Looking through the lens of an educator: the role of schools in the management of alcohol and other drug use among high school learners

Abstract

ABSTRACT The effects of learners’ alcohol and other drug (AOD) use have far-reaching implications for educators and the teaching environment. The Schools Act 84 of 1996 describes the consequences of misconduct, with its revisions stipulating the conditions and procedures for searching, testing, and drug possession in an attempt to reduce learner substance use. There seem to be inconsistencies in the implementation of guidelines and the current practices at the school level. This research aimed to explore the response by schools to alcohol and other drug use among learners, and the guidelines to identify and address substance use. The study employed a qualitative approach and sampled 14 high schools located in seven municipality clusters in the Cape Town metropole. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with teaching and management personnel. A total of 23 personnel from 11 high schools were interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and patterns. Three themes emerged from the data, namely Practices of educators in response to AOD use; Policy-implementation gap; and Lack of agency to effect change. There is a lack of cohesive guidelines for educators to address substance use in schools. Consequently, schools use their own discretion to handle the situation; given their resources and social capital. Educators feel uninformed and ill-equipped to assist learners beyond referral. Further, there is a dearth of knowledge on aftercare and relapse in the contexts of the school/learning environment, both of which are critical components of effectively managing substance use.