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The study explores how Information Communication Technology (ICT) can be integrated in the daily school activities of Gauteng public schools from views of educators, Heads of Departments (HODs) and subject advisors. The aim of the study was to explore the degree of the ICT integration within Gauteng public schools, the challenges impeding the optimum utilisation of ICT towards curriculum delivery and enabling conditions for ICT rollout in education transformation. Therefore, the study's objectives were to determine the degree to which individual qualities impact the educator’s preparedness in the usage of ICT for teaching, to ascertain the magnitude to which preceding ICT skills and computer training affects educator’s preparedness within their teaching environment; hence determine the degree to which ICT infrastructure affects the educators’ preparedness to integrate ICT technology during teaching. Using stratified random sampling method, two hundred and ten (210) educators were extracted from the identified population. The purposive sampling technique was applied to sample twelve (12) HODs and five (5) senior officials from the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE). Both educators and HODs were selected from public schools in three Gauteng regions namely: Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni. A triangulation technique was employed using a survey (questionnaires and semi-structured interviews) as data collection instruments to collect data from respondents. The collected data was then scrutinised in-line with the predefined conceptual framework. The independent variables of the study were factors influencing educators’ readiness to use ICT in public schools. The dependent variable of the study was educators’ preparedness to use ICT. An analytical tool, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), was used to analyse quantitative data. This allowed the study to generate descriptive statistics from the collected data. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews was analysed using content analysis resulting in a systematic and replicable procedure of identifying themes by compressing many words of text into fewer categories. The main result of the study is that ICT training affects educators’ preparedness to use ICT resources for curriculum delivery. Training deepens educators’ ICT knowledge and prepares them to apply learned skills. The acquired set of knowledge and skills in turn give the educators more confidence in the classroom and competence in teaching the subject content. A major recommendation of the study is the need to have regular refresher courses in ICT as the findings revealed that not all educators have good computer skills. Further, there is a need to improve the pace of the rollout of the of ICT infrastructure as lack of it negatively affects educators’ preparedness. Above all, the study recommends that a multi-sectoral implementation model for ICT integration should be adopted by the Gauteng Department of Education. This can improve the integration and adoption of technology for teaching and learning in selected Gauteng public schools. The other element to consider is introducing change management early in the rollout so that educators can adapt to the changing work environment.

In line with massive and complex problems faced by all organisations across the world, COVID-19 outbreak had a severe and disruptive impact in Gauteng provincial public schools. Its effect of forced many institutions to rethink their delivery models. The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) was compelled to adjust to the new normal to prevent disruption to teaching and learning by unlocking efficiencies emanating from the existing ICT, multi-media as well as broadcasting resources. This presentation presents a rational for rapid intervention and shares on experiences encountered during such an intervention

Student’s experiences on the use of online collaborative technology continues to attract attention of researchers in education and social sciences. Of particular interest is the reliance on technological and digital platforms, using web-based strategies during the outbreak of COVID-19 in institutions of learning. This study used an unlinked, anonymous survey to explicate experiences of students on the use of online technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. Consenting participants constituted a study population that was made up of first year accounting students in a public university in South Africa, drawing a sample of 190 from a population of 371. Using a theory of connectivism, the study found that students were eager and confident that collaborative technology could lead them to pass their examinations even if face-to-face intervention was missing. Collaborative technology consisting of tools such as WhatsApp, Blackboard and Zoom made it easy for them to relate with instructors and faculty who were making efforts to deliver content in a simplified manner. The study further concluded that efforts have to be made to study the benefits of collaborative technology both to learners and faculty at institutions of higher learning.

This study explored options for the provision of efficient prison services in South Africa. The researcher compared public and private prisons with respect to costs, quality, accountability and impact on jobs. The study also drew lessons from the international experience on prison privatisation. The primary objective of the study was to develop practical options for privatisation of prison and prison services in South Africa. The study includes a literature review as well as an assessment and selection of theoretical frameworks. The researcher relied on reports and legislation(s) with respect to prison privatisation. A case study was developed on three countries where prison privatisation had gained momentum (USA, Australia and UK). In Africa, at the research report focused on Lesotho, Malawi and Botswana, focusing on the extent of overcrowding and prison privatisation in these respective countries. The study found that, the legislation regulating private prisons favours private contractors and needs to be revisited. It also emerged that the privatisation of prisons and prison services has become an international trend, spreading to other continents such as Africa, Asia and South America. The study also found that the project on private prisons was rushed and not properly piloted in South Africa, however, it also came out that private prisons could coexist alongside private prisons. The general claim that private prisons are cheaper than public prisons could not be proved, especially in relation to South Africa. The main finding in relation to costs was that, private prisons have at least helped to come up with a formula to establish how much it really costs to keep a person in prison. Finally, the study concluded that the topic on prison privatisation needs further exploration and that; there is a need for renewed partnerships between private and public prisons that would be mutually beneficial.