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The introduction of school governing bodies (hereinafter SGBs) changed the roles and functions of principals dramatically when this new approach to school governance and professional management (referred to as a participatory decision-making approach) was activated when the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 (hereinafter SASA) was implemented in January 1997. Consequently, the principal is no longer the only decision-maker in the school. The principal as the protagonist in school management and governance (implementing SGB policy) is the role-player most affected by the introduction of the participatory decision-making approach. In this article, we discuss principals’ perspectives regarding the shared participatory decision-making approach and the effects thereof on the relationship between the principal and the SGB. In this regard, it is important to note that the perceptions the two parties have of each other are established by the SGB’s encroachment on the professional management functions of the principal and vice versa. The research findings concluded that the relationship between the principal and the SGB is often a relationship characterised by tension, no trust and irrational actions by the SGB. The relationship is further influenced by the functionality or lack of functionality of SGBs as well as prevailing socio-economic conditions and SGB members’ levels of literacy. On the other hand, principals who do not adapt to participatory decision-making, and who still implement an assertive autocratic management approach, also contribute to a turbulent relationship.

In the context of improving the quality of teacher education, the focus of the present work was to adapt the Mentoring for Effective Primary Science Teaching instrument to become more universal and have the potential to be used beyond the elementary science mentoring context. The adapted instrument was renamed the Mentoring for Effective Teaching Practicum Instrument. The new, validated instrument enables the assessment of trainee teachers’ perceived experiences with their mentors during their two-week annual teaching practicum at elementary and high schools. In the first phase, the original 34-item Mentoring for Effective Primary Science Teaching instrument was expanded to 62 items with the addition of new items and items from the previous works. All items were rephrased to refer to contexts beyond primary science teaching. Based on responses on an expanded instrument received from 105 pre-service teachers, of whom 94 were females in their fourth year of study (approx. age 22–23 years), the instrument was reviewed and shortened to 36 items classified into six dimensions: personal attributes, system requirements, pedagogical knowledge, modelling, feedback, and Information and Communication Technology due to outcomes of Principal Component and Confirmatory Factor analyses. All six dimensions of the revised instrument are unidimensional, with Cronbach alphas above 0.8 and factor loadings of items above 0.6. Such an instrument could be used in follow-up studies and to improve learning outcomes of teaching practice. As such, specific and general recommendations for the mentee, mentors, university lecturers, and other stakeholders could be derived from the findings to encourage reflection and offer suggestions for the future.

The availability of high-fidelity energy consumption estimates and the ability to evaluate drivetrain efficiency are crucial for effectively planning a large-scale transition to electric vehicles. For both new and retrofitted electric vehicles, a key question is the transmission type—single-speed or multi-speed—and the resulting impact on the vehicle’s overall efficiency. This paper presents a comprehensive simulation-based methodology for evaluating the impact of transmission selection on vehicle efficiency using high-fidelity driving cycle data. The method can be used for new vehicles and retrofit applications where a transmission is already present. The efficiency of a single-speed reduction gearbox was compared to that of a five-speed multi-speed transmission in a retrofitted vehicle, of which the impact of the manual transmission on the vehicle dynamics and efficiency was examined. The manual transmission proved to be more efficient for a perfect gear-shifting strategy.

Simulation is a cornerstone of planning and facilitating the transition towards electric mobility in sub-Saharan Africa’s informal public transport. The primary objective of this study is to validate and refine the electro-kinetic model used to simulate electric versions of the sector’s minibuses. A systematic simulation methodology is also developed to correct the simulation parameters and improve the high-frequency GPS data used with the model. A retrofitted electric minibus was used to capture high-frequency GPS mobility data and power draw from the battery. The method incorporates key refinements such as corrections for gross vehicle mass, elevation and speed smoothing, radial drag, hill-climb forces, and the calibration of propulsion and regenerative braking parameters. The refined simulation demonstrates improved alignment with measured power draw and trip energy usage, reducing error margins and enhancing model reliability. Factors such as trip characteristics and environmental conditions, including wind resistance, are identified as potential contributors to observed discrepancies. These findings highlight the importance of precise data handling and model calibration for accurate energy simulation and decision making in the transition to electric public transport. This work provides a robust framework for future studies and practical implementations, offering insights into the technical and operational challenges of electrifying informal public transport systems in resource-constrained regions.

The nascent electrification of transport has heralded a new chapter in the driving force of mobility. Developing regions such as sub-Saharan Africa already lag in this transformative transport transition. A potential transitional step towards full-scale electric mobility is the retrofitting of the existing fleet of internal combustion-based vehicles. This paper proposes a novel approach to the design of a retrofit electric drivetrain for an internal combustion engine vehicle. Specifically, a minibus taxi, which dominates the region’s informal paratransit industry, is electrified. This retrofit is the first formal research presented with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa and its unique challenges. A generic methodology is presented to systematically specify and select drivetrain components and assess the suitability and characteristics of those components. Unique about the presented methodology is the application of driving-cycle data of internal combustion engine vehicles, which provides quantitative insights into the performance and characteristics of the selected components for a retrofit. Finally, a real-world use case is presented to provide a tangible example and to validate the feasibility of the presented approach.

BackgroundThe severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection [days to return to sport (RTS)] in athletes has been associated with the total number of acute symptoms. Data on the association between acute symptoms and demographics, sport participation, co-morbidities/allergies and organ involvement are however lacking.ObjectiveTo explore if the number of acute SARS-CoV-2 symptoms in athletes is associated with organ involvement, adjusting for possible confounders: demographics, sport participation (level/type), history of co-morbidities/allergies.DesignProspective cohort study with cross-sectional analysis.SettingMedical evaluation 10–28 days after the onset of SARS-CoV-2 symptoms. Participants 95 Competitive athletes of varying levels of participation (professional/amateur) and different sport types. Assessment of risk factorsGroup differences were explored for demographics, sport participation, history of co-morbidities/allergies and organ involvement (defined as residual symptoms, abnormal clinical signs or selected laboratory investigations). Main outcome measurementsThe association between number of acute SARS-CoV-2 symptoms in 3 subgroups [by number of symptoms (1=≤5, 2=6–9, or 3=≥10)] and demographics, sport participation, history of co-morbidity/allergies and organ involvement. ResultsThere was a significantly higher% of females (p=0.007) in subgroup 3 vs. 1 (p=0.005) or 2 (p=0.017). The% endurance athletes (p=0.022) was significantly higher in subgroups 3 vs. 1 (p=0.021) or 2 (p=0.037). The mean number of co-morbidities (p=0.003) was significantly lower in subgroup 2 vs. 1 (p=0.02) and allergies were more frequent in subgroup 3 vs. 1 (37.5% vs. 13.8%; p=0.037). After adjusting for sex and co-morbidities, number of organ systems involved was greater in subgroups 3 (2.4; p=0.0001) and 2 (2.3; p=0.0001) vs. 1(1.2).ConclusionsMore acute SARS-CoV-2 symptoms (>5) in athletes were associated with higher number of organ involvement, independent of sex or history of co-morbidities. Number of acute symptoms is a valuable measure of disease severity, which is the first step in clinical RTS decision making after recent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Measuring homophobia at country level is important to guide public health policy as reductions in stigma are associated with improved health outcomes among gay men and other men who have sex with men. Methods: We developed a Homophobic Climate Index incorporating institutional and social components of homophobia. Institutional homophobia was based on the level of enforcement of laws that criminalise, protect or recognise same-sex relations. Social homophobia was based on the level of acceptance and justifiability of homosexuality. We estimated the Index for 158 countries and assessed its robustness and validity. Western Europe is the most inclusive region, followed by Latin America. Africa and the Middle East are home to the most homophobic countries with two exceptions: South Africa and Cabo Verde. We found that a 1% decrease in the level of homophobia is associated with a 10% increase in the gross domestic product per capita. Countries whose citizens face gender inequality, human rights abuses, low health expenditures and low life satisfaction are the ones with a higher homophobic climate. Moreover, a 10% increase in the level of homophobia at country level is associated with a 1.7-year loss in life expectancy for males. A higher level of homophobia is associated with increased AIDS-related death among HIV-positive men. The socioecological approach of this index demonstrates the negative social, economic and health consequences of homophobia in low- and middle-income countries. It provides sound evidence for public health policy in favour of the inclusion of sexual minorities.

Through the lens of the contextual intelligence theory, this article utilises previous empirical research studies as a base to support the application of professional discretion practices of public-school principals. The study focused in particular on the factors that influence or limit their use of professional discretion in their daily tasks. A mixed-methods study was conducted in which quantitative survey data were used to inform the questions that were asked to participants during semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest that public-school principals are susceptible to both internal and external factors that could limit or influence the application of their professional discretion. Even though public-school principals within a particular school district operate under the same set of policies, it is evident that some principals are more inclined to apply professional discretion than others.

After the advent of post-apartheid democracy, the government was confronted with the dilemma of how to address the inequities of the apartheid education dispensation by increasing access and participation while simultaneously allowing self-managing schools and promoting efficiency. In addition, the political transformation was accompanied by a strong emphasis on the need for shared responsibility for the governance of schools by local school governing bodies (SGBs) in partnership with the state. However, it is argued that ‘decentralised centralism’ has permeated the South African education system at the expense of the notion of community participation. The first part of the article examines the concepts of decentralisation and decentralised centralism. This is followed by an examination of the enactment of decentralisation in the South African education system. The third section shows how re-regulation of the periphery has gradually led to the education system becoming more centralised and how vested interests contributed to the development of decentralised centralism. The article concludes with a discussion of the schism between policy idealism and the practical reality and the connection between a legitimacy crisis and political realism as drivers of the movement towards decentralised centralism in the South African education system.

The school practicum is an essential component of pre-service student teachers’ training in the PGCE qualification, affording opportunities to develop mentees’ own identities. Along with a range of competences. This study explores how student teachers at Nelson Mandela University perceived their School-Based Learning (SBL) mentoring experience about the roles that mentors should fulfil based on an adapted seven-factor framework (Hudson, 2004, 2009) by adopting a post-positivist paradigm. The findings showed that both groups of participants who would like to return to the same mentor again or those who wish not to do so indicated that these seven factors played a crucial role in their decision-making.