A whole-school approach to managing bullying behaviour among learners in South African primary schools

Abstract

Bullying behaviour amongst primary school learners is a serious problem that is escalating every day. Learners who are bullied daily – on school premises as well as to and from school – have trouble in gaining confidence, forming healthy friendships, and concentrating on their education. Bullying behaviour amongst primary school learners has serious physical, psychological, emotional, social, and educational consequences. For this reason, it should not be ignored or regarded as a normal aspect of school life or as part of growing up by primary school management, the Department of Basic Education (DBE), other education agencies, and school communities. Primary school principals, educators, learners, school management team (SMT) members, and learners’ parents have the responsibility to eradicate bullying actions in primary schools. Failure to stop bullying behaviour amongst primary school learners would result in high dropout rates and poor academic performance. This research study proposes a whole-school approach in managing bullying behaviour. This approach involves learners’ parents, educators, school communities, learners, SMTs, school-governing bodies (SGBs), education circuits and districts, as well as educational psychologists in creating a positive school environment that fosters learners’ development. In this thesis, the whole-school approach is identified as the most effective method to be used by primary school authorities to eradicate or manage bullying behaviour amongst primary school learners. In addition, this researcher applies the social learning theory, the socio-ecological theory, symbolic interactionism and Dan Olweus’ theory in order to understand bullying actions between primary school learners. Furthermore, a qualitative method is used because it allows for an in-depth, descriptive, and contextual approach to this topic. In this research, the qualitative method involved an extensive data collection – on many variables – over a period, as the study investigated bulling in its environmental setting from a holistic perspective. The study was based on a phenomenological qualitative research design. The study used the interpretivist paradigm in order to comprehend how individuals in everyday settings construct meanings and explain the events occurring in their world. Population for this study comprised of principals, learners, parents, educators and SMT. Thus, the study participants were purposively selected from the relevant primary schools. Focus group discussions, as well as semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with school principals, educators, learners, learners’ parents and SMTs. The interviews were conducted using an interview schedule and additional probing questions. The participants’ responses were transcribed; and categories, themes and sub-themes were identified. The study’s findings revealed that educators, school principals, and learners’ parents agreed that bullying behaviour amongst primary school learners was a serious problem that should not be shrugged off or overlooked. Instead, it should be addressed, because it has negative effects on both bullying and bullied learners. Individual approaches whereby educators act in isolation to tackle bullying behaviour, have proven short-sighted and ineffectual. For the problem to be effectively addressed, a whole-school approach strategy needs to be applied. A whole-school approach seeks to address school bullying in a collective way. It involves all members of the primary school community, learners, SMTs, educators, non- educators, school governors, and external organisations in preventing or addressing bullying behaviour amongst primary school learners. Hence, it is recommended that primary school educators be empowered through workshops and other forms of training regarding the use of the whole-school approach in managing bullying behaviour amongst primary school learners. All primary school stakeholders need to work together in tackling bullying behaviour. They should consider having a strong partnership with police. Working together, all relevant stakeholders could curb bullying behaviour amongst primary school learners. In addition, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) should provide primary schools with an anti-bullying policy.