Teachers’ understanding of gender-based violence in a primary school : a case study of a primary school in the Hhohho region, Eswatini

Abstract

This study investigated primary school teachers’ understanding of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). GBV affects teacher performance negatively and thus the study focused on the causes, nature and impact of GBV on teachers in order to formulate strategies to alleviate its impact. The indirect consequences of GBV infringes on the basic right of learners to quality education since the performance of teachers who are victims of GBV is serious. Crenshaw’s (1989) intersectional theory formed the theoretical framework. A single case study followed a qualitative approach with the use of face-to-face interviews to collect data. Interpretivism was adopted as the research paradigm. The study was conducted in one selected primary school in the Hhohho region of Eswatini. Purposive sampling was used to select six participants for the study. The findings indicated that teachers had some knowledge of GBV, although they also entertained certain misconceptions about this phenomenon. GBV has negative consequences for teachers’ performance and leads to teacher absenteeism at work. The school lacked a policy on GBV. The researcher recommends that the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) of Eswatini together with school governing bodies should formulate policies on GBV as a guide for schools and establish psycho-social counselling services in schools. Community-based support programmes on GBV are also needed.

Lolucwaningo belutfungatsa umcondvo wabothishela ngesihloko lesitsi kuhlukubetana ngetebulili. Kube netinsolo kutsi kuhlukubetana ngetebulili kuyayitsikameta inchubo yathishela nekusebenta kwakhe,ingako kubangeleke kutsi sekucwaningwe imbangela yako,futsi nekucondza ligalelo lako kuhlukubetana ngetebulili Kubo bothishela ,bese kufunwa tindlela tekucedza letilondza kulabothishela labahlukubetekile. Imiphumela yekuhlukubetana ngetebulili iphule yaphindze yalimata emalungelo langumgogodla kubantfwana ekutfoleni imfundvo lengiyo sibili njengoba lokusebenta kwalabothishela labahlukubetekile babese abasabi ngibo kepha babe balingisi. Elucwaningweni lolujulile lwa Kimblê Crenshaw's (1989) lokuhlukubetana ngetebulili kwetfuliwe kwaphindze kwalungisiswa kute kube lucwaningo lolungilo. Lolucwaningo lolucocako lolulungisiwe lwaphindze lwaba yindlela yekunika lwati,lusetjentiswe kubantfu labebabonwa ngemehlo,babutwa imibuto kwabuketwa netindlela lebenta ngato kucokelela imiphumela yalolucwaningo. Kuchaza nekuhlatiya kusetjentisiwe njengemgogodla walolucwaningo. Lolucwaningo lwentiwe kusinye setikolwa letincane esigodzini sakaHhohho Eswatini. Kuhlungwe ngemigomo letsite kuhlanganisa lolucwaningo. Lokutfolakele kulolucwaningo kuvele kutsi bothishela banalo lwati ngetekuhlukubetana lutebulili noma banako kungayicondzi kahle. Kuhlukubetana ngetebulili kunemitselela lemibi ekusebentenj kwabothishela. Futsi kuhlukubetana ngetebulili kubanga kulova emsebentini . Kusete umtsetfomgomo ngekuhlukubetana ngetebulili etikolweni lapho lucwaningo lwentiwe khona. Umcwaningi uncoma kutsi litiko letemfundvo netekucecesha nematiko lamanye ahulumende labambisene nawo akubeke embili kwakha umtsetfomgomo lotawuhola tikolwa kuto yekuhlukubetana ngetebulili. Futsi litiko letemfundvo netekucecesha kudzinga liphindze lisungule luhlelo lwetekululeka ngengcondvo etikolweni. Kunesidzingo nasemimangweni kwakhiwe tinhlelo tekusekela yekuhlukubetana ngetebulili.