Lived Experiences of Teachers on the Integration of Values Education in Learners in South African High Schools

Abstract

Value education is seen as one of the necessary tools for addressing moral deterioration in the South African society of today. The school is viewed as one of the key change agents in nurturing children into adulthood, where teaching of values can give the growing generation the needed moral development. The aim of this study is to explore teachers’ experiences on the integration of values education into learners in South African high schools. Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development was used as a lens to understand the integration of values education in a semi-structured focus group interview with five purposively selected teachers from each school. A total of 25 teachers from five public schools in King Cethswayo district in KwaZulu-Natal province participated. The collected data was thematically analysed and themes were interpretively discussed. The findings revealed that teachers’ perception of values education affect its integration in schools. The role modelling of the learners by both teachers and parents is central to saving the society from moral decadence. However, limitations such as over crowded classes, single parenthood, and social media affect the effective integration of values education in schools. The study therefore, recommends mutual cooperation between the school and parents, the Department of Basic Education should provide adequate professional development training for teachers on the integration of values education, and schools should be provided with counselling psychologists to correct learners’ misbehaviours and promote effective integration of values education in schools.