An investigation into the effects of gender-based violence in primary schools of Warmbaths circuit, Waterberg region

Abstract

Schools should provide a warm, loving and supportive environment where children can learn and become responsible citizens in the future. Instead, incidents of violence and murder caused by school-related gender-based violence have turned some South African schools into scenes of death and destruction. Major educational challenges caused by gender-based violence in schools are now affecting the majority of students in the country, putting their safety at risk. The aim of this study was to examine how gender-based violence affects primary school learners and how it severely limits their rights and participation in the educational environment. The questionnaire and interview were completed by a sample of six primary school learners (3 male learners and 3 female learners) and nine primary school educators (3 male and 6 female educators) in Warmbaths area. According to the study, gender-based violence is an issue in these regions. Findings also involve the magnitude of learner‘s experiences of SRGBV, the effects of SRGBV behaviour on learners, a general understanding of the consequences of SRGBV, male educators as perpetrators of SRGBV and the overall performance of school duties in the school environment. Effective measures for preventing the spread of the scourge have been identified. Suggestions and recommendations of the study involve improved parental involvement and policy evaluation to maintain positive engagement. Results showed that male learners were more likely to engage in violent behaviour than female learners and that female learners were more likely to experience gender-based violence at school. The plague can be stopped from spreading if effective steps are taken. The focus of the study was on how gender-based violence in schools affected student learning and educator effectiveness. To foster open dialogue and learn more about how school-related violence affects relationships between learners, educators, and their environment, data were acquired using semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. When discussing violence issues at their individual schools, participants' identities were protected and made comfortable by the use of pseudonyms. The studies additionally encouraged collaboration among all parties, such as the Ministry of Education, to deal with the difficulty of gender-primarily based totally violence in schools.