Prevailing of Learner Violence in South African Schools: A Call for Action to Ensure School Safety

Abstract

Prevalence of School Violence is a widespread exercise of power/ physical/ verbal/ force, or intimidation that instils fear, suffering or injury, and is a form of aggressive and abusive behaviour within a school environment over time. This aimed to investigate and understand the prevailing nature of learner violence in South African schools. A qualitative research approach and interpretivism were used as a paradigm. A case study design was used, and Interviews were conducted to collect data, with the goal of obtaining an in-depth interpretation of policies and learner-teacher interactions regarding the prevalence of school violence. The findings are that schools are characterised by Broad and scattered dimensions of various causes of school violence found in a single school environment. their Ignorance and bias by Senior Management Teams towards available policies, aid and resources put in place to help with school violence The study recommended that Schools and the DBE must organise school awareness campaigns that inform students about the causes of violence and collaborate with the relevant stakeholders to alleviate challenges related to poverty, poor child upbringing, gangs and drugs in schools. Relevant stakeholders should regularly monitor and support the implementation of existing policies on school violence, and develop mentoring and coaching strategies to ensure their active and successful implementation.