse cultur
The implementation of gender mainstreaming in a correctional service facility: A case of Elizabeth Nepemba Correctional Facility in Kavango west region
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Gender and Development StudiesThis study primarily aimed at investigating the implementation of gender
mainstreaming in the Namibian Correctional Service, specifically Elizabeth
Nepemba Correctional Facility in Kavango West Region. The study was guided by
the following specific objectives: to explore the progress made in the application of
gender mainstreaming practices; to examine the progress made in the application of
gender mainstreaming and to identify the challenges associated with the application
of gender mainstreaming in the Namibian Correctional Service. The study employed
a qualitative research design and a case study method. The population of the study
consisted of development planners and correctional officers. The study sample was
made up of 17 participants, 2 development planners from the Ministry of Gender
Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, 13 correctional officers from
Elizabeth Nepemba Correctional Facility as well as 2 correctional officers from the
Namibian Correctional Service Headquarters. Primary data was gathered using an
interview guide through face-to-face interviews and the data was analysed using
thematic analysis. This study found that, while the policy framework for gender
mainstreaming is in place in the Correctional Service; the implementation is still
lacking. In fact, gender mainstrean1ing is being considered an add-on function, and
not part of the organization's primary functions. Thus, by making public managers
only talk about gender mainstrearning and not being able to act towards its proper
implementation, gender mainstreaming initiatives are not organization-driven. The
study recommends that, leadership in the Namibian Correctional Service should
refrain from addressing gender mainstreaming as an add-gender-and-stir approach,
should instead acknowledge the role of both sexes as development, sound
governance and democratization partners of all times. Gender inequality cannot be
adequately addressed by viewing it based on improvements in women's work and
representation but rather when it is seen within the broader framework of sound
social welfare, development, democracy, and governance. Therefore, the Namibian
Correctional Service next Strategic Plan of Action need to be gender responsive and
well in line with Namibia's international and national commitments towards
realizing a zebra crossing of 50-50 gender equality across all economic, social and
political setting
Land use and land cover changes and the water quality of the Orange river at Aussenkehr, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science (Geo-Information Studies)River systems are essential to the human populations and aquatic organisms. However, they are greatly influenced by land use activities. It is therefore important to understand the effects of land use activities on river systems for environmental protection and resources planning. This study assessed the land use and land cover (LULC) changes and the water quality of the Orange River in the Aussenkehr area where agricultural activities and human settlements have increased over
the last three decades. Water quality was tested at three sampling locations situated 26 km upstream, next to, and 3 km downstream of the Aussenkehr farms. Water quality measurements were carried out during the wet and dry seasons to allow for spatial and temporal comparison. Parameters examined included water pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and dissolved oxygen (DO), using handheld equipment. A total of 54 measurements were taken for each parameter. Changes
in LULC were quantified using Landsat images for the years 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2019. The analysis showed that EC next to and downstream of the farms was much higher than at the upstream point of the farms. The high values recorded for EC and pH exceeded the category of excellent water quality based on the guidelines set by the Namibian Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF). Analysis of LULC revealed that agriculture (vineyards) and human settlements are the main land use in this area. Therefore, the lower water quality at and downstream of the farms could be attributed to fertilisers from irrigation, and the lack of waste management
and proper sanitation in informal settlements. With more than 30% of the households in Aussenkehr consuming untreated water from the river, many people may be at risk of waterborne diseases from this low water quality. There is thus a need at Aussenkehr for urgent intervention measures in farm management, settlement development and the provision of essential services. Further research is also needed to investigate how farmers along the Orange River manage the
application of fertilisers
Influence of school leadership on Grade 10 examinations results: A case of four secondary schools in //Karas, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Leadership, Management & Policy studies)Namibian, National Grade 10 academic performance has declined from 2014 to 2016. Of the 111289 full-time candidates who wrote Grade 10 national examination in 2014 to 2016, only 59 559 candidates qualified for admission to grade 11. A comparable situation prevails in the //Kharas Region, where the academic performance for Grade 10 learners has declined between 2014 and 2016, from 42% pass rate to 30% according to the statistics of //Kharas Region of the Directorate of National Examination and Assessment. Beside this backdrop, and by exploring the practices of the selected schools’ principals, this study investigated the influence of school leadership on grade 10 learners’ academic performance of the selected schools in the Kalahari Circuit //Kharas Region. The objective was to gain an understanding of whether, school leadership contributes to the learners’ academic performance. The study employed qualitative research approach. Data was constructed through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Mainly, the researcher observed and found discrepancies between how principals understood their leadership roles, and what they actually practiced. It gives an impression that, crucial to this breach between what was understood and what actually was applied was the correlation that the principals had with relevant
staff members and, in turn, the types of relations that existed among staff members. Hence, it was found that poor staff relationships, which derived from poor leadership, had direct influence on academic performance of learners. Concurrently, as per researcher’s observation poor leadership, poor staff relationships, and the poor academic performance of learners, affected the determination and obligation of both educators and principal. The study highlighted a concern that continues to challenge schools, beside //Kharas Region, but Namibia at large, namely unqualified and underqualified educators. The study also found that the absence of leadership and management training for principals plays a significant role in their in/capacity to lead and manage schools. Intrinsically,
the study recommended that, the ministry of education needs to make provision for job-related leadership training for school leaders
Change management in the implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, South Africa
No full textFor decades, public hospitals have relied on managing records manually using different formats of classification. However, driven by an eHealth strategy, hospitals in South Africa are now changing to electronic health records (EHR) systems for their day-to-day functioning. Earlier studies conducted on health records management in the South African provinces of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Western Cape, all point to minimal evidence of change management in EHR system implementation in public hospitals. This paper presents empirical results of an investigation into the management of change in the implementation of an EHR system at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Public Hospital in the eThekwini area of KZN. The findings show that an ill-defined change management approach in the EHR system implementation hinders the progress of the implementation and thus the improvement of health service delivery. The study recommends that the implementation of a robust and functional EHR system be accompanied equally by a viable, parallel and executable change management blueprint
Rethinking a framework for contextualising and collaborating in MOOCs by higher education institutions in Africa
No full textThis paper investigates the phenomenon of MOOCs from the
standpoint of open and distance learning, and within the framework of Open Educational Resources
from an African perspective. The purpose of the paper is to suggest solutions to the challenges
experienced by higher education institutions in contextualisation of MOOCs to meet the local learning
needs, exploring pedagogical implications of MOOCs, identifying inter-institutional collaboration
frameworks on MOOCs for higher education institutions in Africa, and exploring methods of
contextualising MOOCs for Africa’s local learning contextsMassive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are online courses that are open to anyone with
Internet access. Pioneered in North America, they were developed for contexts with broader access
to technology and wider access to the Internet. As globally networked learning environments
(GNLEs), MOOCs foster collaborative communities and learning in ways not conceived as feasible
until recently. The affordances of MOOCs, such as the ability to access learning beyond one’s
immediacy, exemplify their benefits for open and distance learning, especially in developing
countries that continue to consume rather than produce online courses. However, the globality of
MOOCs and their delivery mode pose a challenge of contextualising learning content to the local
needs of educational institutions or individual students that choose to use the courses. This
theoretical paper used a desk-research approach by revising literature to investigate and propose
ways of contextualising MOOCs to the African higher education setting. It applied the principles of
reuse and repurposing learning content, while suggesting the use of mobile learning as a
technological delivery solution that is relevant to the local context. The paper also suggests a
framework for inter-institutional collaboration for higher education institutions to guide future
efforts in the creation and sharing of credit-bearing MOOCs
Experiences of teachers and learners about the nature of learning support services in two secondary schools in Oshana region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of education (Inclusive Education)The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of teachers and learners about the nature of
learning support services in two secondary schools in the Oshana region ofNamibia. The study
employed qualitative research approach/method with descriptive and phenomenological research
designs. The population for this study comprised of willing Grade 8, 9, or 10 teachers and
learners. The study was underpinned by Vygotsky's theory of social constructivism under the
concepts of Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding. Focus group interviews were
employed as data collection methods, one for the teachers, and one for learners. The research
instruments were checked for validity and reliability.
The key findings showed that the provision of learning support to learners in the two secondary
schools was compromised by lack of skills and inadequate training among teachers, inadequate
teaching and learning support resources, teacher attitudes, workload, time constraints, and lack of
parental involvement. However, despite these adverse circumstances, teachers provided learning
support services to learners whenever possible. Implications for enhancing learning support
practices in the two schools include teacher in-service training and compulsory workshops for all
teachers on learning support provision practice, making the learning support teachers' manual
available in schools where there is none and training teachers on how to use them. Furthermore,
having separate learning support lesson/period on the school timetable. Areas for future research
have been suggeste