Educator perception of learners’ right to education in secondary schools in Mpumalanga

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore educators’ understanding of learners’ right to education. A sample of principals, HODs and educators from five different schools in one Education District in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa participated in this research study. The study was motivated by the increasing number of emerging cases of learners’ right to education violation within schools which includes learner denial of access to basic education, lack of Learner Teacher Support Material and lack of proper school infrastructure within the South African schools. The study adopted a qualitative research approach in the collection and analysis of the data acquired through interviews and Document Analysis. The Rights-Based Approach to education as a theoretical framework was used a lens to view educators’ understanding of learners’ right to education. The study provided insight into how educators’ view learners’ right to education, how are learners’ right to education infringed upon, and provided measures to curb the escalating violation of learners’ right to education, within schools. The promotion and protection of learners’ right to education became a vocal point in viewing the understanding of the implementation of learners’ right to education within the education system. The perceptual understanding of the concepts related to human rights in education is interpreted by most educators from the constitutional point of departure. However, knowledge of the constitution and the implementation processes that relate to learners’ right to education are contradictory in nature. Although some educators lack knowledge with regards to learners’ rights and contravene policies and procedures, a vast majority of educators have knowledge and experience but continue to violate learners’ right to education. Some experiences captured by this research that directly form primary violation of learners’ right to education include: learners sometimes not attended by educators due to educator absenteeism, some learners chased out of the class as a form of discipline, the atrocious administration of corporal punishment, and the dilapidated buildings in which learners attend their classes. The primary value of this research, therefore, lies in the inclination that educators must acquire knowledge and skills in the promotion and protection of learners’ right to education based on the confines of the constitution. The culture of humanity and accountability, as promoted by the Rights-Based Approach in trying to transform the education system, needs to be adhered to. It is essential that suitable policy direction that seeks to augment the understanding of learners’ right to education be shaped and aligned to proper interpretation to avoid misconceptions and misunderstanding.

Die doel van hierdie studie was om opvoeders se begrip van leerders se regte op onderwys te ondersoek. ‘n Monster van skoolhoofde en HOD’s en opvoeders van vyf verskillende skole in een Onderwys distrik in die provinsie Mpumalanga, Suid-Afrika het aan hierdie navorsingstudie deelgeneem. Die studie was gemotiveer deur die toenemende getal van gevalle wat na vore kom as gevolg van die oortreding van leerders se regte op onderwys in skole, dit sluit in die ontkenning van toegang tot basiese onderwys, tekort aan leerder opvoeder ondersteuning materiaal en tekort aan behoorlike skool infrastruktuur binne die Suid-Afrikaanse skole. Die studie het a kwalitatiewe navorsing benadering aangeneem. Die Regte-gebaseerd benadering vir opvoeders as teoreties raamwerk was gebruik as ‘n lens om opvoeders se verstaan van leerders se reg op onderwys. Die studie voorsien insig in hoe opvoeders leerders se reg op onderwys sien, hoe leerders se regte geskend word, en die voorsiening van maatreëls om die stygende oortreding van leerders se regte op onderwys in skole te bedwing. Die bevordering en beskerming van leerders se regte op onderwys het ‘n vokale punt in die siening en verstaan van die implementasie van leerders se regte op onderwys in die onderwys sisteem. Die perseptuele begrip van die konsepte verwant met menslike regte in onderwys word geïnterpreteer deur meeste opvoeders van ‘n konstitusionele vertrekpunt. Hoewel, kennis van die konstitusie en die implementasie proses met verwant die leerders se regte op onderwys is van ‘n teenstrydige aard. Alhoewel party opvoeders ‘n tekort het aan kennis verwant met leerders se regte en oortree beleide en prosedure, ‘n oorgrote meerderheid opvoeders het kennis en ondervinding maar hou aan om leerders se regte op onderwys te oortree. Enkele ervarings wat hierdie navorsing opgedoen het en wat die primêre skending van die leerder se regte op onderwys vorm, sluit in: leerders wat nie na toe gesien word nie weens opvoeder afwesigheid, sommige leerders word uit die klaskamer gejaag as ‘n vorm van dissipline, die gruwelike administrasie van lyfstraf ,en die vervalle geboue waar leerders hulle klasse bywoon. Die primêre waarde van hierdie navorsing lê dus in die neiging dat opvoeders kennis en vaardighede moet verwerf in die bevordering en beskerming van leerders se reg op onderwys op grond van die grense van die konstitusie. Die kultuur van menslikheid en aanspreeklikheid, soos bevorder deur die regte-gebaseerde benadering in die poging om die onderwysstelsel te transformeer, moet nagekom word. Dit is noodsaaklik dat die gepaste beleidsrigting wat die begrip van die leerder se reg op opvoeding wil vergroot, gevorm en aangepas word by die regte interpretasie om wanopvattings en misverstande te vermy.