A framework to support the School Management Team in handling learners’ gangsterism in a selected school

Abstract

This study proposes to develop a framework to support the School Management Team (SMT) in handling learners’ gangsterism in selected schools in the Free State Province, South Africa. In the context of this study, a framework is intended to provide the guidelines that will assist SMTs in dealing with learners’ gangsterism in selected schools. The assumption in this study is that learners’ gangsterism contributes towards the formation of social ills within the school premises. Thus, evaluating the challenges facing the SMT in curbing incidences of learners’ gangsterism in schools is necessary. The overarching research question in this study is: How can a framework be developed to support the school management team in handling learners’ gangsterism in schools? The objectives include, among other things, highlighting the challenges and possible solutions for the challenges as well as threats and indicators of success related to learners’ gangsterism in school. This study is anchored and grounded within the Hope Theory to guide the development of a framework for the SMT to deal with learners’ gangsterism in selected schools. The data was generated with selected participants and members of the SMT, educators and learners. The methodology used to generate data is Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR), and data was analysed through Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA).

Recommendations to address the above challenges included a broad legal framework, a broad-based approach, and enhanced training and resources. The study also identified threats that hinder the effectiveness of a new framework to address learner gangsterism. The proposed framework to minimise learner gangsterism in schools identified increased police involvement, inclusivity to strengthen collaboration between the SMT and the SGB, and monitoring to minimise instances of learner gangsterism as some of the best practices that schools can use to enhance the success of the new framework to address learner gangsterism.

Furthermore, the intention is to inform the policy dictates of the South African Department of Basic Education (SA DBE) concerning learners’ behavioural modes in schools. The ultimate intended benefit is to contribute towards improving the standard of education in South Africa.

Hierdie studie is ’n voorstelling om ’n raamwerk te ontwikkel om die skoolbestuurspan te ondersteun in die hantering van leerders se betrokkenheid by bendewese in geselekteerde skole in die Vrystaat Provinsie, Suid-Afrika. In die konteks van hierdie studie is die doel van die raamwerk om riglyne te verskaf wat skoolbestuurspanne sal help om leerders se rampokkery in geselekteerde skole te hanteer. Die aanname in hierdie studie is dat leerders se aandeel in die bendewese bydra tot die ontstaan van sosiale euwels binne die skoolterrein. Dit is dus nodig om die uitdagings wat die skoolbestuurspan in die gesig staar in die bekamping van voorvalle van rampokkerbendes in skole te evalueer. Die oorhoofse navorsingsvraag in hierdie studie is: Hoe kan ’n raamwerk ontwikkel word om die skoolbestuurspan te ondersteun in die hantering van leerders se betrokkenheid by bendewese in skole? Die doelwitte sluit onder andere in om die uitdagings en moontlike oplossings vir die uitdagings asook bedreigings en aanduiders van sukses wat verband hou met bendewese in skole, uit te lig. Hierdie studie is gegrond en geanker in die hoopteorie en die data is gegenereer met geselekteerde deelnemers en lede van die skoolbestuurspan, opvoeders en leerders. ’n Kritiese deelnemende aksienavorsing is gebruik om data te genereer en die data-ontleding is deur ’n kritiese diskoersanalise gedoen.

Aanbevelings om die bogenoemde uitdagings aan te spreek, sluit ’n breë wetlike raamwerk, ’n breedgebaseerde benadering, en verbeterde opleiding en hulpbronne in. Die studie het ook bedreigings geïdentifiseer wat die doeltreffendheid van ’n nuwe raamwerk om leerders se betrokkenheid by bendewese aan te spreek, belemmer. Die voorgestelde raamwerk om bendewese in skole te verminder, het verhoogde polisiëring, inklusiwiteit om samewerking tussen die skoolbestuurspan en die skoolbestuursliggaam te versterk, en die monitering om gevalle van benderampokkery onder leerders te verminder as van die beste praktyke geïdentifiseer.

Verder is die bedoeling om die beleidsvoorskrifte van die Suid-Afrikaanse Departement van Basiese Onderwys rakende leerders se gedragswyses in skole te verwittig. Die uiteindelike beoogde voordeel is om by te dra tot die verbetering van die onderwysstandaard in Suid-Afrika.

Diphuputso tsena di etsa tlhahiso ya ho sibolla moralo wa ho thusa Sehlopha sa Tsamaiso ya Sekolo (SMT) ho sebetsana le ho kenellwa ha baithuti dikolong tse kgethilweng Provenseng ya Freistata, Afrika Borwa. Boemong ba thuto ena, ho rerilwe moralo wa ho fana ka tataiso e tla thusa SMT ho sebetsana le bothata ba baithuti ba ditlokotsebe dikolong tse kgethilweng. Boithuto bona bo nahana hore boitshwaro ba ditlokotsebe tsa baithuti bo tlatsetsa ho theha mathata a setjhaba ka hara sekolo. Ka hona, ho a hlokahala ho lekola mathata ao SMT e tobaneng le wona ho fokotsa diketsahalo tsa ho ba le ditlokotsebe tsa baithuti dikolong. Potso e akaretsang ya dipatlisiso diphuputsong tsena ke ena: Ho ka hlahiswa moralo wa ho tshehetsa sehlopha sa batsamaisi ba dikolo ho sebetsana le bokebekwa ba baithuti dikolong jwang? Hara dintho tse ding, ditshupane tsena di kenyelletsa ho totobatsa mathata le tharollo e ka kgonehang ya mathata hammoho le ditshokelo le ditshwantsho tsa katleho tse amanang le bokgukguni ba baithuti sekolong. Diphuputso tsena di thehilwe ho Theory of Hope ho tataisa ntshetsopele ya moralo wa SMT ho sebetsana le bohlaswa ba baithuti dikolong tse kgethilweng. Boitsebiso bo ile ba hlahiswa le baithuti ba kgethilweng le ditho tsa SMT, matitjhere le ba ithutang. Mokgwa o sebedisitsweng ho hlahisa boitsebiso ke Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR), mme boitsebiso bo ile ba hlahlojwa ka Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Ditlhahiso tsa ho sebetsana le diphephetso tse boletsweng ka hodimo di kenyeleditse moralo o pharaletseng wa molao, mokgwa o pharaletseng, le kwetliso e ntlafaditsweng le mehlodi. Diphuputso tsena di boetse di hlokometse ditshokelo tse sitisang katleho ya moralo o motjha wa ho sebetsana le botlokotsebe ba baithuti. Moralo o hlahisitsweng wa ho fokotsa ditlokotsebe tsa baithuti dikolong, o supile ho kenella ho eketsehileng ha mapolesa, ho kenyeletsa ho matlafatsa tshebedisano dipakeng tsa SMT le SGB, le ho lekola ho fokotsa maemo a ditlokotsebe tsa baithuti e le tse ding tsa mekgwa e metle eo dikolo di ka e sebedisang ho ntlafatsa katleho ya moralo o motjha wa ho sebetsana le ditlokotsebe tsa baithuti. Ho feta moo, sepheo ke ho fana ka lesedi le mabapi le melawana ya Lefapha la Thuto ya Motheo la Afrika Borwa (SA DBE) mabapi le mekgwa ya boitshwaro ba baithuti dikolong. Molemo wa ho qetela o reretsweng ke ho eketsa ho ntlafatsa boemo ba thuto Afrika Borwa.

Lolu cwaningo luhlongoza ukwakha uhlaka lokweseka Ithimba Labaphathi Besikole (SMT) ekusingatheni izigebengu zabafundi ezikoleni ezikhethiwe esifundazweni saseFree State, eNingizimu Afrikha. Ngokwengqikithi yalolu cwaningo, uhlaka kuhloswe ngalo ukuhlinzeka ngemihlahlandlela ezosiza ama-SMTs ekubhekaneni nezigebengu zabafundi ezikoleni ezikhethiwe. Kucatshangwa ukuthi kulolu cwaningo ukuthi izigelekeqe zabafundi zinomthelela ekwakhekeni kwezinkinga zomphakathi ngaphakathi kwesikole. Ngakho-ke, ukuhlola izinselelo ezibhekene ne-SMT ekunqandeni izehlakalo zobugebengu babafundi ezikoleni kuyadingeka. Umbuzo omkhulu wocwaningo kulolu cwaningo uthi: Lungenziwa kanjani uhlaka lokweseka ithimba labaphathi besikole ekusingatheni izigebengu zabafundi ezikoleni? Izinjongo zihlanganisa, phakathi kokunye, ukugqamisa izinselele kanye nezixazululo ezingaba khona zezinselele kanye nezinsongo kanye nezinkomba zempumelelo ezihlobene nobugebengu babafundi esikoleni. Lolu cwaningo lugxilile futhi lusekelwe ngaphakathi kwenjulalwazi ukuze kuqondiswe ukuthuthukiswa kohlaka lwe-SMT ukubhekana nezigebengu zabafundi ezikoleni ezikhethiwe. Idatha yenziwe ngabahlanganyeli abakhethiwe namalungu e-SMT, othisha nabafundi. Indlela esetshenziswa ukukhiqiza idatha iCritical Participatory Action Research (CPAR), futhi idatha yahlaziywa ngokuhlaziywa kweCritical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Izincomo zokubhekana nalezi zinselele ezingenhla zihlanganisa uhlaka olubanzi lwezomthetho, indlela ebanzi, nokuqeqeshwa okuthuthukisiwe nezinsiza. Lolucwaningo luphinde lwahlonza izinsongo ezithiya ukusebenza kohlaka olusha lokubhekana nezigebengu zabafundi. Uhlaka oluhlongozwayo lokunciphisa ubugebengu babafundi ezikoleni luhlonze ukwanda kokuzibandakanya kwamaphoyisa, ukubandakanywa kokuqinisa ukusebenzisana phakathi kwe-SMT ne-SGB, kanye nokuqapha ukuze kuncishiswe izimo zokugebenga kwabafundi njengezinye zezindlela ezinhle kakhulu ezingase zisetshenziswe izikole ukuze kuthuthukiswe impumelelo yohlaka olusha lokubhekana nezigebengu zabafundi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, inhloso ukwazisa inqubomgomo eshiwo uMnyango Wezemfundo Eyisisekelo waseNingizimu Afrikha (SA DBE) mayelana nezindlela zokuziphatha kwabafundi ezikoleni. Umhlomulo omkhulu ohlosiwe uwukufaka isandla ekwenzeni ngcono izinga lemfundo eNingizimu Afrikha.