Primary Education
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Pansiri, L.; Pansiri, N.O. (University of Botswana; http://www.ub.bw, NaN, 2011)[more][less]
Abstract: Poor parental involvement in schools and educational activities at basic education level is a concern the world over. Governments have promulgated deliberate educational policies to institute parental involvement through structures commonly known as Parents and Teachers Associations (PTA). Despite this structural approach, many countries including Botswana, experience poor parental involvement in a school located in a low-income township area in Gaborone – Botswana. The study confirms that there is lack of effective parental involvement in that school. One of the major challenges is that school activities and meetings are often held when the majority of the parents are at work. It therefore, recommended that PTA activities be held at a time that suits specific activities and tasks; and that teachers must be encouraged to visit their children’s homes to dialogue with parents on educational issues in order to inspire parents to participate in the education of their children. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1139 Files in this item: 1
Pansiri_PBJAS_2011.pdf (3.788Mb) -
Mannathoko, M.C.; Mangope, B. (IJSRE, http://www.ijsre.com, March NaN, 2013)[more][less]
Abstract: Research in Botswana has shown the importance of parental involvement in primary school education. Consequently, researchers have argued for strengthening the school-community relationship in order to improve the quality of primary school programmes and enable children to succeed in the academic environment. Nonetheless, little has been done to identify barriers to parental involvement in children’s academic work and possible solutions geared towards quality education. This study therefore seeks to investigate the causes of limited parental involvement in their children’s schooling and to identify strategies to help minimise these barriers and improve academic performances in primary schools. This study is a qualitative case study wherein twenty-four participants (twelve teachers and twelve parents) are interviewed. The sample was drawn from the Central North region of Botswana and covered remote, remotest, sub-urban, and urban locations. Random sampling was used to select teacher-participants while parents were identified with help of village headmen. Botswana education policies and school regulation or guideline handbooks were also examined to determine the extent to which these documents promote community involvement. The findings of this study reveal significant divergences in the responses of parents and teachers. Most of the parents, especially those in remote areas, for example indicated that they were not aware that they were supposed to offer teaching assistance services in schools. Teachers in the same areas indicated that parents were not cooperative in contributing to their children’s learning. Likewise, while teachers listed examples of workshop initiatives designed to sensitise parents to the importance of being involved in their children’s learning, parents said they were only called to collect children’s progress reports, for Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meetings, or to be threatened about failure to pay school development and sports fees. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1138 Files in this item: 1
Mannathoko_IJSRE_2013.pdf (267.9Kb) -
Mokotedi, R.T. (IJSRE, http://www.ijsre.com, March NaN, 2013)[more][less]
Abstract: In recent years, there have been a number of innovations and reforms aimed at making education relevant to the needs of the society. Despite the premium placed on education, there continue to be challenging and persistent issues negatively affecting teacher education. One of these challenges is the generalist approach of primary schools whereby teachers teach all subjects in the curriculum. This is often a departure from their pre-service training where they were trained as specialists. The purpose of this study is to establish new teachers’ perspectives on the role of subject specialization in Botswana Colleges of Education and the implications of this training for the professional development of those who did not specialize in languages. This study adopted a survey research design in which questionnaires were the main data collection instrument. This study targeted two primary schools in the Southern Region with a sample of twenty (20) beginning teachers (with Diploma Certificates in primary schools). Of this sample of twenty, ten (10) completed the questionnaires. The results of this study reveal that beginning teachers advocate for specialization in primary schools because it allows them an area they can teach with confidence. These teachers raised the issue of in-service development and support as a source of information on matters pertaining to language teaching because for those who did not specialize in languages, teaching this complex subject is a challenge and can be highly demotivating. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1136 Files in this item: 1
Mokotedi_IJSRE_2013.pdf (269.0Kb) -
Pansiri, N.O. (EMAL, http://ema.sagepub.com, November NaN, 2011)[more][less]
Abstract: The thesis of this article is that the uncritical adoption of Western models of education management and leadership policies results in poor performance in schools in disadvantaged communities in developing countries. The argument shows that this has led to the institutionalizationof generic education policies that are not contingent to the circumstances of the small, dispersed, rural and remote schools. In my analysis, I agree with the growing concern in educational development debates over the uncritical transportation or the uncritical international transfer of school effectiveness assumptions and models to African contexts. I use Botswana as a case study to show the continuing mismatch between educational management models adopted from Western countries and the application in the Botswana context, and the related failure of school improvement initiatives proposed by aid agencies. When a school fails the head is charged with the underperformance. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1116 Files in this item: 1
Pansiri_EMAL_2011.pdf (3.133Mb) -
Mosothwane, M. (IJSRE, http://www.ijsre.com, June NaN, 2012)[more][less]
Abstract: This study examines the role played by secondary school mathematics teachers in the development of mathematics curriculum. It was conducted using a sample of sixty senior secondary school mathematics teachers. The findings of the study suggest that the majority of senior secondary school teachers’ play only a minor role in the development of the mathematics curriculum, but are active in the implementation and production stages. Subjects of the study reported that full participation in the development of the curriculum would help them to better implement the material because they would feel they ‘own’ it. Teachers use a variety of teaching methods and materials to promote effective learning. A stronger mathematics curriculum for senior secondary schools would emerge if teachers were encouraged to participate in the development process. A lack of teacher participation in the development of senior secondary school mathematics curriculum has implications for mathematics teaching, particularly now as Botswana build’s its first university of science and technology. One such implication is the possibility of weaker students finding their way into the university and thus lowering the overall quality of mathematics performance. The paper concludes with suggestions and recommendations in the hope that these will help curriculum development officers to involve more senior secondary school teachers in the development of mathematics curriculum so as to strengthen mathematics education in Botswana. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1081 Files in this item: 1
Motsothwane_IJSRE_2012.pdf (1.608Mb)