The Journal of Gender, Information and Development in Africa (JGIDA) strives towards excellence and relevance in African scholarship. JGIDA promotes freedom of inquiry and research with a view to stimulating and entrenching a culture and tradition of independent African research issues. To this end, JGIDA foregrounds the following: African responses to regional challenges; African world views; knowledge bases that are intrinsically and inherently African; indigenous ways of thinking; knowledge systems based on African realities; implication of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in information societies, research reflecting the social, economic and developmental constructs of African scholarship. JGIDA strives to engender high quality international scholarly excellence focusing on the research needs of the knowledge economy, technology innovation and transfer predicated on diverse cross disciplinary subjects in the social sciences, humanities and the arts. The focus of this series is monitoring, evaluation and implementation related to education, international development, practice intervention strategies, advocacy and campaigns from a gender justice and women’s rights perspective. This issue supports practitioners and researchers to understand how best to apply evidence

based models and practice approaches to ensure education, training, policy and program delivery. The following articles are highlighted:

1. Effect Of Innovative Technology On Internal Audit Using Selected Municipalities In Nigeria As Case Study

2. Attitude of Learners toward the Use of Mobile Technology for Adult Literacy Programme in Nigeria: Challenges and Lessons Learnt

3. Effect of economic sector and marital status on organizational citizenship behaviour among some graduate employees in Nigeria

4. Comparative Correlates of Campus Unrest Nexus Learning Abilities of undergraduates in South Africa and Nigeria

5. Distance Nexus Learning Challenges among Rural Undergraduate University Students

6. Influence Of Leadership Styles On The Success Of Secondary Education In Africa: A Case Study Of Nigeria And South Africa

7. Effective Teachers’ Cluster System as an Approach to Enhanced Classroom Practices in South African High Schools

8. The Overall Performance of Grade 12 Mathematics and Physical Science Learners in South Africa’s Gauteng Province

9. Gender Comparative Analysis Of The Impact Of Smartphone As A Learning Tool

10. Listening to the voices of the people: A beneficiary assessment of the implementation of the Labour Intensive Public Work (LIPW) programme under the Ghana Social Opportunity Project (GSOP) in the Upper West Region of Ghana

11. (Re) constructing) Traditional African Onomastics: A case study of Bapedi tribe of Moletjie in Limpopo Province, South Africa

12. Women Struggle for Representation in African Political Structure

As a social worker, I understand the need to address the issues facing Africans who strive to meet the needs of their families and communities at the micro, mezzo and macro level. Fortunately, the establishment of social work programs worldwide has grown astronomically in the last 25 years. As scholars and practitioners, we have heeded the call regarding the need for implementation of programs and policies focusing on disenfranchised groups globally. It is imperative that multidisciplinary research and best practice approaches be implemented that address those relevant issues related to gender, information and development in Africa. It is a privilege to work with colleagues who are dedicated to making a difference in the individual lives, communities and the African society as a whole. I appreciate the dedication of the Editorial Review Board that serves in the forefront to ensure the integrity of JGIDA

The objective of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to determine which
of the two genders, males or females, in Gauteng Province provides the postsecondary
school
system
with
a
higher
proportion
of
potential
mathematics
and

physical

science students. In particular, this study compares the likelihood of
passing Grade 12 between males and females who enrolled for mathematics and
physical science, even after adjusting for school-type, in the Gauteng Province.
The study used correlated secondary data supplied by Umalusi. The dataset
contained information of 51 017 (23 711 [46.48%] male and 27 306 [53.52%]
female), 46 903 (22 135 [47.19%] male and 24 768 [52.81%] female) and 40 042
(18 484 [46.16%] male and 21 558 [53.84%] female) Grade 12 learners who sat
for Grade 12 examinations in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 academic years,
respectively. The crude and adjusted mixed-effects models indicate that females
were at least 0.92 less likely to pass Grade 12 than their male counterparts in the
2008, 2009 and 2010 academic years. A significant difference was observed in
2009 cohort (P < 0.001). The implementation of the current national
curriculum and assessment policy statement for mathematics and the general
national curriculum statement (mathematics) is commendable since it affords
female and male learners who are enrolled for both mathematics and physical
science some comparable chances of passing Grade 12 in Gauteng Province.

The world we live in today is technology driven as evident in technologicainnovations which has disrupted the traditional approach to getting things donein many spheres. Organizations are beginning to take drastic steps to harnessthese innovative technologies to strengthen their internal control mechanismsone of which is the internal audit. This study examined the effect of innovativetechnology on internal audit of Local Governments of Osun State, Nigeria. Asample of 100 auditors was drawn using the purposive sampling technique from15 Local Governments out of the 30 Local Governments that exist in the state―Innovative Technology in Internal Audit Instrument‖ (ITII) was constructedand validated using factor analysis to ascertain the content validity whileCronbach Alpha was used to verify the internal consistency of the reliability ofITII with an index of 0.791. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analysethe research hypotheses. The result shows that there was significant effect ofinnovative technology on internal audit of the Local Governments in OsunState, Nigeria. Periodic seminars and workshops on the use of innovativetechnology in the internal audit for auditors were inter alia recommended.

It had been observed that new technologies are of growing importance and in
many facets of everyday lives and livelihoods around the world. These
information and communications technologies (ICTs), especially mobile
devices, have special benefits for learning, both in and out of schools. The
larger percentage of adults in Nigeria use smartphones which, by observation,
outsmarts and outnumbers sets of television available in the country. The study reported in this paper sheds light on the attitude, challenges and lesson learnt
using mobile technology for learners in adult literacy programmes. The study
adopted a quasi-experiment method where Twenty (20) participants were
purposively selected in advanced literacy class. The learning model was designed
around the context of curriculum being offered by learners. The challenges of
ambiguity of mobile technology are the major constraints and the cost of data
for learners. The feeling of being too old to use mobile technology to learn
makes adults to see it as a sheer waste of time. The study recommended that the
government should provide infrastructures specifically in the area of technology
for proper integration in adult literacy programme and the provider should
sensitize the learning community regarding the benefits of technology for
integration.

The study investigated the causes and effects of campus unrest on the learning abilities of undergraduates in selected South African and Nigerian universities. Survey research design was adopted for the study. 480 undergraduates and eight lecturers were selected as participants of the study. Questionnaires with 4-point Likert-scale were administered to the 480 student respondents while interviews were conducted with the lecturers. Data analyses showed that campus unrest in the selected universities have common as well as different causes. However, the effects are similar. Sequel to the findings, the study recommended that top management staff should endeavour to listen to the demands of students, academic and non-academic staff. So also, students and members of staff need to be educated on how to adopt dialogue in the resolution of conflict or disagreement.

The Labour Intensive Public Work (LIPW) programme, under the Ghana
Social Opportunity Project (GSOP) is a social protection programme initiated
by the Government of Ghana to offer jobs and income earning opportunities to
some targeted rural residence through the application of labour intensive
technology in the construction of community infrastructure that has the
potential of generating secondary employment. Beneficiaries of the programme
are paid GH¢7 for 6 hours work in a day. They are engaged in the construction
of dams/dugouts, feeder road and the planting of trees. This study sought to
assess and identify the challenges facing the project implementation from
beneficiary‘s perspective in order to set the platform for an interactive feedback
between project implementers and community members for the smooth
implementation of future LIPW programmes. A beneficiary assessment
methodology involving techniques such as interviews, focus group discussions
and observations were used to collect data. The study revealed that beneficiaries
are satisfied with the targeting process, and the quality of asset created by the
project. However, they are unsatisfied with the amount of wage payed to them,
delays in payment of wage, mode of payment and period of engagement in the
project. The study therefore recommends that programme implementers
engages community members in the setting of wage rate and incorporate some
training programmes in entrepreneurship into the programe design to build the
capacity of beneficiaries.

This study explored the interconnectedness between distance to campus and
the learning abilities of students cum their academic performances. Mixed
Methods Design was adopted for the study. Self-designed questionnaires were
administered to 934 randomly selected students, while semi-structured
interviews were conducted for 8 conveniently selected lecturers from two rural
universities in Nigeria and South Africa. The collected sets of quantitative and
qualitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and themes
respectively. The finding of the study shows that rural based universities lack
adequate campus based accommodation facilities; the distance between where

The study investigated the effect of economic sector and marital status on
organisational citizenship behaviour among some graduate employees in
Nigeria, using the positivist explanatory cross-sectional (survey) research design,
and a structured and validated questionnaire to systematically sample opinions
of 1,532 male and female graduate employees across the various sectors of the
nation‘s economy. Moreover, hypotheses were stated and tested using T-test of
Independent Groups and Oneway Analysis of Variance. The results of the
statistical analysis showed that graduate employees in the private economic
sector expressed a significant higher level of organisational citizenship
behaviour than their counterparts in the public economic sector (t= -2.122, df
(1530) p <.05). The results also showed that there is a significant interaction
effect of single, married, divorced and widow/widower on organisational
citizenship behaviour F(3, 1528)= 3.33; P<.05. This is evident in the mean
scores of participants across the four groups of marital status - single ( =
51.67); married ( = 52.69); divorced ( = 53.88) and widow/widower ( =
56.00). The study recommended that human resource managers should
constantly facilitate seminar programmes and training schemes where
employees could be more oriented on the importance of organisational
citizenship behaviour.

The in-service professional development of teachers plays a prominent role in
determining quality education in developing African countries. This study
evaluated the use of the cluster system as one of the in-service professional
development approaches for teachers in South African high schools. The theory
of andragogy was used as a theoretical framework to underpin the study.
Questionnaires were administered to 40 teachers; 3 heads of departments were
engaged in semi-structured individual interviews while 5 teachers participated in
a focus group interview. Findings revealed that the cluster system existed
among the subject teachers and the system enhanced the teachers‘ classroom
practices through the assistance of experienced contemporaries. The study also
revealed that contents of these meetings could be results analysis which seemed
irrelevant and time-consuming. There was also no proper monitoring or followup
on
the
teachers‘
activities.
The
study,
therefore,
recommends
that
the
cluster

system

should be structured to meet the classroom needs of teachers and
proper follow-up mechanisms should be employed.

Progressive efforts have been made globally in ensuring qualitative access to
education irrespective of the gender. However, with the advent of mobile high-tech gadgets such as smartphones, the fourth industrial revolution is
interrupting the existing approaches to the execution of tasks in every sector of
the society including the educational sector. This presents a major challenge as
studies, on one hand, have shown that the level at which the male and female
are impacted by technological changes varies as they perceive and respond to
things differently. On the other hand, studies reveal that the level of awareness,
adoption and impact of any technological change in the rural community differs
from their urban counterparts majorly due to the wide socio-economic gap.
Hence, this study gives a comparative gender analysis of the level of awareness,
adoption and impact of smartphones on selected students in a rural-based
comprehensive University in South Africa. To achieve this, the gender
difference in the level of awareness, adoption and impact of smartphones as a
learning tool was estimated and the male and female perception on the use of M
learning was investigated. Findings from the study show that the level of
awareness, adoption and impact of smartphones as a learning tool was higher in
the female participants than the male and the perception of the male and female
participants differ.

This study investigated the role of principals in curbing the high failure rates
experienced in rural-based high schools in selected African nations. The
qualitative method was adopted for data collection through the use of semistructured

interviews which were conducted for two principals, two vice
principals and 8 teachers from two selected high schools across two African
countries: South Africa and Nigeria. The finding of the study shows that among
others, the politicization of leadership positions, and the adopted leadership
styles of principals affect learners‘ learning abilities. The study recommends that
eclectic leadership styles should be encouraged, and principalship should be on
merit.

This article seeks to (re)construct the relevance of personal naming among the
Bapedi of Moletjie. This traditional African onomastics is influenced by the
context that prevails during the birth of children. Since names are carriers of cultural information, they are meaningful to the growth and development of
children in particular and the society in general. Names signify status, ethnicity,
social prestige, privilege, achievement which are all interpreted as significant in
particular social contexts. The qualitative approach, underpinned by the
Pragmatic theory of Properhood (TPTP) was used to extract a corpus of names,
and motivation for choosing those names. The informants were all Sepedi
speakers. The study, therefore, pertains specifically to the Bapedi people and
their name-giving. Twelve (12) participants residing in the Moletjie area of
Limpopo Province of South Africa contributed to the corpus of names and
gave reasons for such kind of name-giving. The study found that names are
given to children taking into account issues such as status, marital wealth,
health, biological and social relationships, nature, and the environment.
Sometimes names given within a particular cultural environment can become a
challenge when they are perceived differently in another environment. This
article recommends that parents should consider giving their children names
carefully since this could influence their identity and perspective on life as well
as the way they are perceived by others.

Most Africa countries today are faced with enormous socio-political and
economic challenges as a result of the colonial legacy. Apparently, these African
countries have wriggled over the past recent decades to find both economic
development and political stability. Previous research focused on providing
solutions to ‗Africa‘s democracy problem,‘ which raises the argument that ‗if
these countries were to include more women in politics, democracy could
become a reality in order to close the gap of gender disparity‘. There are few
factors identified in this study that may have hindered or contribute to the low
representation of Africa women in political matters of their countries, these
factors may have a close link to Africa socio-cultural development and beliefs.
It was noted that South Africa in 1994 for instance, have merely only 2.7%
representation of women in parliament just before the emergence of
democracy. However, things have changed since then. The United Nations
report shows that some sub-Saharan countries has significantly increased the number of women in parliament, and national assemblies than unlikely,
‗democratic‘ countries. Rwanda as a practical example in-spite of being one of
the poorest country in the world, has a great number of women represented in
the parliament of 68% in its political structure. This is recorded to be higher
than many wealthier nations around the world. The constitutional quota,
electoral law, and Political assembly standards are three fundamental share
frameworks in Africa which are responsible for the achievements of more
women in parliament. This study qualitatively utilized a content data analysis.