Safety and security in schools in KwaZulu-Natal

This article is based on research conducted on the topic: Safety and security in schools: The case of KwaZulu-Natal. For the research project a purposive sample consisting of secondary school learners, teachers, school governing body chairpersons and principals were selected from the rural and towns...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Educational studies 2015-10, Vol.41 (5), p.551-564
Main Authors:	White, C.J., Gina, J.M., Coetzee, I.E.M.
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Administrator Attitudes Aggression Bullying Discourse Analysis Drug Abuse educator Ethnography Focus Groups Foreign Countries Governance Interviews KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal Province South Africa learner Libel and Slander Partnerships in Education perceptions Police School Relationship Principals Research Design safety School environment School Policy School Safety Secondary School Students Secondary School Teachers Secondary schools security Sexual Harassment South Africa (KwaZulu Natal) Student Attitudes Teacher Attitudes Violence
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Summary:	This article is based on research conducted on the topic: Safety and security in schools: The case of KwaZulu-Natal. For the research project a purposive sample consisting of secondary school learners, teachers, school governing body chairpersons and principals were selected from the rural and township schools used in this study to explore the views of respondents about the state of safety and security in their school environments. The research was grounded in the social interpretive tradition, using an ethnographic research design, with one-on-one and focus group interviews. Data were analysed using critical discourse analysis to construct the main theme: namely, safety within schools. The findings indicated that learners and teachers are not safe in their schools. Lack of safety and security is characterised by the vulnerability of schools with regard to issues such as fighting, violent murders, sexual harassment, stabbings, the use of derogatory language and threats. It is argued that there is an urgent need to address the concerns of the participants.
ISSN:	0305-5698 1465-3400