The purpose of this study is to evaluate the scientific production and performance of the concept 'challenging schools' from 2000 to today through a bibliometric analysis complemented by scientific mapping. The study resorted to different processes to quantify, analyse, evaluate, and estimate the scientific output by means of specific software…

Background: Early childhood development (ECD) centres play a crucial role in children's well-being. Multifaceted obstacles hinder ECD centres registration. Overcoming these challenges demands a multisectoral approach to ensure quality education for all children. Aim: This study provides an overview of the quality of ECD centres in South Africa,…

Background: Two hundred and fifty million children under five in low- and middle-income countries are at risk of not achieving their developmental potential. High-quality milestone guides can help mitigate these risks but are often not contextually appropriate for countries like South Africa, because of unavailable resources and its…

This article investigates the awarding of scholarships to students from historically disadvantaged communities to attend elite schools in South Africa. Specifically, the article analyses the narrated accounts of former scholarship recipients who reflect on their experiences of entering an elite secondary school as scholarship students. Using…

Using a nested design and guided by the Social Control Theory, this study examined the factors that influence learners' achievement in mathematics in South Africa. The researchers collected data from 32 participants through an online questionnaire with open-ended and closed-ended questions. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS to produce…

One feature of deprived communities is a lack of social capital. Yet, research reports that social capital contributes to poverty reduction and positively impacts schools and student educational outcomes. In South Africa, there is a deficit in social capital in under-resourced and underperforming schools that limits students' educational…

Institutions of higher learning in the Eastern Cape face significant challenges in ensuring equitable access to technology among their student population. The digital divide, exacerbated by socioeconomic disparities, poses a barrier to academic success and hinders the realization of educational goals. This paper explores strategies for addressing…

Research on the digital divide in sub-Saharan education needs an overview of its conceptual developments and practices since the studies in the field of the digital divide emerged and were established around the mid-1990s. The present systematic literature review fills such a gap by using mixed methods to analyse three aspects of research on the…

In this qualitative article, we argue that marginalized spaces in historically disadvantaged school settings, such as in the case of a marginalized group of people, an out-group in the South African society, can become counter-spaces of comfort and nurturance. Spaces in historically disadvantaged communities are usually perceived in the dominant…

Background: Schools in impoverished communities on the Cape Flats experience challenges related to high levels of poverty, crime and gang violence that can adversely affect learners' psycho-social and academic development. After-school programmes (ASPs) represent one form of intervention to address these issues. Aim: This study explored the…

This article explores the critical need for improved Mathematics, Science, Engineering and Technology (STEM) education in South African townships and rural areas, where persistent challenges in teaching methods and resource accessibility have hindered the development of these crucial subjects. The perception of Mathematics and Science as complex…

The rapid growth in information communication technology (ICT) usage has brought remarkable changes in higher education. Many higher education institutions around the globe are adopting e-learning platforms as one of the primary ways of delivering teaching and learning among students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, South African higher education…

This study investigated principals' perceptions of their responsibilities in managing technology infrastructure in under-resourced public secondary schools within the Tshwane West district, using a public-private partnership (PPP) approach. 2017,the Telkom Foundation initiated the 'Connected Schools Project' 2017, which introduced advanced…

Recent high dropout and low graduation rates in the South African higher education institutions as well as government funding cuts and the economic uncertainty due to COVID-19 pandemic have heightened the urgency for the higher education sector to improve its productivity. However, empirical evidence on the productivity growth of the sector…

In the study reported on here we looked at experiences of parental involvement in schools in Phoenix, KwaZulu-Natal. The objectives of the study were to determine how parents were involved in schools and what their experiences were. The study was guided by Epstein's Theory of Overlapping Spheres. A qualitative research approach within an…