Tshilidzi Netshitangani

Can Violence Reduce Violence in Schools? The Case of Corporal Punishment

Abstract The paper is based on a qualitative study conducted in South African schools to obtain insights and understanding of the how and why of violence in schools based on the perceptions and experiences of teachers, learners, principals, support staff and School Governing Bodies (SGB). Semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews and observations were conducted. The study also employed ‘quantitative’ research methodology so questionnaires were administered across six provinces in South Africa. The study reveals that many teachers are verbally, physically (use corporal punishment) and psychologically violent towards learners. Lack of professionalism, teacher absenteeism and non-punctuality contribute to violence. There is evidence in the report of some schools’ failure to take into account the individual needs of young people by trying to control them in a generic manner resulting in violent rebelliousness. There is evidence in the report that many schools are not managed well. It emerged that because of authoritarianism, schools are failing to protect learners from violence. Thus policy makers and educationalists will have to change ways of reducing violence in schools from those that emphasise punishment, control and surveillance of learners to employing strategies that eliminate authoritarianism and increase effective school organisation and culture.

Law and Order Setback: Usage of Police to Eliminate School-based Violence in South Africa

ABSTRACT This paper is based on a qualitative national study conducted in South African schools to obtain insight and understanding of the reasons for the prevalence of violence in schools and how this can be eliminated. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews and observations with teachers, learners, principals, support staff and School Governing Bodies. The study also employed a quantitative research approach; therefore questionnaires were administered across six provinces in South Africa. Some of the findings suggest that the role of the police in assisting with violence in schools can be perceived as positive although it is also haphazard and inconsistent and in some cases non-existent. There is a need for the Department of Basic Education to develop new guidelines on the implementation of violence reduction strategies to consider the disruption that the random search and seizures may cause to teaching and learning processes. New strategies that are less disruptive should be developed.

Situated Accounts: Qualitative Interviews with Women Educational Managers

Abstract Generally, researchers do seem to pay attention to the manner in which social and contextual attributes may transform interpersonal sensitivities and communication in the interview. This paper argues that qualitative interviews cannot be divorced from their contexts and therefore it is a ‘situated account’. This means that the interview is shaped by the fact that the ‘cast’ is the researcher, that particular woman/man, and that it is happening in a particular place, at a particular time, in response to particular shaping questions. Ten methodological issues are highlighted by the description of interview processes of the case study that explored the subjective accounts of five of the six women who were principals of secondary schools in Venda, Limpopo Province in South Africa, in 1996, in order to understand how they accessed managerial positions. The methodological issues discussed confirm that an interview cannot be separated from its context. Thus the interviewer must be aware of the contextual factors and be able to go around them. The article suggests that maintaining a “situated friendship” and employing reflexive approach as a form of localism can reduce the risk of ‘harmful effects’ when doing qualitative interviewing.