Principals, staff, students and governing bodies of the two schools used for this study. My friend dr. Nestar Joseph, whose help with this study was invaluable and I appreciate her motivation to drive me.
Research Design and Methodology
Research Findings and Discussions
Recommendations and Conclusions
LIST OF ACRONYMS
KEY OPERATIONAL TERMS
LIST OF ANNEXURES
Letter seeking permission from DoE and letter granting permission to conduct research from DoE
Interview schedule for Principals, LO educators, SGB chairperson, DSSC chairperson
Interview schedule for learners/ perpetrators 6. Observation schedule
Full approval letter from UKZN
Introduction
- Problem Statement
- Rationale and Motivation
- Personally
- Professionally
- Conceptually
- Significance of this study
- Literature Review
- Internationally
- Nationally
- Locally
- Theories underpinning the study
- Theory of symbolic interactionism
- Theories of power and social control
- Theories of non-violence espoused by Mahatma Gandhi and Dr
- Conceptual Framework
- Research Aims
- Research questions
- Research design and methodology
- Instruments for data collection 1. Interviews
- Issues of quality in research
- Validity and Reliability
- Limitations/ Constraints of this study
- Ethical considerations
- Organization of the study
Furthermore, most local media reports mentioned the names of these schools in episodes of school violence. Some of the many challenges of this study were: It was limited to Phoenix County.
School violence
Introduction. What is school violence?
- Types of school based violence
- Bullying and intimidation
- Violence related to drug and alcohol abuse
- The use of illegal and other weapons contributing to school violence The regulations in Department of Education (DoE), 2003, explicitly declare that
- Vandalism
- Corporal Punishment
A quarter of teenagers said in the survey that they had experienced bullying via SMS. All over the world, corporal punishment is being discussed as one of the main challenges for teachers in schools.
Gender and violence
Violence against women is considered insignificant both numerically and statistically and is often dismissed as insignificant compared to violence perpetrated by men. The students said that the teachers did not notice or ignored the violence experienced by the students. School administrators perceived violence as less of a problem than students and felt that teachers were more aware of the problem than students thought.
Socio-economic status (rich and poor) and violence
MacDonald et al (1996) state that in a study of violence experienced by students in five junior high schools in America, it was found that not only was bullying common, but that 25% of students had experienced sexual harassment by female students. Broader socio-economic factors such as employment opportunities influence whether or not a family is likely to be poor. Harber (2001) cites a study of income inequality and levels, along with the percentage of the male population aged 15–29 and unemployment rates, particularly youth unemployment, affect the likelihood of non-state violence.
Violence by omission
In KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, almost a quarter of schools were reported to be unfit for educational purposes and most of these were considered too dangerous to be occupied by pupils due to the unsafe condition of the buildings (Moloney, 1997). First, it can happen because schools condone the type of violence that takes place, either explicitly or tacitly, and therefore do not intervene to stop it. Third, schools are reluctant to intervene or find it difficult to do so because the type of intervention required does not match what are seen as the main aims of the authoritarian type of education often provided – the teacher-centred delivery of largely cognitive curriculum content , be it 'factual' knowledge, understanding of concepts or basic skills.
The impact of violence on the school society 1. The impact of violence on educators
- The impact of violence on learners
- The effects of stress on educators and learners
- The impact of violence on schoolwork
Students who are victims of crime often feel abandoned and lack the security of being part of the school. The teacher acts and the students have the illusion of acting through the teacher's action. The teacher confuses the authority of knowledge with professional authority, which he or she places in conflict with the freedom of the students.
Violence Prevention (Measures taken by government to reduce violence in schools)
- The Constitution of South Africa (RSA, 1996)
- The South African School’s Act (SASA) (DoE, 1996a)
- School Policy: School’s Code of Conduct
- The Role of the Discipline, Safety and Security Committee (DSSC) In terms of KZN Circular No.55 of 2001 it is mandatory that every school
All are equal before the law and have the right to equal protection and benefits of the law. Linguistic and parental illiteracy must be taken into account so that everyone involved in the school can understand the school's rules as clearly defined in the code of conduct. The school may also ask parents and students to sign their agreement to the rules.
Theories underpinning this study on school violence
- Theory of Symbolic Interactionism
- Theory of power and social control
- Theory of non-violence espoused by Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Martin Luther King
- Gandhi’s Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Bills
- The Vykom (1924-25)
- Gandhi’s theory of power
Theories of power and social control were applied to enable an investigation into how learners and educators navigate around the institutional processes of the use of authority and power and when violence is used to reclaim recognition. Non-violence non-cooperation theories oppose violence to combat violent acts of the perpetrators (Kumar, 2003). Along with the untouchable friends, Gandhi walked down the road and stopped in front of the temple (Sharp, 1984).
CONCLUSION
And if there is a victory, it will not be a victory for only fifty thousand African Americans, but it will be a victory for justice, a victory for good will, a victory for democracy (Ayres, 1993). In this study, the positive freedom model / non-violence model is seen as one of the viable models that can be successfully applied in schools with an ultimate goal of dealing with and reducing violence in schools. Research by Mncube, (2004) is consistent with this notion that schools have custodial responsibilities to maintain peace and security in schools.
Introduction
Paradigms
Epistemology: Positivists believe that the researcher and the people asked were independent of each other. Methodology: Researchers who align themselves within the critical paradigm believe that it is essential to involve the participants in the planning, execution, analysis, interpretation and use of the research (Mertens, 1998). Interpretivists believe that people understand and make meaning of realities in their minds (Denscombe, 2005).
The qualitative approach
This is because central aspects of the interpretive paradigm are “capturing the lives of participants in order to understand and interpret meaning” (Henning et al, 2004, p. 19). This case study involved an in-depth analysis of the status quo of violence in each of the two selected schools. Nieuwenhuis (2007, p. 76) says that a key strength of the case study method is the use of multiple sources and techniques in the data collection process.
Sampling
My intention was to prevent these challenges from affecting the quality of research by eliminating biases. According to Maree (2010, p.79), sampling refers to the process used to select a portion of the population for research, and qualitative research is typically based on purposive sampling. Similarly, Cohen & Manion (2008, p.114) argue that researchers hand-pick the cases to include in their sample based on their judgment of their typicality or possession of the specific characteristics sought.
The two schools selected for the research
- Case Study 1: Alpha Primary School 1. Situation
- Case Study 2: Omega Primary School 1. Situation
The quintile is essentially a school's poverty score and is based on the poverty level of the community in which the school is located. The school is about 10 kilometers away from Durban, which is a large city in KwaZulu Natal. The school is on the border of Phoenix municipality and Amouti informal settlement.
Instruments for data collection
- Interviews
- Observation
- Documentation
- Triangulation
Maree (2010, p.87) agrees by stating that an interview is a valuable source of information as we see the world through the eyes of the participant. Using the tape recorder enabled me to capture the words of the participant verbatim. This tool (interviews) is time consuming yet highly effective due to the immediate verification of information.
Limitations/ Constraints of this study
Also, the credibility of the data is confirmed by various sources that are cross-checked with others. In this study, findings from interviews, observations, and school records were checked against each other as a test of credibility.
Ethical considerations
- Privacy, confidentiality and anonymity
- Consent
- Protection
- Information: Participants were informed of how the data would be used
- Debriefing: Participants would be debriefed after the research is completed
- Approval: As a researcher I needed to get approval from review boards
- Publication: The researcher assured the publisher that the data was gathered with all due ethical considerations
Some of the ethical considerations given by the researcher to this study are discussed below. The following chapter deals with the findings and discussions of the data collected. The data consists of answers to pre-developed questions in the instruments, which will be discussed accordingly in Chapter 4.
Research Findings and Discussion
Introduction
Themes that emerged from data
- Bullying and intimidation
- Gang related violence
- Drugs and alcohol abuse
- Use of dangerous weapons and physical violence 1. How did the victims of violence feel?
- Vandalism
STUDENT” Some of the games played during recess were: choke (try to choke the other) and face kick (where the legs are whipped all the way to kick the other in the face). It is evident that students imitate the behavioral patterns of adults in the communities. The buildings are neglected, but there is no effort to paint the walls, repair the broken window panes or fix the locks on the doors because “the cost of further repairs exceeds the financial cost of the school.
What measures are taken by both schools to curb violence?
- School’s Code of Conduct
- Office Discipline records
- Letters to parents
- School Policies that relate to violence
- SGB minute book
- Discipline, Safety and Security Minute Book
All stakeholders (parents, educators and non-educators) have their say in the drafting of the Code of Conduct. Educators have said in interviews that “The code of conduct is not even worth the paper it is written on. The law requires the code of conduct, but rules without the force of law become futile.
Conclusion
Introduction
- Bullying and intimidation
- Drugs and alcohol abuse
- Use of dangerous weapons
- Vandalism
- Corporal Punishment
A section dealing with bullying can be included in the Life Orientation curriculum for each grade level. The condition in the job description according to the Act on the Working Relations of Educators (Chapter Personnel-Administrative Measures) is that all educators must provide pastoral care and counselling. The handbook describes why corporal punishment should be prohibited, how discipline should replace punishment using various techniques in the classroom, and finally how disciplinary measures and procedures should be implemented by enforcing the school's code of conduct.
The recommendations for schools to cope with school violence
- Tolerance for each other from varying socio-economic backgrounds Programs must be implemented to assimilate all learners into the school’s
- Understaffed schools
- Closer partnership between parents and educators
- Rules and announcements in school must be carried through to parents
- Setting of buildings, walls and gates
- Educators being motivated
- Detention Policy
- Inculcating good values
- School policies
- Employ guidance counselors
- Control of learners during breaks and sports activities
If rules and instructions are given, teachers must also implement them in the event of absenteeism, for example if a student breaks a school window. The costs must be borne by the perpetrator and his parents. If the parents are unemployed, they have to provide a service to the school, such as gardening. instead of the costs. The policy should be user-friendly, describing the penalty if the rule is broken. The rules must be followed and they cannot be empty threats that make the documents ridiculous.
Measures schools can apply to promote a violence-free environment 1. Security measures
- Thorough record keeping
- Parental Involvement
Offer targeted training for professionals who may be involved in cases of violence against children. Conduct systematic reviews of current procedures that address the consequences of violence against children, with a focus on the well-being of the victim. Involve the media in raising awareness and changing public perception about the level and extent of violence against children.
Issues of quality in this research 1.Validity and Reliability
- Limitations/ Constraints of this study
By being aware of the obstacles and responding accordingly, teachers at these two township schools can open the lines of communication and bring teachers and parents together. Some of the many challenges of this study include: It is limited to the City of Phoenix. The researcher had to rely on the authenticity of the data provided by teachers, support staff, governing body parents and students.
Conclusion
2001).Economic status, community danger and psychological distress among South African youth from infancy.2001, No. 1998).Mistakes in schools in South Africa and the United States: An exploratory analysis. Doing quantitative research in the social sciences: An integrated approach to research design, measurement, and statistics.
