The aim of this study was to investigate educator’s perceptions of how learners’ rights to safety affect disciplinary procedures in secondary schools in the Umbumbulu Circuit of KwaZulu-Natal. The paper adopted a qualitative approach, where semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 10 purposively selected educators. The thematic analysis technique was employed to analyse the data. The main findings of the study indicated that educators had their own perceptions of how learners’ rights to safety affect the way they attend to disciplinary issues when a learner has transgressed. The educators’ perceptions of learners’ rights to safety affect disciplinary procedures for many reasons, including poor understanding of relevant education laws and policies. The results also showed that teachers think that the legislation guiding teaching and learning, as well as disciplinary procedures, are marred with contradictions, which make discipline management not only difficult, but also exposes both the learners and the educators to unsafe environments. The study also indicated that the teachers are sensitive to learners’ rights to safety, resulting in restricted attention to learners who are guilty of an offence in the school. In light of these findings, it was recommended that there should be mandatory continuous in-service workshops for the educators, on how learner discipline can be maintained.
The peaceful environment of South African communities witnessed sudden civil unrest that led to the wanton destruction of public and private properties between 9-17 July 2021. The civil unrest which aggravated on daily basis within this period also culminated in massive looting in both KwaZulu-Natal Province and Gauteng Province. During the disturbances, the protestors looted and set many stores and warehouses ablaze. The turmoil was also extended to some schools, with some private and public schools looted and vandalized. Hence, this article aimed to explore the impact of this unrest on schools and to establish how teaching and learning had been affected in these South African institutions. Therefore, in this systematic review, we analysed the impact of political unrest on the education system in South Africa. 139 schools were affected in Kwazulu-Natal, with six schools razed by fire, 30 damaged, and 95 looted. Thus, a total of 139 schools were affected. However, at the time of this article, the degree of damage in 8 other Schools was unknown. It was noted that, of the six schools set ablaze, four were only slightly damaged and two were entirely destroyed. Furniture and other items such as food items the Schools Nutrition Program and offices were destroyed. Doors, windows, and others were also broken. This indicated that learners would be temporarily relocated from the burnt schools to locations where the government provided temporary classrooms for these schools. Conversely, rebuilding the damaged buildings and replacement of stolen school supplies will cost the Department of Basic Education millions of rands.
The attainment of objectives within the school system is contingent upon the presence of a favourable environment (Ajani, 2022). The escalation of school violence in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, which has resulted in the disruption of academic activities, has raised concerns among education stakeholders regarding the crises in schools. Numerous instances of violent incidents resulting in fatalities and damage to both human life and property have been documented (Mahaye, Dlomo & Ajani, 2022). The occurrence of multiple established incidents has resulted in a lack of stability within schools, thereby creating an environment that is not conducive to effective teaching and learning. The present study investigates diverse factors contributing to educational instability in KwaZulu-Natal, drawing upon data derived from published literature and the authors' firsthand involvement as education administrators. The study's findings show that crime and violence are primarily responsible for school instability. Typically, incidents of violence and criminality in educational settings are the result of internal factors involving both learners and school staff members or maybe the result of external forces coming from members of the local community. Multiple strategies have been identified to mitigate instances of violence in the school setting, to foster a secure and favourable atmosphere for educational activities. In addition, several proposed measures have been put forward to ensure the stability of schools in the KwaZulu-Natal province. These include moral guidance, heightened security measures, the cultivation of emotional intelligence, instruction in philosophy, specifically African philosophy (Ubuntu), and the enhancement of teacher welfare packages.
The aim of this academic paper was to investigate educators’ perceptions of how learners’ rights to safety affect disciplinary procedures in secondary schools in the Umbumbulu Circuit of KwaZulu-Natal. The study adopted a qualitative approach, where semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 10 purposively selected educators. The thematic analysis technique was employed to analyse the data. The main findings of the study indicated that educators had their own perceptions of how learners’ rights to safety affect the way they attend to disciplinary issues when a learner has transgressed. The educators’ perceptions of learners’ rights to safety affect disciplinary procedures for many reasons, including poor understanding of relevant education laws and policies. The results also showed that teachers think that the legislation guiding teaching and learning, as well as disciplinary procedures, is marred with contradictions, which make discipline management not only difficult, but also exposes both the learners and the educators to unsafe environments. The study also indicated that the teachers are sensitive to learners’ rights to safety, resulting in restricted attention to learners who are guilty of an offence in the school. In light of these findings, it was recommended that there should be mandatory continuous in-service workshops for the educators, on how learner discipline can be maintained.
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