A Call for the Institutionalisation of School Social Work Services in the O.R. Tambo Inland Secondary Schools to Counter the Psycho-Social ills Among Learners

Abstract

Undeniably, learners in many secondary schools are confronted with an array of psychosocial ills that have a detrimental effect on their academic performance and overall development. This paper endeavours to delve into the ills encountered by learners in secondary schools, thereby necessitating the institutionalisation of school social work interventions in the O.R. Tambo Inland. The study adopted an exploratory and descriptive approach, aiming to explore and describe the phenomenon under scrutiny. A qualitative research methodology was employed to conduct in-depth interviews with a group of 12 learners. Furthermore, the quintet of School Governing Body (SGB) constituents actively participated in a collective discourse, constituting a focus group discussion. The empirical data were analysed thematically, with the ecological perspective and General Strain Theory (GST) being an intrinsic theoretical framework. Evidence on the ground suggests that learners are unfortunately confronted with a multitude of psychosocial ills, including but not limited to substance abuse, financial difficulties, instances of bullying, depressive symptoms, experiences of sexual abuse, and occurrences of incestuous relationships. As such, the researcher proposes that the Department of Education (DoE) should place a higher emphasis on the recruitment and deployment of social workers within schools to address the psychosocial needs of vulnerable learners effectively.