The effects of alternatives to corporal punishment to maintain learner discipline in secondary schools in King Cetshwayo District
Date
2019
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
Corporal punishment was a world phenomenon based on the belief that for learners to behave correctly, they need to be punished through pain inflicting means. However, some countries started realizing that corporal punishment had adverse effects on learners and learning and therefore abolished it. South Africa followed suit and banned corporal punishment in 2000 and in its place, the Department of Basic Education and Training introduced Alternatives to Corporal Punishment (ACP). Despite the introduction of alternatives to corporal punishment, cases of application of corporal punishment are still being reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of alternatives to corporal punishment in maintaining learner discipline in secondary schools within the King Cetshwayo District. Mixed method approach was followed. Semi structured interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data. The sample consisted of 13 principals, 30 educators and 322 grade 12 leaners were involved in responding to the questionnaires. For the qualitative side, 2 Circuit Managers and 2 principals, 2 educators and 2 RCL learners participated in the semi structured interviews in this study. SPSS version 25 was used to analyse quantitative data and thematic analyses was used to analyse qualitative data. Results showed that there are alternatives to corporal punishment that are considered effective by all the respondents. These include inviting parents to school to discuss the behaviour of their children, the involvement of the School Governing Body, convening tribunal. The study also revealed that learners and educators hold different views when it comes to the effectiveness of other alternatives, which include, rendering community services by learners, suspension of learners for 14 days, additional work that can be done by learners at school and depriving learners from participation in extra- mural activities. The study recommends further research on the learner’s perception on ill-discipline in schools and the strategies that can be used by the teachers in maintaining discipline. This study concludes that the circuit managers, teachers, principals and learners take all the alternatives to corporal punishment wherein the parents are involved as effective. This study proposed the model for guiding the implementation on the alternatives to corporal punishment
Description
A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Education of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Educational Foundation and Management at the University of Zululand, 2019.
Keywords
Schools, Corporal punishment, Learner discipline