Stressors in the professional lives of South African secondary school educators

Abstract

We identify current stressors in the professional lives of South African secondary school educators. The study was exploratory, using a questionnaire, which listed 19 possible causes of stress and was completed by 987 educators from all racial groups and provinces in the country. South African educators in general currently experience the following as stressors: uninvolved parents, poor learner discipline, lack of learner motivation, learners’ negative attitudes towards themselves, numerous changes inside and outside the school, and lack of self-esteem. Male and female educators differed significantly in their perceptions of some stressors. Educators with six to 15 years of experience and who were between 36 and 45 years old differed significantly from others on some issues.