TEACHERS’ SAFETY WITHIN THE TEACHER-DIRECTED VIOLENCE: A MODEL FOR ADVANCING TEACHERS’ SAFETY IN SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS
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Abstract
The previous decade has shown a great increase in the examination of teachers’ victimisation and safety within school systems globally. Considerable research has yielded parallel results, where learners are the common perpetrators of Teacher-Directed Violence (TDV), followed by the co-workers. None has proposed a model that is teacher-centric in promoting teachers’ safety. The present paper aimed to address teachers’ safety by proposing a model that will assist teachers to deal with the scourge of Teacher-Directed Violence (TDV). Espousing the Grounded Theory as the approach, the proposed model stives to advance the teachers’ voices in promoting teachers’ safety and school safety in general. Amassed data from literature revealed significant academic work on learners’ violence, however first-hand work on TDV is rare. Teachers are also victims of attacks occurring in schools, perpetrated by various role-players, however, slight attention has been accorded to the safety of teachers and the type of protection they need. Hence the model is proposed to prevent any form of TDV from various sources. The results of the study revealed that empowering teachers with skills and knowledge on how to prevent TDV remains paramount for their own protection and for the establishment of favourable schooling environment. Through the implementation of teachers’ safety model, a change in behaviour and practice may yield desirable results. Within the proposed model, it is suggested that the Basic Education sector should take the lead in providing policies and guidelines that address teachers’ safety at the workplace so as to curtail the phenomenon of teacher-on-teacher violence.
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