Exploring the effectiveness of alternative strategies to learner discipline in secondary schools of Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

Learners‘ discipline in schools is regarded as one of the challenges facing teachers and management after abolishing corporal punishment. In South Africa, schools are mandated to use alternative strategies to manage learner discipline in schools. In contrast, reviewed literature indicates that alternative ways to discipline learners are used in schools to deal with learner discipline. This research study explores the effectiveness of alternative strategies for learner discipline in secondary schools of Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal. The interpretive paradigm underpinned the research. A qualitative approach and case study design were used to gain a detailed database to consider the effectiveness of alternative strategies used to discipline learners in secondary schools. The researcher collected data with semi-structured interviews, observation, and document analysis as the instruments. Twenty participants were selected from five secondary schools through purposive sampling. The researcher conducted one-on-one interviews with five principals, five HODs, five teachers and five learners. The researcher also observed the implementation of alternative ways to discipline learners in secondary schools. In addition, departmental policy and school disciplinary policy documents were analysed by the researcher. The research study was framed by two theories, namely the Assertive Discipline Model by Lee and Marlene Canter and the Behaviour Modification theory advocated by Thorndike. Data were analysed using thematic data analysis. The researcher identified a high rate of ill-discipline. The study's findings revealed that in secondary schools, different forms of alternative strategies to discipline learners were implemented; some were useful, and others were not. The literature indicates that research studies were conducted to investigate whether an alternative to corporal punishment is implemented. However, some studies revealed that there were schools where corporal punishment was still used. The study also revealed that teachers and school managements face challenges in dealing with learner discipline. Based on the findings, the researcher came up with recommendations. Firstly, the researcher recommends workshops and training for teachers and management, co-operations, and collaborations among school stakeholders and the Department of Education. He also recommends parent and community involvement in dealing with learner discipline in schools. Trained security guards, social workers, and psychologists should be deployed in each school to deal with learners‘ problems, sometimes leading to ill-discipline in schools. Lastly, policy review and revision were also recommended to ensure a common understanding and that alternatives are clear and implemented adequately in all schools. This would help in improving teaching and learning in secondary schools. Moreover, to reduce ill-discipline in schools, especially in classrooms.

Ukungaziphathi kahle kwabafundi ezikoleni kungenye yezinselela ezibhekene nothisha nabaphathi njengoba kwaqedwa ukushaywa kuleli zwe. Izikole zijutshwe ukuthi zisebenzise amanye amaqhinga okuphatha abafundi abangaziphathi kahle, nokho njengoba ucwaningo lwezincwadi zakamuva luveze, ukushaywa ngenduku kusasetshenziswa kwezinye izikole. Lolu cwaningo beluhlose ukuhlola ukusebenza ngempumelelo kokusebenzisa amanye amasu okugcina izinga lokuziphatha kwabafundi ezikoleni ezinhlanu zamabanga aphezulu eKokstad, KwaZulu-Natal. Ukuze kufezeke lokho, kwakhethwa indlela eqondisiwe nencazelo ukuze isekele ucwaningo, kanti indlela yolwazi lwezinombolo kanye nomklamo wocwaningo lwendaba kusetshenzisiwe ukuqoqa imininingwane enolwazi olugcwele. Kusetshenziswe inhlolokhono ehlelwe kancane yomuntu ngamunye, ukubheka kanye nokuhlaziywa kwemibhalo njengamathuluzi okuqoqwa kwemininingwane, nabahlanganyeli abangama-20 baqokiwe kusetshenziswa amasampula ahlosiwe: othishanhloko abahlanu, izinhloko zeminyango ezinhlanu, othisha abahlanu nabafundi abahlanu. Umcwaningi akagcinanga nje ngokubheka ukuqaliswa kwezinye izindlela zokuqondisa izigwegwe ezikoleni ezithathwe njengesampula, kodwa futhi wafunda inqubomgomo yomnyango futhi wahlaziya imibhalo yenqubomgomo yokuqondiswa kwezigwegwe yesikole ngasinye. Ngokuphawulekayo, lolu phenyo lwakhiwe yimibono emibili: Isifanekiso Sesiyalo Esiqinisekisayo sika-Lee no-Marlene Canter, kanye noMbono Wokuguqulwa Kokuziphatha okhuthazwa ngu-Thorndike. Lapho esebenzisa ukuhlaziya kwemininingwane yendikimba, umcwaningi uhlonze izinga eliphezulu lokungaziphathi kahle ezikoleni ezisacwaningwayo. Nakuba amasu ahlukene okuqondiswa kwezigwegwe asetshenziswa, amanye abonakala ewusizo, amanye awazange asebenze. Lokho kuholele ekutheni umcwaningi aphethe ngokuthi othisha nabaphathi besikole basaqhubeka nokubhekana nezinselela ekugcineni ukuziphatha kwabafundi. Ngokusekelwe kulokho okutholiwe, umcwaningi uphakamisa imihlangano yokucobelelana ngolwazi nokuqeqeshwa kothisha nabaphathi, kanye nokubambisana okukhulu nokusebenzisana phakathi kwababambe iqhaza bezikole kanye noMnyango wezeMfundo. Esinye isiphakamiso kwaba ukuzibandakanya okukhulu kwabazali nomphakathi ekubhekaneni nokungaziphathi kahle kwabafundi. Kufanele kutshalwe onogada abaqeqeshiwe, osonhlalakahle kanye nongoti bezengqondo ezikoleni ukuze kubhekwane nezinkinga ezithinta abafundi ezingase zibhebhethekise ukungaziphathi kahle. Okokugcina, ukubhekisiswa kwenqubomgomo kanye nokubuyekezwa nakho kwaphakanyiswa: ukufinyelela ukuqondana okufanayo - okufinyelelwe ngokuqondisa nokucacisa ezinye izindlela zokuziphatha - kanye nokusungula izinqubo zokuqinisekisa ukuthi zisetshenziswa ngendlela efanele ezikoleni, kuzokwenza ngcono ukufundisa nokufunda futhi kwenzela iqoqo labafundi elinesimilo.

Vhudifari vhu si havhudi kha mugudiswa tshikoloni ndi inwe ya khaedu yo livhanaho na vhadededzi na ndangulo i fanaho. U bva tshe ha fheliswa ndatiso ya u rwa kha shango heli. Zwikolo zwo laelwa u shumisa zwitirathedzhi zwa u thadula u langula vhagudiswa vha si na vhudifari havhudi, ngeno sa ngudo ya manwalwa a zwino yo dzumbulula uri ndatiso ya u rwa i kha di ṋetshedzwa kha zwinwe zwikolo. Ngudo heyi yo vha i tshi khou toda u wanulusa ndeme ya u shumisa zwitirathedzhi zwa u thadula u dzudza vhudifari ha havhudi ha mugudiswa kha zwikolo zwitanu zwa sekondari ngei Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal. U swika zwino, ngona ya u shumisa tshenzhemo ya vhathu yo khethiwa u tikedza thodisiso, ngeno ngona ya khwalithethivi na nyolo ya ngudo zwo shumiswa u kuvhanganya data yo dodombedzwaho. Inthaviwu dzo dzudzanywaho dza muthu nga muthu, u sedza na u saukanya manwalwa zwo shumiswa sa zwishumiswa zwa u kuvhanganya data, na vhadzheneli vha 20 vho nangwaho nga kha tsumbonanguludzwa hu na zwo sedzwaho: thoho dza zwikolo vhatanu, thoho dza mihasho vhatanu, vhadededzi vhatanu na vhagudiswa vhatanu. Mutodisisi ha ngo sedza fhedzi u shumiswa ha ndila dza u thadula dza u ita uri hu vhe na vhudifari havhudi kha zwikolo zwo nanguludzwaho, fhedzi o dovha a tola mbekanyamaitele ya muhasho na u saukanya manwalwa a ndatiso a mbekanyamaitele ya tshikolo tshinwe na tshinwe. Nga maanda, tsedzuluso heyi yo bviselwa khagala nga thiori mbili: Tshiedziswa tsha u Khwathisa Ndatiso tsha Lee na Marlene Canter na u Khwinisa Vhudifari. Thiori yo tikedzwa nga Thorndike. Hu tshi shumiswa musaukanyo wa data wa thero, mutodisisi o topola phimo ya ntha ya u shaya vhudifari kha zwikolo zwi re nga fhasi ha ngudo. Naho ho shumiswa zwitirathedzhi zwa u thadula kha vhudifari zwo fhambanaho, zwinwe zwo khwathisedza u vha zwa ndeme, zwinwe a zwo ngo khwathisedza. Zwe zwa livhisa mutodisisi kha u pendela ngauri vhadededzi na ndangulo ya zwikolo zwo bvela phanda na u livhana na khaedu kha u dzudza vhudifari ha mugudiswa. Zwo disendeka kha mawanwa, mutodisisi o themendela dziwekishhopho na vhugudisi kha vhadededzi na ndangulo na tshumisano khulwanesa na tshumisano vhukati ha vhadzhiamikovhe vha zwikolo na Muhasho wa Pfunzo. Inwe themendelo yo vha ya u didzhenisa nga huhulu nga vhabebi na tshitshavha kha u shumana na u shaya vhudifari ha vhagudiswa. Vhalindi vha tsireledzo vho gudelaho, vhashumelavhapo na Vhadivhivhamihumbulo vha fanela u rumelwa zwikoloni u shumana na thaidzo dzo disendekaho nga mugudiswa dzine dza nga ṋaṋisa u shaya vhudifari. Tsha u fhedzisela, u sedzulusa mbekanyamaitele na ndovhololo zwo themendelwa: u funza zwithu zwine zwa fana – u swikelela kha nga u ta na u bvisela khagala ndila dza u thadula kha vhudifari – na u bveledza maitele u vhona zwauri o tea u shumiswa zwikoloni, zwi do khwinisa u funza na u guda kha tshigwada tsha vhudifari kha mugudiswa