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Rural Namibian teachers’ perspectives on Grade 4 students’ performance in social studies in the Oshana Region
Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613897076244480 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Ndakola, Teofilus Nestor |
| author2 | Halsall, Tarryn Chanel |
| author_browse | Halsall, Tarryn Chanel Ndakola, Teofilus Nestor |
| author_facet | Halsall, Tarryn Chanel Ndakola, Teofilus Nestor |
| author_sort | Ndakola, Teofilus Nestor |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134731 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:26.328Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134731 Rural Namibian teachers’ perspectives on Grade 4 students’ performance in social studies in the Oshana Region Ndakola, Teofilus Nestor Halsall, Tarryn Chanel Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies. Social studies -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Namibia -- Oshana Region Academic achievement -- Nambia -- Oshana Region Rural schools -- Nambia -- Oshana Region Teachers -- Attitudes -- Namibia -- Oshana Region Education, Elementary -- Namibia -- Oshana Region UCTD Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Ndakola, T. N. 2025. Rural Namibian teachers’ perspectives on Grade 4 students’ performance in Social Studies in the Oshana Region. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/5dba1d1d-c348-4948-a5b1-369db783bdb8 ENGLISH ABSTRACT: According to the regional end of year result analysis for Grade 4 Social Studies, the performance of Grade 4 learners in this subject in rural schools in the Oshana region has been very low since the incorporation of Grade 4 into a senior primary phase in Namibia. I became aware of the paucity of research conducted specifically on the performance of Grade 4 learners in Social Studies in Namibia in my initial investigations. This study was conceptualized and conducted to understand the underperformance of Grade 4 learners in Social Studies from the perspectives of Grade 4 Social Studies’ teachers. This research was focused on two main research questions: Firstly, what are the perspectives of rural Namibian teachers on the performance of Grade 4 learners in Social Studies in the Oshana region? Secondly, how do these perceptions impact the performance of Grade 4 learners in the Oshana region? This study adopted a qualitative approach underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm. The research design was a single case study of ten rural schools in the Oshana region. The study adopted a purposive sampling as a convenient sampling method. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews, supplemented by secondary follow-up interviews. Analysis of the data revealed two main themes with integral sub themes. The study found that rurality as a multifaceted concept negatively impacts the performance of Grade 4 learners in Social Studies. The rural challenges forming part of this construct include the lengthy distances that rural learners walk to school, lack of teaching and learning resources and facilities, English as a language barrier in rural schools, and lack of parental involvement in the academic affairs/school activities of the Grade 4 learners. Another major influence perceived to negatively impact the performance of learners is the challenges associated with the transitional phase of Grade 4. This includes the transition to English as a medium of instruction (MoI), with embedded challenges such as writing, reading and studying, inability to think critically and independently, and a shift from class teaching to subject were identified as factors negatively impacting teaching and learning of Social Studies. Other non-transitional factors include time allocation, too much content, automatic transfer policy, lack of teaching and learning resources, Social Studies being taught by non-subject specialists and lastly, little to no realistic exposure of learners to real life features. The data collected recommend a review of shortfalls in educational policies such as the language policy, ICT policy, and automatic transfer policy to align with the context and challenges of rural schools and transitional grades. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: prestasie van graad 4-leerders in landelike skole in die Oshana-streek is baie laag in Sosiale Studies sedert graad 4 in 'n senior primêre fase in Namibië geïnkorporeer is. Dit blyk uit die streeksuitslaganalise vir graad 4 Sosiale Studies. Hierdie studie word dus gedoen om die prestasie van graad 4-leerders in Sosiale Studies vanuit die perspektiewe van graad 4 Sosiale Studies se onderwysers te verstaan. Die navorser het uitgevind dat daar min tot geen navorsing spesifiek gedoen is oor die prestasie van graad 4-leerders in Sosiale Studies in Namibië nie. Hierdie navorsing is gedoen om die twee hoofnavorsingsvrae aan te spreek: Eerstens, wat is die perspektiewe van landelike Namibiese onderwysers op die prestasie van graad 4-leerders in Sosiale Studies in die Oshana-streek? Tweedens, hoe beïnvloed hierdie persepsies die prestasie van graad 4-leerders in die Oshana-streek? Hierdie studie het 'n kwalitatiewe benadering gevolg. Die navorsingsparadigma van die studie was interpretivistiese paradigma. Die navorsing was 'n enkele gevallestudie van tien landelike skole in die Oshana-streek. Die studie het 'n doelgerigte steekproefneming en 'n gerieflike steekproefmetode aangeneem. Die data is ingesamel met behulp van 'n semi-gestruktureerde onderhoud, aangevul deur 'n sekondêre opvolgonderhoud. Die studie het bevind dat landelikheid as 'n veelvlakkige konsep die prestasie van graad 4-leerders in Sosiale Studies negatief beïnvloed. Die landelike uitdagings sluit in die lang afstande wat landelike leerders skool toe stap, 'n gebrek aan onderrig- en leerhulpbronne en -fasiliteite, Engels as 'n taalversperring in landelike skole, en 'n gebrek aan ouerbetrokkenheid by die akademiese sake van die graad 4-leerders. Daarbenewens is nog 'n belangrike faktor wat die prestasie van leerders negatief beïnvloed, die uitdagings wat verband hou met die oorgangsfase van graad 4. Onder hierdie persepsie is die oorgang na Engels as onderrigmedium, uitdagings soos skryf, lees en studie, onvermoë om krities en onafhanklik te dink, en 'n verskuiwing van klasonderrig na vak geïdentifiseer as faktore wat onderrig en leer van Sosiale Studies negatief beïnvloed. Ander nie-oorgangsfaktore sluit in tydstoewysing, te veel inhoud, outomatiese oordragbeleid, gebrek aan onderrig- en leerhulpbronne, sosiale studies wat deur nie-vakspesialiste onderrig word en laastens min of geen realistiese blootstelling van leerders aan werklike kenmerke nie. Die data wat ingesamel is, beveel 'n hersiening van tekortkominge in opvoedkundige beleide soos taalbeleid, IKT-beleid en outomatiese oordragbeleid aan om in lyn te wees met die konteks en uitdagings van landelike skole en oorgangsgrade. Masters 2026-01-05T14:04:30Z 2026-01-05T14:04:30Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134731 Stellenbosch University 210 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Social studies -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Namibia -- Oshana Region Academic achievement -- Nambia -- Oshana Region Rural schools -- Nambia -- Oshana Region Teachers -- Attitudes -- Namibia -- Oshana Region Education, Elementary -- Namibia -- Oshana Region UCTD Ndakola, Teofilus Nestor Rural Namibian teachers’ perspectives on Grade 4 students’ performance in social studies in the Oshana Region |
| title | Rural Namibian teachers’ perspectives on Grade 4 students’ performance in social studies in the Oshana Region |
| title_full | Rural Namibian teachers’ perspectives on Grade 4 students’ performance in social studies in the Oshana Region |
| title_fullStr | Rural Namibian teachers’ perspectives on Grade 4 students’ performance in social studies in the Oshana Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rural Namibian teachers’ perspectives on Grade 4 students’ performance in social studies in the Oshana Region |
| title_short | Rural Namibian teachers’ perspectives on Grade 4 students’ performance in social studies in the Oshana Region |
| title_sort | rural namibian teachers perspectives on grade 4 students performance in social studies in the oshana region |
| topic | Social studies -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Namibia -- Oshana Region Academic achievement -- Nambia -- Oshana Region Rural schools -- Nambia -- Oshana Region Teachers -- Attitudes -- Namibia -- Oshana Region Education, Elementary -- Namibia -- Oshana Region UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134731 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ndakolateofilusnestor ruralnamibianteachersperspectivesongrade4studentsperformanceinsocialstudiesintheoshanaregion |