The purpose of this study was to explore factors that contribute to the absenteeism of educators. Fourteen schools were sampled in the Lejweleputswa District Office of the Free State Department of Education. An understanding of the reasons for educators’ absenteeism is essential to provide viable solutions to manage educator absenteeism.
To achieve the purpose of this study, a mixed-method approach was employed. Data were obtained from a sample of educators, principals, and official reports from the Lejweleputswa District Office. A survey questionnaire was used to solicit information from educators in selected schools in the Lejweleputswa District. The principals of the selected schools were interviewed to gather in-depth information regarding absenteeism in the district.
The findings of this research have revealed that the working environment of educators is not conducive to teaching and learning, and that this affects staff morale. The availability of teaching resources such as teaching aids and equipment has been cited by participants as critical. In addition, it was found that teaching in overcrowded classrooms affects the quality of teaching, because the educators are unable to reach all the learners. The research also showed that teachers tend to abuse the privilege of personal leave. The findings further revealed that it has become the norm for educators to be absent from school on Mondays, Fridays, and paydays. A direct correlation between educator absenteeism and learner pass rate was evident. Absenteeism was seen to have a negative effect on the daily functioning of the school. As a result of the absenteeism, the school management must reschedule classes and reallocate the work of the educators who are absent. It is recommended in the study that the wellness office of the district, as well as the one of the province should be actively involved in assisting educators who are struggling with personal problems. A further recommendation is that the district and schools’ management should measure the extent of the absenteeism problem and identify the causes accurately.
Sepheo sa thuto ena e ne e le ho batlisisa dintlha tse tlatseletsang bosiyong ba matitjhere dikolong. Dikolo tse leshome le metso e mene tsa ofisi ya setereke sa Lejweleputswa ya Lefapha la Thuto la Free State di ile tsa sampolwa. Kutlwisiso ya mabaka a ho se be teng ha matihere ke ya bohlokwa ho fana ka tharollo e sebetsang ya ho laola ho ba siyo ha matihere dikolong.
Ho fihlella sepheo sa thuto ena ho sebedisitswe mekgwa o kopaneng. Dintlha di fumanwe ho tswa ho sampole ya matitjhere, mesuwehlooho, le dipeho tsa semmuso ho tswa ofising ya setereke sa Lejweleputswa. Ho ile ha sebediswa lethathamo la dipotso tsa dipatlisiso ho kopa tlhahisoleseding ho matithere dikolong tse kgethilweng tsa setereke sa Lejweleputswa. Dihlooho tsa dikolo tse kgethilweng di ile tsa botswa dipotso ho bokella dintlha tse tebileng mabapi le bosiyo ba matitjhere seterekeng.
Diphumano tsa dipatlisiso tsena di senotse hore tikoloho ya mosebetsi ya matitjhere ha e a lokele ho ruta le ho ithuta, mme sena se ama boitshwaro ba basebetsi. Boteng ba disebediswa tsa ho ruta tse kang dithusa thuto le disebediswa di boletswe ke matitjhere di le bohlokwa. Ho feta moo, ho ile ha fumaneha hore ho ruta ka ditlelaseng tse tletseng baithuti ka bongata ho ama boleng ba thuto, hobane matitjhere ha a kgone ho fihlela baithuti bohle. Dipatlisiso di boetse di bontshitse hore matitihere a na le tshekamelo ya ho sebedisa tokelo ya matsatsi a phomolo hampe.Diphumano di ile tsa boela tsa senola hore e se e le tlwaelo hore matitjhere a be siyo dikolong ka Mantaha, Labohlano le matsatsi a moputso. Ho bonahetse kamano e tobileng pakeng tsa ho se be teng ha matitjhere le sekgahla sa ho pasa ha baithuti. Ho ba siyo ha matitjhere dikolong ho ile ha bonwa ho na le phello e mpe tshebetsong ya letsatsi le letsatsi ya sekolo. Ka lebaka la ho ba siyo ha matitjhere sekolong, batsamaisi ba sekolo ba tlameha ho hlophisa ditlelase botjha le ho aba mosebetsi wa matitjhere a siyo botjha. Thuto e kgothaletsa hore ofisi ya bophelo bo botle ya setereke, hammoho le ya profense, di kenye letsoho ka matla ho thusa matitjhere a nang le mathata a botho. Kgothalletso e nngwe ke hore batsamaisi ba setereke le dikolo ba lekanye boholo ba bothata ba ho ba siyo ha matitjhere dikolong mme ba tsebe disosa ka nepo.
Injongo yolu phando ibikukuphonononga izinto ezinegalelo kukungabikho emsebenzii kootitshala. Izikolo ezilishumi elinesine zasampulwa/ zenziwa isampuli kwi-Ofisi yeSithili saseLejweleputswa kwiSebe lezeMfundo eFreyistata. Ukuqondwa kwezizathu zokungabikho emsebenzini kootitshala kubalulekile ukuze kubonelelwe ngezisombululo ezisebenzayo ukulawula ukungezi/ukungabikho kootitshala emsebenzini/ esikolweni.
Ukuphumeza/ ukufezekisa injongo yolu phononongo, kwasetyenziswa indlela exutyiweyo. Idatha yafunyanwa kwisampuli yootitshala, yeenqununu nakwiingxelo ezisemthethweni ezivela kwi-Ofisi yeSithili saseLejweleputswa. Iphepha lemibuzo lokuqokelela ulwazi lophando lasetyenziselwa ukufumana ulwazi/ingcaciso kootitshala kwizikolo ezikhethiweyo kwiSithili saseLejweleputswa. Iinqununu zezikolo ezikhethiweyo kwaqhutywa nazo udliwanondlebe ukuqokelela ulwazi/ingcaciso enzulu malunga nokungezi esikolweni kwisithili.
Iziphumo zolu phando zibonakalise ukuba imeko yokusebenzela yootitshala ayikukhuthazi ukufundisa nokufunda, kwaye oko kuchaphazela umoya wokuziphatha kwabasebenzi. Ubukho bezibonelelo zokufundisa ezifana nezixhobo zokufundisa nezixhobo zokusebenza bungqinwe ngabathathi-nxaxheba njengento ebalulekileyo. Ukongeza, kwafunyaniswa ukuba ukufundisa kumagumbi okufundela aphuphumayo/azeleyo kuyawuchaphazela umgangatho wokufundisa, kuba
ootitshala abakwazi ukufikelela kubo bonke abafundi.
Uphando lukwabonise ukuba ootitshala bathanda ukusebenzisa kakubi ilungelo lomntu lekhefu. Iziphumo zaphinda zadiza ukuba sele iyinto eqhelekileyo ukuba ootitshala bangayi esikolweni ngeMivulo, ngooLwezihlanu nangeentsuku zokurhola. Unxulumano oluthe ngqo phakathi kokungabikho esikolweni kootitshala nezinga lokuphumelela kwabafundi luye lwacaca. Ukungabikho esikolweni/ukulova kwabonwa kunefuthe elibi kwindlela isikolo esisebenza ngayo mihla le. Ngenxa yokungabikho kootititshala emsebenzini/esikolweni, abaphathi besikolo kufuneka bahlengahlengise/bacwangcise ngokutsha iiklasi baze bawabe ngokutsha umsebenzi wootitshala abangekhoyo esikolweni. Kuyacetyiswa kolu phando ukuba i-ofisi yezempilo yesithili, kwakunye naleyo yephondo, kufuneka zithathe inxaxheba ekuncedeni ootitshala abaneengxaki zokukokwabo. Enye ingcebiso eyongezelelweyo yeyokuba abaphathi besithili nabaphathi bezikolo mabalinganise ubungakanani bengxaki yokungezi esikolweni baze bachonge oonobangela ngokuchanekileyo.
