United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)

Exploring gaps in the pre-existing mathematics knowledge of entrant NC(V) Level 2 engineering students at a South African TVET college

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Exploring gaps in the pre-existing mathematics knowledge of entrant NC(V) Level 2 engineering students at a South African TVET college Capa, Thabisa This study explored the gaps in the pre-existing mathematical knowledge on the achievement of NC(V) Level 2 students. The study was guided by constructivist learning theory and an error analysis framework to examine students’ alternative conceptions and errors. An explanatory sequential mixed-method design was used. A diagnostic test was administered to 150 Level 2 Engineering students at a TVET college in the Ekurhuleni district. The test, based on a Grade 9 mathematics paper, covered ratios, algebraic expressions, equations, exponents, geometry, measurement, functions, and statistics. Based on the test results, 21 students were purposively selected for interviews. The findings revealed widespread conceptual and procedural knowledge errors, insufficient retention of Grade 9 content, and over-reliance on memorised procedures and calculators. Many students experienced difficulty applying rules, solving equations, and translating word problems. These difficulties negatively impacted their readiness for NC(V) Level 2 Mathematics. The study implies that TVET colleges need to develop or implement instruments to assess the readiness of students who enrol in the NC(V) Mathematics programme. Such diagnostic tools would enable lecturers to identify students who are underprepared and to implement appropriate support mechanisms early in the programme. The study recommends bridging programmes, improved instructional strategies, and formative assessments to strengthen foundational knowledge and enhance student achievement.

Emergent strategy-making in private higher education institutions by managers: a micro-foundational perspective

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Emergent strategy-making in private higher education institutions by managers: a micro-foundational perspective Magama, Grace EMERGENT STRATEGY-MAKING IN PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS BY MANAGERS: A MICRO-FOUNDATIONAL PERSPECTIVE The current study aimed to explore how strategy emerges in South African Private Higher Education Institution (PHEI) through the everyday micro-foundational practices of managers operating at various organisational levels. Existing strategy literature has largely prioritised deliberate, top-down processes, often overlooking how strategy is enacted informally, iteratively and contextually within complex institutional environments. This research departed from a linear, plan-based ontology and instead adopted a practice-process perspective grounded in Strategy-as-Practice (S-as-P), micro-foundational theory, and Bourdieu’s theory of practice. From this viewpoint, strategy is regarded not as a fixed outcome but as a dynamic phenomenon shaped by situated cognition, social interaction, power and individual routines. The study employed a qualitative, intrinsic single-case design, purposively sampling managers at operational, middle and executive levels within a South African PHEI. A constructivist-interpretivist paradigm guided the research, enabling a rich interpretation of how managers enacted strategy through daily micro-foundational-practices. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, written narratives and document analysis. The data were thematically analysed to produce a grounded model of emergent strategising informed by real-world managerial practices. Key findings revealed that strategy emerged through socially embedded micro-doings, such as strategic adaptation and flexibility, institutional purpose and vision, communication and collaboration in decision-making, and the influence of leadership and power dynamics. Central to these findings was the role of “phronesis” (practical wisdom) and “metis” (practical intelligence), which enabled managers to navigate flux, uncertainty, the institution and operating environment. Significantly, the study advanced a multi-level understanding of strategic agency, highlighting that managers at various hierarchical levels contributed meaningfully to emergent strategising, despite differing levels of formal iii authority. This contribution adds a contextual and empirical extension to S-as-P by recognising that strategising is not merely concentrated at the top but is distributed through layers of practice across the organisation. The main theoretical contribution of the study lies in its integration of micro-foundations with a practice-based view of strategy within a context from the Global South. The findings challenge essentialist views of strategy as formal design and instead position strategy-making as a pluralistic, emergent process shaped by practice, power and place. The final conceptual framework connects micro-practices to organisational outcomes, offering an alternative perspective on how strategy is enacted under real-world institutional conditions. The study concludes that strategising is not merely the result of deliberate planning but also arises from responsive, embodied and socially constructed actions. These insights enhance our understanding of the lived dynamics of strategy work and provide a valuable foundation for future research and leadership development in higher education contexts experiencing change. The findings may inform the design of more adaptive, inclusive and practice-oriented strategic processes within PHEIs and similar organisations; UKWENZIWA KWAMASU EZIKHUNGWENI EZIZIMELE ZEMFUNDO EPHAKEME OKWENZIWA NGABAPHATHI: NGOKWEZIMO ZANGALESO SIKHATHI EZENZAKALAYO Inhloso yocwaningo lwamanje ukuphenya mayelana nokuthi amasu avela kanjani ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme ezimele eNingizimu Afrika (HPEIs) kusetshenziswa imisebenzi yansuku eyenziwa abaphathi abasemazingeni ehlukene esikhungweni. Incwadi yamasu esetshenziswayo ibeka eqhulwini izinqubo ezihleliwe ukusuka phezulu, ezivame ukuthi zikushaye indiva okwamasu angahleliwe, okuphindaphindiwe, futhi ngokuhambisana nokwenzeka endaweni yesikhungo eziyinkimbinkimbi. Lolu cwaningo luyasuka ohlelweni olulandelwayo/oluqondile okuwucwaningo ngokukhona, kunalokho lusebenzisa umbono wenqubo yalokho kwangaleso sikhathi okusekelwe yi-Strategy-as-Practice (S-as-P), ithiyori yezenzo zabantu/yokwenzakalayo, kanye nethiyori yenqubo ka-Bourdieu. Ngokwalo mbono, isu aliwona umphumela ongaguquki kodwa liyaguquka ngokwezimo ezikhona, ukuxhumana kwabantu, nangezinqubo zansuku zonke zomuntu ngamunye, izimo zenhlangano nezingaphandle kanye nobudlelwano bamandla. Ucwaningo lusebenzise ikhwalithethivu, olusezingeni eliphezulu olugxile ohlangothini olulodwa esikhungweni semfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika, ukuhlola ukuthi abaphathi balisebenzisa kanjani isu ngokwezinto/izinqubo zansuku zonke. Ngemposamibuzo eyenziwe kubaphathi abehlukene kuwo wonke amazinga kanye nokuhlaziywa kwemiqulu, kusungulwe indlela ekhombisa ukuthi isu lakhiwa ukuziphatha kwabaphathi kwansuku zonke. Iziphumo ezisemqoka ukuthi isu livela ngokwenzeka nsuku zonke, izenzo zomphakathi, ngokuhambisana nezimo. Okubalulekile kulokhu okutholakele yindima ye-“phronesis” (ukusebenzisa ubuhlakani) kanye ne-“metis” (ukusebenzisa amaqhinga), okwenze abaphathi bakwazi ukubhekana nokungabikho kozinzo, ukungaqiniseki, kanye nokungezwani esikhungweni. Ucwaningo luhlonze izizinda ezine ezixhumene ezibe nomthelela ekuveleni kwamasu: indlela abantu abahlobana ngayo, indlela ababecabanga/abenza ngayo, izinqubo abazisebenzisayo, kanye nesikhundla sabo v enhlanganweni. Abaphathi badale isu ngezenzo ezincane, eziguquguqukayo, nezingekho emthethweni/ezingahleliwe. Ngokuphawulekayo, ucwaningo luveza ukuthi amasu awagcini ngokuvela kubaphathi abaphezulu, kodwa kuwo wonke amazinga okuphatha. Lokhu kuvumelana nethiyori yeS-as-P ngokubonisa abaphathi kunoma yiliphi izinga banesandla ekwakhiweni kwamasu, kungakhathaliseki igunya labo elisemthethweni. Lolu cwaningo luhlanganisa izenzo zomuntu ngamunye nezinqubo zansuku zonke ukuze kuqondwe isu ngokweGlobal South. Kubonisa ukuthi isu akulona nje uhlelo oluqala phezulu lwehlele ezansi, kodwa wuhlelo oluguquguqukayo olubunjwa ukwenza, amandla, nendawo. Uhlaka lokugcina luxhumanisa lezi zenzo zansuku zonke nemiphumela yesikhungo, lunikeza umbono omusha wokuthi isu lenzeka kanjani ngempela ngokwezimo zezikhungo Ucwaningo luphetha ngelokuthi isu akuyona nje into ehlelwayo ngaphakathi kodwa liphinde livele ngezenzo zesikhathi sangempela nezenhlalo, njall. Le miphumela isiza ukuthuthukisa indlela abaholi bemfundo ephakeme abaphatha ngayo izinguquko, ikhuthaze ukuhlela okuhambisana nezimo nokubandakanya wonke umuntu.

Management practices and constraints of commercial poultry farms, and performance evaluation of sasso-c44 broilers fed on diets containing graded level dried blood rumen-content mixture

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Management practices and constraints of commercial poultry farms, and performance evaluation of sasso-c44 broilers fed on diets containing graded level dried blood rumen-content mixture Abdisa, Soresa Shuma This study was employed to assess the management practices and constraints of commercial poultry farms, and performance evaluation of Sasso-C44 broilers fed on diets containing graded level dried rumen content mixture. Data on farm management was collected using a semi structured questionnaire survey substantiated with a focus group discussion, and field observations. Data on management variables were processed using SPSS version 29, and Garret’s ranking technique. Two hundred day old Sasso C44 broiler chicks were placed randomly to five dietary treatments for the experimental study using a completely randomized design (CRD). Experimental rations during both the starter age (1 28 days) and finisher (29 56 days) were: T1,T2, T3,T4 and T5. The experimental treatments consisted five dietary groups formulated by replacing roasted soybean meal (RSBM) with dried blood rumen content Mixture (DBRCM) at different levels. Data were analyzed using SAS version 9.2. Intensive production systems account for 94.5% of the farms, and deep litter housing management account for 73.1% of the farms studied. Average flock size per farm in the study area was 734 birds, and Bovan Brown chicken breed were the dominant breed identified in this study. The disease prevalence assessments revealed a ruffled feathers (13.5%), loss of appetite (11.5%), and depression (11.5%), followed by weight loss (9.6%) and diarrhea (7.7%). Producers largely blamed management gaps (44.2%) or environmental factors (34.6%) with 21.2% citing a combination of both the primary drivers of outbreaks. Vaccination efforts focused mainly on fowl pox (51.9%) and Newcastle disease (40.4%), while fewer farms vaccinated against infectious bursal disease (7.7%); vaccination schedules typically followed recommendations from the chicks’ source farms. On the biosecurity front, most producers adopted basic protective measures: Accordingly, 73.1% used protective clothing, plastic boots, and hair covers, 30.4% of producers were using gloves, and 67.3% were maintaining footbaths at farm entrances. The standard vaccination schedule used were IBD vaccine on day 1, NCD vaccine on day 7, and boosters on days 14, 28, and 42 against other diseases. Feed intake and chicken growth responses varied slightly among treatments that average daily dry matter intake was in the range of 66.38 g at T4 to 71.60 g at T1 and T5; intake in T4 was lower than those at T1, T2, T3, and T5. Daily weight gain ranged from 29.8 to 31.5 g/bird with no significant statistical difference among treatments (P>0.05). Feed vii conversion ratios ranged between 2.22 and 2.29 and were not different statistically among groups (P>0.05). With the conclusion, DBRCM can replace up to 60% soybean meals in both starter and finisher diets for Sasso--C44 broilers with no negative impact on performance and survivability. Carcass evaluation revealed that edible carcass weights were between 1085g and 1178g, and the dressing percentage ranged from 52.3% to 57.79%. Dressing percentage and carcass weights remained comparable across treatments, reinforcing that DBRCM can replace up to 60% of soybean meals with a positive effect on growth performance and carcass quality. The economic analysis clearly indicated that birds under T3 and T4 had higher (P<0.05) economic efficiencies than those under T1 and T5. In conclusion replacing RSBM with DBRCM up to a level of 60% in both starter and finisher diets seems to reduce feeding costs and improve economic efficiency due to its free availability and labor affordability without adverse effects on overall performance, feed conversion, or carcass characteristics in Sasso--C44 broilers

Adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices by smallholder dairy farmers in Chipinge and Mutasa Districts of the Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices by smallholder dairy farmers in Chipinge and Mutasa Districts of the Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe Chavhunduka, Tinashe Climate change poses significant constraints on smallholder dairy production systems in Zimbabwe, particularly in drought-prone regions such as Manicaland Province. This study analysed farmers’ perceptions of climate change and their influence on the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices among smallholder dairy farmers in Chipinge and Mutasa districts. It further quantified the extent of adoption of adaptation- and mitigation-based CSA practices and identified socio-economic and institutional determinants shaping adoption decisions. Guided by the Climate-Smart Agriculture framework of the Food and Agriculture Organization, which integrates productivity, resilience, and greenhouse gas mitigation objectives, the study employed a cross-sectional survey design. Primary data were collected from 154 smallholder dairy households using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics indicated that feed shortages (59.6%) and water scarcity (55.0%) were the most severe climate-related constraints, while 84.7% of respondents reported high awareness of the impacts of climate change on dairy production. Inferential analysis revealed a statistically significant association between climate change perception and CSA adoption (χ², p < 0.05), indicating that perception significantly shapes adoption behaviour. Binary logistic regression results showed that CSA adoption was significantly influenced by household size, education level, herd size, farming experience, access to finance, and perception of climate variability (p < 0.05), confirming that both human capital and resource endowments are key adoption drivers. Further, multinomial logistic regression results demonstrated that district location significantly influenced farmers’ choice among adaptation-only, mitigation-only, and integrated CSA strategies (p < 0.05), highlighting spatial heterogeneity in adoption behaviour. The model exhibited acceptable explanatory power, confirming robustness in predicting CSA adoption categories. Despite high awareness levels (84.7%), CSA adoption remains constrained by structural socio-economic and institutional barriers. Adaptation practices are widely adopted but predominantly reactive and short-term coping strategies, while mitigation practices remain limited and are primarily motivated by productivity gains rather than by emission-reduction objectives. Agroforestry demonstrated moderate adoption (34%) and provided synergistic adaptation–mitigation benefits. v The study concludes that although smallholder dairy farmers exhibit adaptive capacity, their responses remain largely survivalist rather than transformative. Strengthening access to finance, enhancing extension services, and providing targeted incentives for mitigation-oriented technologies are critical to promoting integrated and sustainable climate-smart dairy systems in Zimbabwe