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The influence of gangsterism on the morale of educators on the Cape Flats, Western Cape

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the
MAGISTER EDUCATIONIS
in the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences at the
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
2007 / Gangsterism affecting schools on the Cape Flats, as well as concerns about this
phenomenon as addressed by the Provincial Minister of Education, Cameron
Dugmore, during his Education Budget Speech in 2006, has led to widespread
media attention in South Africa. Despite the Western Cape Education
Department’s implementation of the Safer Schools project in 2001 to assist
educators working in gang-ridden communities, not enough is being done to
eradicate the problems caused by gangsterism which educators face in their
schools on a daily basis.
This research embarks on enquiring how gangsterism influences the morale of
educators, focusing specifically on the educators’ perception of their morale and
their experiences while working in gang-ridden communities. The research
acknowledges that the educators play a vital role in education and are therefore
regarded as key stakeholders in a community.
The research is located in a qualitative paradigm because it seeks to achieve a
deeper understanding of the educators’ morale disposition in gang-ridden
communities and investigates the constructs of how gangsterism influences the
morale of educators.
Data was collected from principals and educators working in the following gangridden
communities: Bonteheuwel, Manenberg, Heideveld, Hanover Park and
Valhalla Park. A total of 53 respondents, including both educators and principals,
participated in this research. Methods of data collection included observations,
seven unstructured interviews and six structured focus group interviews.
The result revealed that gangsterism does influence the morale of educators
working in gang-ridden communities. It was also found that gangsterism affects
the whole school community - educators, learners and parents. It is a powerful yet
destructive phenomenon and has a negative effect on educator morale.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:cput/oai:localhost:20.500.11838/1874
Date January 2007
CreatorsDos Reis, Karen Marion
PublisherCape Peninsula University of Technology
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Rightshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/za/

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