Behavioural Manifestation of Discipline: A Case Study in Secondary Schools in Heidelberg Gauteng Province

Abstract

Learner behaviour has become a major problem in most secondary schools in South Africa. A new political dispensation in South Africa in 1994 brought drastic changes and challenges to the education system. The abolition of corporal punishment in 1996 necessitated a shift towards alternative discipline methods. The establishment of the South African School’s Act 84 of 1996 (SASA), Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996, new policies in the Department of Education, all brought uncertainty to most schools. This study has anchored the intuitionism theory as a template to discuss acceptable and non-acceptable behaviours in SA schools. Discipline is problematic to parents, teachers and learners in secondary schools in East Rand District. This paper investigated the problems and challenges emerging from indiscipline of learners and recommends ways in which parents and schools could collaboratively manage indiscipline in schools. The study explored policies, codes of conduct, and other documents relevant to discipline of learners. A qualitative research design was employed and data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Three focus group interviews with 81 respondents were engaged in the data collection. Finally recommendations were handed to the participating schools. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n27p839