Abstract
M.Ed.
Managing bullying from a whole-school approach as the responsibility of educators,
school management team, parents, learners, school governors, and other stakeholders is
the focal point of this research. Most learners enter the school with high expectations from
the school environment. Feelings of being bullied result in numbers of learners starting to
use avoidance strategies to miss school and this behaviour leads to a minimisation of
learning potential. Educators, parents, school governors, and learners can have a significant input in the intervention and management of bullying amongst learners in schools. They should develop anti-bullying strategies and policies to prevent the occurrence of bullying and its devastating results on learners. The literature has shown that bullying has painful effects on learners and is sometimes also a forerunner of anti-social behaviour and drug problems as the bully grows up. In chapter one, an exposition of the purpose of this study was given. The problem statement was presented and the aims to the aforesaid problem were explained. Concepts used in this study were clarified.
Chapter two concentrated on the literature review to establish what other theorists say
about managing bullying from a whole-school approach, the nature and extent of bullying,
and the consequences of bullying on learners. It emerged that bullying has devastating
results and should be addressed by educators, parents, school governors, learners, and
other stakeholders. In chapter three, the research method and design of the research instrument were discussed. The structured questionnaire consisting of 11 closed-ended items based on biographical data of respondents; 70 closed-ended items based on the nature and consequences of bullying, and management of bullying from a whole-school approach; and two open-ended items based on the management of bullying were formulated and discussed. Chapter four provided the empirical analysis and interpretation of data while chapter five provided the findings and recommendations on this research.
This research investigates a whole-school approach to managing bullying in primary
schools, in order to reduce learners' frustration and humiliation implied in bullying and
also to create a safe and sound environment for all learners in the school.