This study aimed to systematically review the prospects and challenges associated with adopting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning at rural universities in South Africa. To achieve this aim, a systematic review methodology was employed. The systematic review findings revealed a multifaceted landscape wherein opportunities for enhancing education through ICT exist alongside significant challenges. Prospects include the potential for technology to bridge educational gaps, increase accessibility, and provide innovative learning experiences. However, challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited connectivity, and varying levels of digital literacy pose significant impediments. The study emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to address these challenges, including infrastructure development, capacity building, and localized content creation. Additionally, recommendations for flexible learning models and collaborative partnerships are outlined to facilitate effective ICT adoption in the unique context of rural South African universities. Continuous research and evaluation are advocated to inform future strategies and ensure sustainable improvements in rural education through ICT integration.

The study was motivated by the question of what challenges and enablers women encounter as they progress in their academic careers. A qualitative research method was used. This participatory action research involved 19 members of a South African university’s permanent academic staff who shared their perspectives on women's academic advancement. A literature review was conducted to provide contextual insight. The four key themes that underpinned the data analysis are: factors hindering women's academic careers; challenges faced by women academics; advancing women’s academic careers; and advancing the employability of aspiring female academics. Unfair recruitment processes, intrinsic societal attitudes, low self-esteem and a lack of mentorship programmes were identified as critical factors impeding women's academic careers. Revised recruitment policies, promotion opportunities and support programmes for women are evidenced as critical to advancing women's academic careers. It is suggested that a concerted effort be made by women as individuals, universities and the government to advance women's academic careers.

This study explores the dynamics of marketing agricultural products in the coastal regions of the Eastern Cape, South Africa, through an analysis of existing literature and empirical data collected from selected participants to model farmers’ marketing experiences and identifies an improvement pathway. This study aims to enhance the understanding of the factors that inhibit and enable the marketability of coastal agricultural products. Employing a causal relationship research methodology, this paper reviewed the current situation through a bottom-up approach, providing valuable insights for policymakers, interventionists, researchers, and practitioners who aim to support rural coastal agricultural growth and livelihood enhancement in the Eastern Cape. Data were collected from 215 participants from the sample of 4212 registered coastal small-scale farms in the Eastern Cape through a multi-staged sampling procedure. The findings through Path analysis empirically revealed that technological resources, efficient supply chain systems, supportive government policies, and unlimited market access significantly enhance the marketability of coastal agricultural products. The study recommends addressing challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, stringent regulatory requirements, and the effects of climate change, which is essential for advancing the marketability of coastal agricultural products.

The aim of this study resonated with the pursuit of achieving enhanced engagement in teaching and learning that informs critical thinking, and knowledge retention among students. Despite the growing trend of technological integration in teaching and learning, however, there exists a lack of empirical evidence and comprehensive studies that investigate the effectiveness of gaming in promoting educational objectives within rural institution of higher learning in South Africa. To investigate this gap, a systematic review method was employed, which provides a comprehensive and logical analysis of existing literature on the significance of gaming in teaching and learning within rural institutions of higher education. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used in the study to enhance the rigor and transparency of the research process, by providing a solid foundation for synthesizing and interpreting existing literature relevant to the study. The systematic review findings revealed that the significance of gamification in teaching and learning in rural higher education lies in its ability to overcome accessibility challenges, provide personalized learning experiences, address motivation and retention issues, and enhance digital literacy. It was recommended that by incorporating gamified approaches, rural higher educational institutions can create a more inclusive, engaging, and effective learning environment for students within the rural institutions of higher learning in South Africa.

This research was conducted to evaluate the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the socioeconomic status of South African women. There is an urgent need for a better understanding of the unique circumstances and provisional assistance of effective support for women throughout the Covid-19 crisis and its aftermath considering the level of impact the virus had on women. To achieve the researchobjective, a literature- based analysis was employed, which provides an in-depth analysis and evaluation of previous literature on the unprecedented nature and trend of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impacts on the socioeconomic status of women in South Africa. Thus, despite the limited scientific data on the most recent development of the pandemic, the findings revealed that the pandemic has escalated most variables of socioeconomic status of women in South Africa, which include high poverty rates, increased rates of unplanned pregnancy, school drop-out of schoolgirls and child labour among teenage girls, lack of income, decreased financial empowerment, reduced access to conducive healthcare, excessive maternal mortality, and growing food shortages and malnutrition. Thus, as the world continues to search for a reliable vaccine and other preventive measures for the virus, this paper recommended that policymakers and stakeholders around the globe, and most especially in South Africa, should develop coherent and strategic policies that will incorporate and attend to the socioeconomic needs of women.

The study was triggered as a result of declining performance of learners in Botswana and it was aimed at finding solutions that would enhance sound academic performance in junior secondary schools. A phenomenological design was selected for the study while a qualitative approach was adopted using focus group interviews as the source of data collection from participants. The findings of this study revealed that the inability of the government of Botswana to implement job satisfaction measures in educators inhibited adequate transfer of knowledge to learners, which resulted in a decline in performance. Learners’ gross misconduct and their parents’ inability to counsel them contributed to their decline in performance. Also, learners and educators admitted that the current system of education should be replaced with another productive system. Another finding of this study confirmed that learners are tired of corporal punishment and they want it to be replaced with detention. The study recommendation is that the Ministry of Education of Botswana should apply motivational and job satisfaction factors to encourage educators to adequately transfer knowledge to learners.