Strengthening mentorship relationships in Accounting Education: Student–teacher and mentor perspectives from the O.R. Tambo Coastal District, Eastern Cape

Strengthening mentorship relationships in Accounting Education: Student–teacher and mentor perspectives from the O.R. Tambo Coastal District, Eastern Cape

Zintle Ketwa , Zikhona Seleke & Bongani D. Bantwini

Issue: Vol. 7 No. 8 2026 Article 2 pp. 927- 940
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2026782 Published online 29th September 2026.

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ABSTRACT

This article examined the factors influencing mentor–mentee relationships in teacher education programmes, focusing on accounting student-teachers and mentors in selected schools within the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study was anchored in the Interpretivist paradigm, drawing on social learning theory and relationship-building theory to explore how meaning is constructed through interpersonal interactions during the practicum. A qualitative research approach and phenomenological research design were used to gain deep insight into the lived experiences of the participants. Purposive sampling was used to select five accounting mentor teachers and five accounting student-teachers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that communication and feedback, support and guidance, lesson planning and time management, classroom management and content knowledge significantly shape the mentoring relationship. The study underscores the need for strengthened university-school partnerships, structured mentor training, and improved support systems to foster effective mentoring environments. Recommendations are provided to improve mentoring practices and to better equip student-teachers for successful integration into the teaching profession, particularly within resource-constrained rural contexts.

Keywords: Teaching Practicum, Professional Development, Teacher Education, Accounting Education, Mentoring.

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AUTHOR(S)

Ms. Zintle Ketwa is an educator and researcher in the field of commercial education, currently affiliated with Walter Sisulu University, South Africa. Her research primarily focuses on accounting education, pedagogical strategies, and learners’ perceptions of commercial subjects in secondary schools. A dedicated teaching professional within the Department of Education, her work seeks to bridge the gap between educational policy and classroom practices to improve financial literacy and academic engagement among high school learners. She is currently pursuing her Master of Education from Walter Sisulu University, where she actively contributes to the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Dr. Zikhona Seleke is an Accounting Lecturer and the Head of the Department of Business Management Education under the Faculty of Education at Walter Sisulu University in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. A dedicated researcher, her work heavily focuses on the integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and metacognitive practices in education, particularly within accounting pedagogy. Prior to her academic tenure in higher education, she gained 13 years of valuable experience teaching Grade 12 Accounting under the Department of Basic Education. Dr Seleke is an active contributor to the educational landscape, having authored several book chapters and peer-reviewed articles aimed at bridging the digital divide and sustaining commerce streams in underserved communities.

Professor Bongani D. Bantwini is an esteemed academic, researcher, and the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education at Walter Sisulu University (WSU). He previously served as the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education at the University of Venda (UNIVEN). A C2 National Research Foundation (NRF) rated researcher, Professor Bantwini holds a Master’s and a PhD in Science Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he studied as a Fulbright Scholar. His extensive scholarship bridges the gap between educational theory and classroom practice, focusing deeply on science education, teacher professional development, curriculum decolonisation, and the revitalisation of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in higher education. A widely published scholar, his research features in numerous peer-reviewed national and international journals. In addition to his institutional leadership, he serves on multiple editorial advisory boards and contributes actively as a board member for civic and science education initiatives, advocating strongly for cognitive justice, multilingualism, and socially responsive curricula.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Ketwa, Zintle, Zikhona Seleke, and Bongani D. Bantwini. “Strengthening mentorship relationships in Accounting Education: Student–teacher and mentor perspectives from the O.R. Tambo Coastal District, Eastern Cape.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 7, no.8 (2026): 927 – 940. https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2026782