Public Schools In South Africa Research Articles

Job Stress, Job Dissatisfaction and Stress Related Illnesses Among South African Educators

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between self-reported job stress and job dissatisfaction and the prevalence of stress related illnesses and risk factors amongst educators. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a representative sample of 21,307 educators from public schools in South Africa. Self-reported measures of job stress, job satisfaction, and stress-related illnesses (including mental distress) were taken. HIV-antibody tests (ELIZA) and CD-4 count was taken from those educators who agreed to blood specimens. Results indicate that the prevalence of stress-related illnesses were 15.6% for hypertension, 9.1% stomach ulcer, 4.5% diabetes, 3.9% major mental distress, 3.8% minor mental distress, and 3.5% asthma. The study found considerablyhigh stress levels among educators. Job stress was weakly associated withseven out of ten stress related illnesses but none was significant considering effect size calculations. Stress from teaching methods seemed to have higher impact on stress related illnesses than other components of the job stress scale. From three components of the demand-control model two, namely work stress from teaching methods and the educational system, but not low peer support was related to heart disease. The components of the effort-reward model of low socio-economic status and lack of career advancement were both not related to heart disease and only lack of career advancement was inversely related tohypertension. Most components assessed here of the demand-control model (including stress with teaching methods and educational system, low peer support) and effort-reward model (including job insecurity and lack of career advancement) were related to stomach ulcer and mental distress. It is recommended that changes to the organization of work with particular attention being paid to increasing control and reward conditions be implemented and stress management may be included in work health programmes for educators.

Perceptions of the principal’s role in democratic school governance in South Africa

This article explores governors’ perceptions of the role played by school principals in the democratic governance of secondary schools in South Africa. The South African Schools Act No. 84 of 1996 has mandated that all public schools in South Africa must have democratically elected school governing bodies, comprised of the principal (in his or her official capacity), educators, non‐teaching staff, parents and learners, but the latter is applicable only in secondary schools. This reform is intended to foster tolerance, rational discussion and collective decision‐making. In the light of this reform an empirical study investigated the role of the principal in the school governing body (SGB), particularly in promoting parent and learner participation in SGBs. The findings highlighted the important functions that principals fulfil with regard to the functioning of the SGB. Principals are viewed by governors as playing a positive role in SGBs. Governors referred to principals as ‘the finger on the pulse of what is happening at school’; they are resource persons for other members of the SGBs and ‘the engines’ of the schools. Governors viewed the principal as in charge of the professional management of the school, ensuring that all duties are carried out adequately, setting the tone in SGB meetings, and responsible for interpreting education policies and ensuring that they are well implemented. Furthermore, principals have the responsibility of ensuring the maximum participation of both parent and learner governors in SGBs meetings. Principals can also contribute greatly to school governance issues, since they are usually at an advantage in terms of their familiarity with official regulations, provincial directives and knowledge of educational reform measures. The findings highlighted persistent power struggles in rural schools that may arise when principals overplay their roles as this creates tension among SGB members. However, principals enabled implementation of democratic values such as tolerance, rational discussion and collective decision‐making in schools through their leadership roles.

Job stress, job satisfaction and stress‐related illnesses among South African educators

AbstractThe aim of this study was to explore the relationship between self‐reported job stress and job satisfaction, and the prevalence of stress‐related illnesses and risk factors among educators. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted in a representative sample of 21,307 educators from public schools in South Africa. Results indicate that the prevalence of stress‐related illnesses were 15.6 per cent for hypertension, 9.1 per cent stomach ulcer, 4.5 per cent diabetes, 3.3 per cent minor mental distress, 3.1 per cent major mental distress and 3.5 per cent asthma. The study found considerably high stress levels among educators. Job stress and lack of job satisfaction were associated with most stress‐related illnesses (hypertension, heart disease, stomach ulcer, asthma, mental distress, tobacco and alcohol misuse). From three components of the demand‐control model, two, namely work stress from teaching methods and low peer support, were related to hypertension but not to heart disease. The components of the effort‐reward model of low socio‐economic status and lack of career advancement were both not related to heart disease, and only lack of career advancement was inversely related to hypertension. Most components assessed here of the demand‐control model (including stress with teaching methods and educational system and low peer support) and effort‐reward model (including job insecurity and lack of career advancement) were related to stomach ulcer and mental distress. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Re-Evaluation of Religious and Cultural Symbols in Public Schools in South Africa: Emergence and Development of Legal Pluralism

Re-Evaluation of Religious and Cultural Symbols in Public Schools in South Africa: Emergence and Development of Legal Pluralism

Tension between school governing bodies and education authorities in South Africa and proposed resolutions thereof.

The success of a country’s education system depends to a large extent on the mutual trust and co-op eration e xisting between all partners. However, numerous documented incidents in the media have confirmed that there is a field of tension between school governing bodies of public schools in South Africa and the Department of Ed ucatio n, which is of great concern to all partners in the system, especially as these parent bodies were established by the current government to be partne rs in the management of their children’s schools. This empirical investigation was undertaken to identify and analyse the origin and extent of the tension and to suggest practical and workable solutions to defuse the situation. The views of respondents from both parties were e licited and the results confirme d the existence of ten sion and mistrust.

Multireligious Education ‐ An Option for South Africa in the New Education System1

In the previous political dispensation of South Africa religious education was modelled on the Christian National Education policy. After the democratic elections in 1994 many public schools in South Africa became multi‐cultural and multi‐religious. A new education model, Outcomes‐based Education, was introduced in 1997. This influenced the position and curriculum of religious education. Problematic situations surfaced in many schools where communal values and religion are regarded as non‐negotiable elements. Most of the teachers do not have skills to introduce any multi‐religious content or to facilitate multi‐cultural situations (Roux 1997). Outcomes‐based Education implies the development of skills to live meaningful lives and to respect individuals, different communities and cultures (National Department of Education 1997a). Emphasis on communal values, in order to establish an understanding and knowledge of different behaviours, religions and cultures thus become an important part of the curriculum. In this article, the position of religious education in the new education system, Outcomes‐based Education (OBE) and the school society will be discussed. 1 This is an edited version of a paper presented at the Nürnberg Forum, ‘Zukunftwiesende Begenung in Ausserschulischen Feldern’, held in Nürnberg, Germany, 9‐12 October 1997. The title of the paper was ‘Interreligiöse Erziehung im Aufbruch ‐ das Beispiel Südafrika’.

Drug testing in public schools

The fact that there is a serious drug problem in South African schools cannot be disputed. The question is: What can be done to save schoolchildren from the stranglehold of drugs? In this article the author investigated drug testing as a possible strategy to curb the availability and use of drugs in our schools. First, the concept of drug testing is defined. Second, education law and policy regulating drug testing in public schools in South Africa, such as the Constitution, the National policy on the management of drug abuse by learners in public and independent schools and further education and training institutions, the Regulations for safety measures at public schools, the National drug master plan, the Guidelines for the consideration of governing bodies in adopting a code of conduct for learners and the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act, 1992 (Act 140 of 1992) are discussed. Before guidelines for education managers and governing bodies to be used when adopting a policy on drug testing are formulated, the author investigated American court rulings on drug testing in schools as well as some advantages and disadvantages of drug testing.