Perspectives of Rural Teachers on the Effects of Peer Pressure on Learners’ Behaviour – A Case of the Mqanduli Magisterial District, South Africa
Berington Zanoxolo Gobingca 
& Nomhle Mqolombeni
Issue: Vol.5 No. 10 December 2024 Article 12 pp. 528-540
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.202451012 | Published online 30th December, 2024.
© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
There is general unhappiness and insecurity concerning school dropouts and reports of criminal activities through various news sources and media platforms in cities, villages and townships of South Africa. This research therefore examined the effects of peer pressure on learners’ behaviour. This research was conducted in schools geographically located in rural villages of the Mqanduli magisterial district, which is one of King Sabata Dalindyebo’s local municipalities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and a case study research design involving five randomly selected teachers from five schools where each school was represented by one teacher. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were used to gather data from the five teachers. Document study of records was also used to collect, triangulate and analyse the data from the conveniently sampled five secondary schools. It emerged that peer pressure influenced the learners’ behaviours either positively or negatively. It is recommended that there is a need for learner support agents (LSAs) and full-time employed psychologists in schools to counteract the possibility of school dropouts, truants, and misbehaving learners impeding the quality of learning and teaching. The study recommends the collaboration of stakeholders such as schools, the Department of Education and sister departments as well as municipalities in introducing or strengthening programmes inculcating acceptable and desirable morals to learners.
Keywords: Indiscipline, Learners, Behaviour, Peer Pressure, Quality of Learning and Teaching.
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Dr. Berington Zanoxolo Gobingca is a senior lecturer in Business Mangement Education Department in Faculty of Education at Walter Sisulu University (WSU), Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. I am lecturing Business Studies module to final year student-teachers. I am participating in postgraduate students supervision. I am one of the reviewers for South African Journal of Education (SAJE). I am an external examiner for postgraduate studies for various South African public universities.
Ms. Nomhle Mqolombeni is a principal of a primary school in one of Mqanduli Magisterial district, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. I have 25 years teaching experience and three years in school management, leadership and governance. Currently, I hold a Master of Education degree as my highest qualification obtained at Walter Sisulu University (WSU), Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
Gobingca, Berington Zanoxolo, and Nomhle Mqolombeni. “Perspectives of Rural Teachers on the Effects of Peer Pressure on Learners’ Behaviour – A Case of the Mqanduli Magisterial District, South Africa.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 5, no.10 (2024): 528-540. https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.202451012
© 2024 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
