Abstractin the history of the south african schooling system authorities have used two contrasting ways of maintaining order, stability and normality in schools. South african institution for race relations, 1996, p. A 2003 study published by the christian publication koers notes that classroom discipline was important in improving childrens education in south africa 3. Research on the lack of discipline in south african schools has provided that the discipline is not unique to south africa, but that is a worldwide phenomenon lemmer, 2000. Exploring the practice of in loco parentis in public schools.
Learner discipline in south african public schools a qualitative study koers 684 2003. However, with the passing of laws prohibiting corporal punishment, this practice has been minimised. Discipline problems in schools are getting worse and teachers are paying the price, education officials have heard at a conference in potchefstroom. Pdf learner discipline in south african public schools. There is however, evidence that this kind of punishment still persists in some south african schools although abolished morrell, 2001. Atcp is an appropriate strategy for instilling discipline in schools. The acts of indiscipline among students, especially at the secondary level of education are universal challenge thatmany schools face all over the world. Compatibility of democracy and learner discipline in south african. Teachers and school administrators resort to corporal punishment to correct poor behaviors. Teachers perceptions on corporal punishment as a method of discipline in elementary schools 243 including the usa. Discipline problems do exist in south african schools, and in other countries, and the situation is getting worse. Legislation was put into operation to this effect and educators and all stakeholders in education were mandated to abide. A case study was conducted in two schools, the secondary and the primary schools in pinetown district in.
Disciplinary practices in schools and principles of alternatives to. Reconsidering the role of power, punishment and discipline. Compatibility of democracy and learner discipline in south african schools. Learner discipline in south african public schools a qualitative study. Discipline or punishment in postapartheid south african. Article pdf available august 2003 with 7,662 reads. Government should motivate teachers in least performing schools. Engaging with learners and considering their needs requires effective systems, skills and a positive. In 1996, corporal punishment was prohibited in schools in terms of the south african schools act section 10.
This has been the case in south african schools for a while now. He adds that it is time to break the silence that too often characterises even the most wellmeaning school communities. South african schools act 84 of 1996 education labour relations council b 2 south african schools act 84 of 1996 assented to 6 november, 1996 english text signed by the president date of commencement. Section 10 of the south african schools act 84 of 1996, however, prohibits all forms of corporal punishment in schools rsa, 1996. This ambitious project began as a oneblock experiment, but rap. Perceptions of administrators, tenured teachers, and parents in twenty schools by mary fa ye nelson many educators and parents are gravely concerned about disorder and danger in school environments.
Selfdiscipline implies the achievement of these qualities through ones own efforts rather than through external monitoring or coercion porteus, vally and ruth, 2001. School rules and regulations introduction the code of conduct of parel vallei high school, in accordance with the constitution of the republic of south africa act 108 of 1996 and the south african schools act no 84 of 1996 as amended, strives to uphold and protect the rights of the learners as individuals and as a group. Faculty of education, university of fort hare, south africa. The causes of a lack of discipline among secondary school. Press reports continue to alert the public on the rise of indiscipline cases in. Compatibility of democracy and learner discipline in sa schools 347 the view that learner discipline problems make them unhappy in their work, and 79 percent have, because of learner discipline problems, at times considered to abandon the teaching profession. A qualitative study of effective school discipline practices. In the context of south african schooling discipline is often understood more narrowly as punishment. Alternatives to corporal punishment in south african schools as a result of the perception that the atcp was imposed on other stakeholders the introduction of the atcp was also met with resistance in south africa. Further research can be carried out focusing on the role of school discipline on students academic.
Geoffrey canada, a social activist and author, founded the harlem childrens zone in 1990. South african law places a legal duty on schools to ensure that learners are not harmed but participate in a safe environment, however, violences. Childline south africa educators for educators issues affecting educators positive discipline in schools positive discipline in schools the national education policy act 1996 says, no person shall administer corporal punishment or subject a student to psychological or physical abuse at any educational institution. Learner indiscipline in schools magwa simuforosa1 and ngara rosemary2 abstract discipline in schools is an essential element in the socialization of children, in the formation of their character and in the process of education.
Abstract discipline problems seem to exist in south african schools and the situation is getting worse and even out of hand, including bullying behavior. Management of learner discipline in secondary schools. Teachers view on causes of illdiscipline in three rural. South african public school teachers views on right to. The findings further revealed that through careful planning, implementation strategies and inservice training, choice theory can. Basic education rights handbook education rights in. Discipline problems seem to exist in south african schools and the situation is getting worse and even out of hand, including bullying behavior. It became acknowledged as an essential part of the. This document contains disciplinary rules which are crucial to school discipline, yet its legal nature and consequences are often overlooked by schoo ls.
Section 101 the south african schools act provides that no person may administer corporal punishment at a school against a learner. According to nxumalo, discipline is vitally important for teaching and learning in class to be effective. Unitednationsguidelinesforthepreventionofjuveniledelinquency. The purpose of the workbook schools in south africa have relied heavily on corporal punishment or physical punishment to maintain discipline, and many educators report finding it difficult to find other ways of influencing learners behaviour. The disciplinary epoch ushered in by the south african schools act is a. Effects of banning corporal punishment on discipline in. Under the convention south africa agreed that school discipline should be administered in a manner consistent with the childs human dignity and in conformity with the spirit of the convention article 28, section 7. Positive discipline within good schools 25 why do children behave as they do.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of illdiscipline on the performance of grade nine learners at nghonyama high school. Despite this ban, many schools continue to practise it widely. To assist teachers find alternative means of disciplining children, the national department of education has released a document on alternative means of disciplining learners parents who become aware of corporal punishment in a school should approach the principal and thereafter. Positive discipline and classroom management trainers manual bullying course reader. Osman, dean of the faculty of humanities at wits was speaking on 702 yesterday about the problems of discipline facing schools in south africa. Disciplinary practices in schools and principles of. Learner discipline in south african public schools a. Corporal punishment in south african schools 1016 words. However, in terms of the relevant sections of the constitution, corporal punishment has been declared unconstitutional and was banned in schools department of education, 1996. Agbenyega 2006 reports on the practice of corporal punishment in two basic schools in the. Many south african children are harmed in the exercise of discipline in the home. To this end, the south african schools act 108 of 1996 republic of south africa. In this paper the researchers proffer a historicanalytic of these.
In south africa however, although corporal punishment has been outlawed since the drawing up of the south african schools act in 1996, there is evidence collected in recent years that revealing that the practice is still prevalent in local schools to this day. This study investigated the challenges of managing learner discipline. How parents discipline their children in africa how to adult. South african code of conduct for schools discipline policy. Managing rural schools in south africa through a code of conduct. Furthermore, a study by the south african human rights commission. South african constitution, the south african schools act and the specific outcomes of the. Discipline problems can be defined as disruptive behaviour. Pdf effects of banning corporal punishment on discipline. Educators in south africa are becoming in creasingly stressed due to disciplinary problems of learners in schools.
Therefore, what is necessary in schools is not necessarily new policy, more programmes or better projects, but virtuous educators who are prepared and willing to employ. Compatibility of democracy and learner discipline in south. It can, in fact, be argued that the teaching profession is handicapped by legislation or. Positive discipline has as its goal the whole development of the child. Positive discipline in schools childline south africa. The banning of corporal punishment in south african schools sparked an intense debate after 1996. Traditional behavior management practices, including corporal punishment, are prohibited in south african schools. A qualitative study of effective school discipline. It deconstruct the preoccupation with discipline, power s. Learner discipline and school management point of departure understanding and managing learner behaviour has become a challenge for schools in south africa. In addition to school discipline issues, american classrooms are frequently.
Learners are entitled to an education free from frequent disruptions in a safe and secure environment. Prior research and literature show that since the abolition of corporal punishment, there has been a deterioration of discipline in schools. The author argues that everyone who cares about children should cares about poor discipline and school violence. In the past, corporal punishment was administered in south african schools as a lawful means of disciplining learners. Programs that directly address poverty and its impact on education do work. Learner discipline in south african public schools semantic scholar. Educators disciplinary capabilities after the banning of. Reconsidering the role of power, punishment and discipline in south african schools abstract this article examines the role of discipline and punishment in south african schools and seekto interrogate the underlying s power relations that guide teaching and learning in south africa. The act states that discipline must be maintained in the school and classroom situations so that the education of learners. Ministry of education and human resources, scientific resources and tertiary education. Following the constitutional court judgement the south african schools act was.
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