The challenges in the implementation of the alternatives to corporal punishment in the rural primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal.

• Main Author: Zulu, Gladstone Khulani.
• Other Authors: Bayeni, Sibusiso Douglas.
• Language: en
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: School discipline > South Africa.; Theses > Education.
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10413/851

This study undertakes to explore challenges that rural primary schools face in the implementation of the alternatives to corporal punishment. This qualitative study gathered data through the case study approach for the following key research questions: 1. How do rural primary schools implement alternatives to corporal punishment policy? 2. What are the new experiences of principals, teachers and parents after the introduction of alternatives to old corporal punishment policy? 3. How do rural primary schools manage the implementation of the alternatives to corporal punishment policy? Interviews were conducted with educators and parents in order to collect data from three schools in the KwaNgcolosi and eMolweni areas. The qualitative approach helped the researcher to make meaning from data by seeing the bigger picture and converting the raw empirical information into what is known in qualitative research as a “thick description”. The researcher used a qualitative approach to gain a deeper and better understanding of the challenges facing rural primary schools in the implementation of alternatives to corporal punishment policy. In order to get a full picture of the challenges in schools under study the researcher obtained data through semi-structured interviews. Most educators and parents felt that misconduct was worse without corporal punishment in schools. They said that learners did not take alternatives to corporal punishment seriously, and made fun of these disciplinary measures. It was also indicated that there were dangerous conditions [such as walking alone for long distances] when detention was vi used in rural areas. There was a call to reinstate corporal punishment by most educators and parents in schools under study. In responding to the challenges in the implementation of alternatives to corporal punishment policy, educators in rural schools should be provided with guidance and training by the Department of Education on how to implement the alternative measures. Guidance educators and counsellors need to be appointed to support educators in schools. Caregivers should be allocated by the government to learners who are living alone and learners who are under the care of grandparents that are old and illiterate. === Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.