Abstract
Background:Substance use is a significant public health problem worldwide and adversely affects the education system because learners who use substances display behaviours that negatively influence the quality of learning and teaching. The study aimed to determine the educator’s knowledge of the factors contributing to substance use among secondary school learners in the Greater Giyani municipality.Methods:The study employed a descriptive research design, and purposive sampling was applied to select the participants. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, and data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 programme.Results:The findings show good financial background (69%), more pocket money (67%), high financial difficulties (67%), availability and accessibility of substances (51%), and psychological factors (low self-esteem, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder) as contributing to learners’ involvement in substance use.Conclusion:Substance use is a matter of serious concern in secondary schools, and several factors are believed to be perpetuating the behaviour. The government should put strict measures in place to ensure the appropriate use of marijuana and for the purpose indicated. Teachers’ inadequate knowledge of contributory factors to substance use by learners could mean that they could not educate them about substance-related harm.
Highlights
Substance use is a significant public health problem worldwide and adversely affects the education system because learners who use substances display behaviours that negatively influence the quality of learning and teaching
The sample consisted of 224 participants (211 educators and 13 school principals). 58.5% (131) of the respondents were aged 40 years and above while 12.5% (28) were between 20-25 years, and the age groups 26-30 years and 31-35 years were represented by 10.3% (23) and 10.7% (24), respectively
The findings show that majority of the respondents, Substance Use and Associated Factors
Summary
Substance use is a significant public health problem worldwide and adversely affects the education system because learners who use substances display behaviours that negatively influence the quality of learning and teaching. The study aimed to determine the educator’s knowledge of the factors contributing to substance use among secondary school learners in the Greater Giyani municipality. The use of alcohol and drugs by learners is a major public health problem internationally. Substance use among public secondary school learners is increasing rapidly and with negative consequences such as school dropouts, injuries, loss of lives, destruction of properties, and compromised academic standards [1]. Some studies identified the significant risk factors for substance use among the youth as poverty, lack of parents’ in-. Substance use among learners is increasing at a rapid rate in schools. In the first South African national youth survey conducted among grade 8-11 learners, the prevalence rate was 31.8% for alcohol, 23% for binge drinking, and 9.1% for cannabis use [7].
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