Educators’ perceptions and observations of learner-on-learner violence and violence-related behaviour

Abstract

The aim of this article is to report on an investigation into Free State educators’ perceptions and observations of learner-on-learner violence and violence-related behaviour. The research instrument was an adapted version of Joshi and Kaschak's (1998, 213–215) standardised violence and trauma questionnaire. The first important result from the research was that Free State educators identified physical and verbal abuse as the two most common types of learner-on-learner violence. Secondly, it was found that nearly a quarter of the educators perceive that learners at their respective schools use drugs either daily or at least once a week. It was found that some Free State learners often come to school armed. The quantitative data shed some light on the link between gangsterism and school violence, the role of the police in curbing school violence, educators downplaying the serious nature of school violence, as well as the procuring effect of violent behaviour. Finally, some recommendations regarding school violence are given.

Keywords:

• school violence
• safe schools
• learner-on-learner violence
• Free State province
• South Africa