Degrees Held
- Bachelor of Paedagogics, University of Durban-Westville, 1985
- Honours in Psychology, University of Durban-Westville,1996
- Masters in Educational Psychology (cum laude), University of Durban-Westville, 2003
- , University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2011
Research Interestes
- Child Sexual Abuse
- Learning Disorders
- Psycho–educational assessments (intellectual, scholastic, socio-emotional, school readiness)
- Behavioural Disorders (Attention deficit hyperactivity, conduct, oppositional defiant disorders)
- Substance-related Disorders (Drugs, alcohol).
Teaching Interests
- Psychological Interventions in Education
- Psychological Assessments in Education
- School Psycho-educational Support
- Human Development and Learning
- Perspectives on Human Nature
- Introduction to Inclusive Education
- Assessment and Educational Intervention
- School Guidance
- Education Studies
- Life Orientation
- Guidance and Counselling
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Chapters in Books
Journal Articles
- Jairam, V. (2017). New wine in new wine-skins. International Journal of Law, Humanities and Social Science, 5(1), 104-118.
- Jairam, V. (2023). Experiences of parental involvement in privileged and underprivileged schools. South African Journal of Education, 43(3), 1-10.
- Jairam, V. (2023). Psychosocial experiences of Foundation Phase teachers in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. South African Journal of Education, 43(1), S1-S18.
Chapters in Books
Jairam, V. (2009). “I’m not trained as a counselor, but I know I have to do something”: Basic counseling strategies for teachers. Teaching and HIV & AIDS. Claudia Mitchell and Kathleen Pithouse (Editors). Gauteng. Macmillan.
Community Involvement
- 11 October 2017. Hosted at UKZN the initial learning barriers workshop attended by teachers and UKZN student teachers from various schools in the Wentworth, Bluff and Merewent areas.
- 30 January 2020. Served on the panel to review the HIV/AIDS unit at the Nelson Mandela University.
- Research project at Nelson Mandela University and UKZN on HIV/AIDS education and Child Sexual Abuse: Can you hear the cry of the HIV-infected sexually abused children, oh trainee teacher?”: Trainee teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the intersection between Child Sexual Abuse and HIV
- Psycho-educational assessments. Conduct pro bono psycho-educational assessments on learners with learning difficulties.
- Workshops/Seminars/Conferences organised and conducted:
Child Sexual Abuse
Substance Abuse
HIV/AIDS
Sexual Responsibility
Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,
Stress Management
Time Management
Bereavement Counselling
Crisis Intervention/Trauma Counselling
Sexuality Education
Assertiveness Skills
Study Methods
Teaching Expertise
- 22 years experience as a lecturer at tertiary level (undergraduate, honours and masters)
- 21 years experience at school level (special needs education; and senior, intermediate and FET phases)
Student Supervision
Honours
Masters
PhD
Honours
Supervised about 4 honours students per year (Independent Research Projects) for the past 21 years.
Masters
- Sthembile Emily Chili (2013). Experiences of learners who witness bullying: Case study of one school in Umlazi.
- Ameetha Ranjith (2013). Foundation phase educators’ conceptualizations of emotional intelligence and its influence on teaching
- Areshnie Sewraj (2013). The experiences of learners assessed as intellectually superior in a school for learners with special needs.
- Jan Pia Weber (2013). Teachers’ experiences of teaching learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the mainstream classroom.
- Sargoonam Pillay (2013). Pre-vocational education: Teaching experiences of novice pre-vocational teachers at a pre-vocational school.
- Afsana Ramlucken (2013). From OBE to CAPS: Educators’ experiences of the New Life Skills curriculum in the Foundation phase.
- Ntombifuthi Julie Jane Silo (2013). Exploring the experiences of educators teaching sexuality education in Life Orientation to grade 6 and 7 learners in a selected school in the Westville Ward, Pinetown district.
- Nombuso Cecilia Ngeleka (2014). Teachers’ experiences in teaching sexuality education in the foundation phase in rural schools in the Ugu district.
- Veronica Delisile Msomi (2014). Experiences of learners with Albinism (LWA) in primary and secondary schools in the Umlazi district.
- Nhlanhla Aaron Dlamini (2014). The psychosocial experiences of teenage learners in two selected secondary schools in the Ubumbano circuit in Impendle.
- Sindiswa Mbali Shezi (2014). An exploration of school based interventions adopted by educators in under-resourced high schools to combat substance abuse.
- Clara Olive Maharaj (2014). Conflict resolution strategies used by grade 4 children in a primary school in the Umlazi District.
- Aneesa Mohamed (2015). The scholastic experiences of immigrant learners at a secondary school in Sydenham.
- Sivashnee Paragoo (2015). Educators’ experiences of teaching sexuality education in the FET phase.
- Shavon Berinica Soobramoney (2016). The effects of parental support on the academic performance and self-esteem of learners with learning disabilities.
- Lungisile Agness Mantshongo (2016). Teachers’ experiences of their professional development in identifying and addressing barriers to learning in the Sizabantwana primary schools support project.
- Soshendri Naidu (2016). Investigating educators’ experiences of teaching learners who have barriers to learning at a public secondary school in Newlands West.
- Uvisha Rajpal (2017). The use of digital media in enhancing teaching and learning in a secondary school in the Pinetown District
- Ntokozo Mulovhedzi (2019). Challenges encountered by primary school learners from single-parent households to attain academic achievements.
- Thamekile Patricia Mbili (2019). Enhancing inclusive expressive skills in the English language intermediate phase classroom.
- Nosipho Phumelele Princess Msomi (2019). Exploring inclusive practices in the Intermediate Phase Mathematics classroom at Umlazi district.
- Jade Crystal Chetty (2019). An inclusive learning environment for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
- Soraya Juditha Magardie (2019). The experience of learners diagnosed with learning disabilities at a LSEN (Learning Special Education Needs) school
- Thobekile Leanet Ntuli (2020). Promoting literacy using Short Messaging Services (SMS) to rural learners with reading difficulties.
- Lucas Pillay (2021). Teachers’ Understanding of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Public Primary Mainstream Classrooms: A Narrative Inquiry.
- Verusha Naidoo (2022). Foundation Phase Educators’ Understanding of Emotional Intelligence.
- Sindisiwe Precious Cele (2023): Exploring the academic experiences of intellectually superior high school learners, their proclivity to perform well academically and the challenges they experience.
- Mfanelo Prince Zulu (2023): Training Pre-service teachers for inclusion within a teacher education curriculum.
- Valentine Nontsikelelo Madlala (2023): Teachers’ experiences of working with learner-teacher support material resources in the 21st
- Henna Moosa (2023): Exploring learners’ challenges and positive experiences of e-learning during the era of Covid-19 in the Chatsworth region.
- Kalaivani Soobramoney (2024): Teachers’ reflections on their support for learners with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the foundation phase.
- Trishantha Mari (2024): Educators’ experiences of teaching pregnant learners in a Secondary School in the Umlazi District.
- Nhlakanipho Khumalo (2024): Teacher Support for Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in a Special Needs School.
- Shaun Deeplal (2025): Teachers’ experiences navigating changes in teaching during the coronavirus pandemic in a public school in KwaZulu-Natal.
- Nabeelah Khan (2025): The good, bad and ugly of untreated childhood ADHD: through their voices as adults.
- Xolani Hopewell Methula (2025): Anxiety and depression amongst learners facing homophobia in a secondary school in Pinetown district.
- Fiona Ashlyn Fortuin (2026): The transition of learners from preschool and home contexts to grade 1.
- Phetheni Prudence Gungxwana (2026): Adolescent learners’ experiences of parental divorce: A narrative inquiry.
- YamiskaJagesur (2026): How educators in a special needs school cope with learners with attention deficit disorder.
- Shakira Latiff (2026): Educators’ experiences of teaching students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the mainstream classroom.
PhD
- Rubaina Manilal (2018). The Use Of Digital Media In Education In An Ex-Model C School In The Durban North Region.
- Sargoonam Pillay (2019). Prevocational Education: A sociocultural perspective of the skills curriculum.
- Rose Guvakuva (2022). Sustainable learning for immigrant learners in a multilingual classroom.
- Lucas Pillay (2023). Victors Or Victims? An Exploration of How Teachers Navigate Changes in Teaching and Learning During the Covid-19 Pandemic.
- Jayshree Thilakdhari (2023): Psychosocial experiences of foundation phase teachers in South Africa during the covid-19 pandemic.
- Sindiswa Mbali Shezi (2023): Teaching grade 7 Life Orientation in South African schools through the story reading technique: An African Centred Perspective.