Social cohesion: A recipe to reduce bullying in secondary schools of South Africa

Social cohesion: A recipe to reduce bullying in secondary schools of South Africa

Sakumzi Poswa & Thabisa Nodayinge

Issue: Vol. 7 No. 6 2026 Article 2 pp.587 – 598
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2026762 Published online 14th July 2026.

6 Downloads

DOWNLOAD PDF

ABSTRACT

This paper highlights the critical role of social cohesion in creating a bullying-free environment in South African secondary schools. This study used a positivist paradigm and quantitative methodology to investigate bullying behaviour in schools, gathering data from 6 school principals, 240 parents, 320 learners and 30 teachers across six secondary schools in the OR Tambo Inland Education District, South Africa, to inform evidence-based conclusions. When promoting a culture of respect and harmony, schools can provide an optimal learning environment for learners. Using a social-ecological framework and social disorganization theory, this study investigated the causes of bullying in schools. Key findings indicate that bullying in South African schools is linked to several factors, including the lack of positive teacher-learner relationships, weak bonds between educators and learners, and inadequate parental support. They also include environmental factors such as family dynamics, community violence, and socioeconomic conditions that influence learners’ behavior. These findings emphasize the need for a multi-faceted approach to address bullying, involving educators, parents, and the broader community. To reduce bullying in schools, this paper suggests fostering positive behavioral change, improving teacher-learner relationships, and building stronger, more cohesive communities.

Keywords: Social Cohesion, Bullying, Social Disorganization, Positive Behavioural Change, Multicultural Education, Toxic Environment.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Acar-Ciftci, Yasemin. “Multicultural Education and Approaches to Teacher Training.” Journal of Education and Learning 8, no. 4 (2019): 136–52.

Afrilsah, Muh. “Investigating the Role of Religion in Shaping Moral Values and Social Norms.” Mahogany Journal De Social 1, no. 1 (2024): 41–49.

Ahmad, Sharique, Saeeda Wasim, Sumaiya Irfan, Sudarshana Gogoi, Anshika Srivastava, and Zarina Farheen. “Qualitative v/s. Quantitative Research-a Summarized Review.” Population 1, no. 2 (2019): 2828–32.

Anderson, Elsa C, and Emily S Minor. “Vacant Lots: An Underexplored Resource for Ecological and Social Benefits in Cities.” Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 21 (2017): 146–52.

Baral, Rameshwor. “Exploring the Prominent Role of Social Institutions in Society.” International Research Journal of MMC (IRJMMC) 4, no. 2 (2023): 68–74.

Bayaga, Anass, and Louw Jaysveree. “Moral Degeneration: Crisis in South African Schools?” Journal of Social Sciences 28, no. 3 (2011): 199–210.

Berg, Magdalena Van den, Wanda Wendel-Vos, Mireille Van Poppel, Han Kemper, Willem Van Mechelen, and Jolanda Maas. “Health Benefits of Green Spaces in the Living Environment: A Systematic Review of Epidemiological Studies.” Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 14, no. 4 (2015): 806–16.

Berkman, Lisa F, and S Leonard Syme. “Social Networks, Host Resistance, and Mortality: A Nine-Year Follow-up Study of Alameda County Residents.” American Journal of Epidemiology 109, no. 2 (1979): 186–204.

Brown, Michael J, and Marie-Joëlle Zahar. “Social Cohesion as Peacebuilding in the Central African Republic and Beyond.” Journal of Peacebuilding & Development 10, no. 1 (2015): 10–24.

Chan, Joseph, Ho-Pong To, and Elaine Chan. “Reconsidering Social Cohesion: Developing a Definition and Analytical Framework for Empirical Research.” Social Indicators Research 75, no. 2 (2006): 273–302.

Chukwudi Cosmos Maha, Tolulope Olagoke Kolawole, and Samira Abdul. “Innovative Community-Based Strategies to Combat Adolescent Substance Use in Urban Areas of the US and Africa.” International Journal of Applied Research in Social Sciences 6, no. 6 (June 6, 2024): 1048–67. https://doi.org/10.51594/ijarss.v6i6.1173.

Cox, Fletcher D, and Timothy D Sisk. “Peacebuilding: A Social Cohesion Approach.” In Peacebuilding in Deeply Divided Societies: Toward Social Cohesion?, 13–31. Springer, 2017.

Dee, Thomas S., and Emily K. Penner. “The Causal Effects of Cultural Relevance.” American Educational Research Journal 54, no. 1 (February 24, 2017): 127–66. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831216677002.

Dehalwar, KSSN, and Shashikant Nishant Sharma. “Exploring the Distinctions between Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods.” Think India Journal 27, no. 1 (2024): 7–15.

Eccles, Jacquelynne S, and Robert W Roeser. “Schools as Developmental Contexts during Adolescence.” Journal of Research on Adolescence 21, no. 1 (2011): 225–41.

Eligon, John. “Poor Scores Leave an Afrocentric School in Chicago Vulnerable.” The New York Times, 2016.

Elliott, Delbert S. “Environmental Factors Contribute to Juvenile Crime and Violence.” Opposing Viewpoints: Juvenile Crime, 1997, 1–7.

Elsayed, Walaa. “Building a Better Society: The Vital Role of Family’s Social Values in Creating a Culture of Giving in Young Children’s Minds.” Heliyon 10, no. 7 (April 2024): e29208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29208.

Grobler, Riaan. “Violence and Killing in SA Schools: These Stories Shocked Us in 2018.” News24, November 22, 2018. https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/violence-and-killing-at-sa-schools-these-stories-shocked-us-in-20181122.

Holt-Lunstad, Julianne, Timothy B Smith, and J Bradley Layton. “Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-Analytic Review.” PLoS Medicine 7, no. 7 (2010): e1000316.

James, Carl. “Multiculturalism, Diversity, and Education in the Canadian Context: The Search for an Inclusive Pedagogy.” Global Constructions of Multicultural Education: Theories and Realities, January 1, 2001, 175–204.

Joubert, Rika, Jennifer Sughrue, and David M Alexander. “Search and Seizure of Learners in Schools in a Constitutional Democracy: A Comparative Analysis between South Africa and the United States.” De Jure 46, no. 1 (2013): 114–31.

Kekana, Mabeba Gladys. “The Impact of Substance Abuse among Youth on the Risk Profile of Bekkersdal Community.” Northwest University, 2015.

Kendler, Kenneth S, Hermine H Maes, Kristina Sundquist, Henrik Ohlsson, and Jan Sundquist. “Genetic and Family and Community Environmental Effects on Drug Abuse in Adolescence: A Swedish National Twin and Sibling Study.” American Journal of Psychiatry 171, no. 2 (2014): 209–17.

Keyes, Corey L M, and Barret Michalec. “Viewing Mental Health from the Complete State Paradigm.” A Handbook for the Study of Mental Health: Social Contexts, Theories, and Systems, 2010, 125–34.

Khan, Zebun Nisa. “Role of Education in Building Social Cohesion.” Online Submission 4, no. 2 (2016): 23–26.

King, Elisabeth, Cyrus Samii, and Birte Snilstveit. “Interventions to Promote Social Cohesion in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Journal of Development Effectiveness 2, no. 3 (2010): 336–70.

Kubrin, Charis E., and Ronald Weitzer. “New Directions in Social Disorganization Theory.” Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 40, no. 4 (November 1, 2003): 374–402. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022427803256238.

Langer, Arnim, Frances Stewart, Kristien Smedts, and Leila Demarest. “Conceptualising and Measuring Social Cohesion in Africa: Towards a Perceptions-Based Index.” Social Indicators Research 131, no. 1 (2017): 321–43.

Lorenc, Theo, Stephen Clayton, David Neary, Margaret Whitehead, Mark Petticrew, Hilary Thomson, Steven Cummins, Amanda Sowden, and Adrian Renton. “Crime, Fear of Crime, Environment, and Mental Health and Wellbeing: Mapping Review of Theories and Causal Pathways.” Health & Place 18, no. 4 (2012): 757–65.

Makgoke, Solomon, and Jacob T Mofokeng. “Strategies for Policing Alcohol and Illicit Substance Abuse amongst Learners of Selected Secondary Schools within the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.” Acta Criminologica: African Journal of Criminology & Victimology 33, no. 1 (2020): 91–114.

Medical Research Council of South Africa. The 2nd South African National Youth Risk Behaviour Survey , 2008.

Mlaba, Mbuyiselo Bonani, Gedala Mulliah Naidoo, and Marathane Reggy Metso. “Locally Produced Television Programmes Designed for Social Cohesion in a Democratic South Africa.” Journal of African Film & Diaspora Studies (JAFDIS) 5, no. 2 (2022).

Mlambo, S. “Justice for Lufuno: Limpopo Pupil Dies by Suicide after Violent School Bullying Incident.” IOL, 2021.

Okoye-Johnson, Ogo. “Does Multicultural Education Improve Students’ Racial Attitudes? Implications for Closing the Achievement Gap.” Journal of Black Studies 42, no. 8 (2011): 1252–74.

Poswa, Sakumzi. “Combating Bullying in Secondary Schools of South Africa.” Walter Sisulu University, South Africa, 2025.

Pulimeno, Manuela, Prisco Piscitelli, Salvatore Colazzo, Annamaria Colao, and Alessandro Miani. “School as Ideal Setting to Promote Health and Wellbeing among Young People.” Health Promotion Perspectives 10, no. 4 (2020): 316.

Rostami, Raheleh, Hasanuddin Lamit, Seyed Meysam Khoshnava, and Rasoul Rostami. “Successful Public Places: A Case Study of Historical Persian Gardens.” Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 15 (2016): 211–24.

Schiefer, David, and Jolanda Van der Noll. “The Essentials of Social Cohesion: A Literature Review.” Social Indicators Research 132, no. 2 (2017): 579–603.

Semião, Daniela, Maria João Mogarro, Filipe Brás Pinto, Maria José D. Martins, Nelson Santos, Otilia Sousa, Amélia Marchão, Isabel Pimenta Freire, Lucio Lord, and Luís Tinoca. “Teachers’ Perspectives on Students’ Cultural Diversity: A Systematic Literature Review.” Education Sciences 13, no. 12 (December 6, 2023): 1215. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13121215.

Sommer, Christoph. “Social Cohesion and Economic Development: Unpacking the Relationship.” Briefing Paper, 2019.

Thoits, Peggy A. “Mechanisms Linking Social Ties and Support to Physical and Mental Health.” Journal of Health and Social Behavior 52, no. 2 (2011): 145–61.

Umberson, Debra, and Jennifer Karas Montez. “Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health Policy.” Journal of Health and Social Behavior 51, no. 1_suppl (March 8, 2010): S54–66. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022146510383501.

Wickes, Rebecca. “Social Disorganization Theory: Its History and Relevance to Crime Prevention.” Preventing Crime and Violence, 2016, 57–66.

Zia, R. “The Role of Gender in Shaping Social Norms: Insights from Social Science Research.” Physical Education, Health and Social Sciences 1, no. 3 (2023): 1–7.

AUTHOR(S)

Poswa Sakumzi, PhD, is a primary school principal of Eastern Cape Department of Basic Education. He also graduated with a Doctor of Education degree at Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa. His research focuses on finding strategies that schools can use to reduce bullying. Using quantitative method, he studies the effects of the environment on learners’ bullying behavior.

Thabisa Nodayinge holds Master’s degree in Social Work and her studies focused on Students with Disability. She graduated at iYuniversity Walter Sisulu. She has extensive experience in the field of Social Work. She has served in the following institutions and organisations: Department of Basic Education (OR Tambo Coastal), Sessional Social Worker in Child-line South Africa – rendering residential therapeutic camp to survivors of sexual assault, Small Project Foundation and Songe Social Change. She has also worked as an Academic Advisor under Student Affairs and she is currently an Acting Coordinator for Students with Disabilities under Disability Unit of iYuniversity Walter Sisulu.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Poswa, Sakumzi, and Thabisa Nodayinge. “Social cohesion: A recipe to reduce bullying in seccondary schools of South Africa.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 7, no.6 (2026): 587 – 598. https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2026762