Abstract
M.Ed. (Educational Leadership and Management)
The learner’s code of conduct adopted by a school could contain a set of moral values, norms and principles which the school community should uphold and promote as part of the roles and responsibility of various stakeholders, including the school governing body in the creation of a proper teaching and learning milieu in schools. Furthermore, it should include the mission statement of the school, the school rules must define misconduct and due process to be followed when rules are infringed and also provide for legitimate disciplinary measures.
We live in a time when learners are quick to remind educators of their rights. It has become common place to hear educators and parents complain about a sense of loss of control and to blame the loss on the fact that learners have unbridled rights. The South African Schools Act (section 8(4), makes it clear that nothing shall exempt a learner from complying with the code of conduct of the school. An educator at the school shall have the same rights as a parent to control and discipline the learner according to the code of conduct during the time the learner is in attendance at the school, any classroom, school function or school trip or school related activities.
The main aim of undertaking this research was finding out the perception of parents in the adoption of the learner’s code of conduct in secondary schools. The research method used to collect the data was qualitative. During the research, interviews were used to collect data. The researcher also used a voice recorder to record the views of the school governing body members on their roles in the adoption of the learner’s code of conduct in secondary schools.
Research findings and recommendations indicated that, school management must be supported by structures like Representative Council of Learners so as to curb ill discipline in the school. All groups with interest in education together with the Education Department must organised workshops, and training sessions so as to give capacity to school governing body members on matters of school governance.