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Statement: Promotion of UFS official languages

18 June 2025 | Story Lacea Loader

The University of the Free State (UFS) is committed to multilingualism to promote access, inclusivity, academic success, and a sense of belonging through its five working languages.

The University of the Free State (UFS) is committed to the promotion of multilingualism for equitable access to knowledge and academic success for all its students, scholarship of research, inclusivity and social cohesion, and for a strong sense of belonging through the use of five working languages, i.e. Sesotho, South African Sign Language, isiZulu, Afrikaans, and English in various contexts of its operation.

According to the UFS Language Policy (2023), English is the language of instruction at the university, except in language-specific disciplines, modules, and programmes (such as Afrikaans, Arabic, Dutch, German, French, IsiZulu, Sesotho, and South African Sign Language) at undergraduate and postgraduate level on all three UFS campuses. Lectures, study materials, examinations, and related materials are in English, except in disciplines where languages other than English are explicitly taught as subjects of study or used for teaching and assessment purposes.

Contrary to what has recently been reported in the media, Afrikaans is and will remain a language of the UFS and the promotion of Afrikaans is equally important as that of Sesotho, South African Sign Language, isiZulu, and English.

In recent years, priority has been given to the development and intellectualisation of Sesotho and South African Sign Language. However, the promotion of Afrikaans and IsiZulu as UFS languages remains important to ensure that speakers enjoy the right to receive academic support in the languages they best understand and prefer.

Through its Academy for Multilingualism, various projects and initiatives are underway in support of the university’s approach to multilingualism and to guarantee that all UFS languages are promoted and treated with equal importance. This includes, for instance, the provision of Afrikaans terminology lists for various disciplines to match the Sesotho terminology lists developed by the UFS, and isiZulu terminology lists (adapted from the University of KwaZulu-Natal through a Memorandum of Understanding). The UFS is, for instance, already championing the development of terminology for Psychology in South African Sign Language.

VERKLARING: BEVORDERING VAN AMPTELIKE TALE AAN DIE UV

Die Universiteit van die Vrystaat (UV) is verbind tot die bevordering van veeltaligheid vir billike toegang tot kennis en akademiese sukses vir al sy studente, vakkundigheid van navorsing, inklusiwiteit en sosiale kohesie, en vir ’n sterk gevoel van samehorigheid deur die gebruik van vyf werkstale, dit wil sê Suid-Sotho, Suid-Afrikaanse Gebaretaal, Zoeloe, Afrikaans en Engels in verskillende kontekste van sy werksaamhede.

Volgens die UV-Taalbeleid (2023) is Engels die onderrigtaal aan die universiteit, behalwe in taalspesifieke dissiplines, modules en programme (soos Afrikaans, Arabies, Nederlands, Duits, Frans, Zoeloe, Suid-Sotho en Suid-Afrikaanse Gebaretaal) op voor- en nagraadse vlak op al drie UV-kampusse. Lesings, studiemateriaal, eksamens en verwante materiaal is in Engels, behalwe in dissiplines waar ander tale as Engels uitdruklik as studievakke onderrig word of vir onderrig- en assesseringsdoeleindes gebruik word.

Anders as wat onlangs in die media berig is, is en sal Afrikaans ’n taal van die UV bly en is die bevordering van Afrikaans ewe belangrik as dié van Suid-Sotho, Suid-Afrikaanse Gebaretaal, Zoeloe en Engels.

In onlangse jare is prioriteit gegee aan die ontwikkeling en intellektualisering van Suid-Sotho en Suid-Afrikaanse Gebaretaal. Die bevordering van Afrikaans en Zoeloe as UV-tale bly egter belangrik om te verseker dat sprekers die reg geniet om akademiese ondersteuning te ontvang in die tale wat hulle die beste verstaan en verkies.

Deur middel van sy Akademie vir Meertaligheid is verskeie projekte en inisiatiewe aan die gang ter ondersteuning van die universiteit se benadering tot veeltaligheid en om te verseker dat alle UV-tale bevorder word en met gelyke belangrikheid hanteer word. Dit sluit byvoorbeeld in die verskaffing van Afrikaanse terminologielyste vir verskeie dissiplines om te pas by die Suid-Sotho-terminologielyste wat deur die UV ontwikkel is, asook die Zoeloe-terminologielyste (aangepas vanaf die Universiteit van KwaZulu-Natal deur middel van ’n Memorandum van Verstandhouding). Die UV beywer hom byvoorbeeld reeds vir die ontwikkeling van Sielkunde-terminologie in Suid-Afrikaanse Gebaretaal.

SETATEMENTE: PHAHAMISO YA DIPUO TSA SEMMUSO TSA YUNIVESITHI YA FREISTATA

Yunivesithi ya Freistata, e ikemiseditse ho phahamisa botemengata mabapi le ho fumana tsebo ka mokgwa o lekanang ekasita le ho bona katleho ya baithuti bohle ditabeng tsa thuto, boithutong ba diphuputso, kananelo ya batho bohle le ditabeng tsa phedisano, ho kgothaletsa maikutlo a kutlwano ka tshebediso ya dipuo tse hlano tse sebediswang maemong a fapaneng mona yunivesithing, e leng Sesotho, Puo ya Matsoho ya Afrika Borwa, isiZulu, Afrikaans, le English.

Ho ya ka Leano la Puo la Yunivesithi ya Freistata (2023), English ke puo ya thuto mona yunivesithing, ka ntle le moo thuto e leng ya puo eitseng, moo mojolu e leng wa puo eitseng, le moo lenaneho la thuto e leng la puo eitseng (jwalo ka puo ya Afrikaans, Arabic, Dutch, German, French, isiZulu, Sesotho le Puo ya Matsoho ya Afrika Borwa), haholo boemong ba dithuto tse tlase le boemong ba dithuto tse hodimo, dikhemphaseng tse tharo tsa Yunivesithi ya Freistata. Dithuto, dingodilweng tsa thuto, dihlahlobo le tse ding, di ngotswe ka puo ya English, ka ntle le dithuto tsa dipuo tseo e seng tsa English, tsona di rutwa le hlahlojwa ka dipuo tsa tsona.

Ho fapana le se tlalehilweng masedinyaneng, puo ya Afrikaans ke puo mme e tla dula e le teng Yunivesithing ya Freistata, phahamiso ya Afrikaans e bohlokwa jwalo ka dipuo tse kang puo ya Sesotho, Puo ya Matsoho ya Afrika Borwa, puo ya isiZulu le puo ya English.

Dilemong tsa moraorao tjena, puo ya Sesotho le puo ya Matsoho ya Afrika Borwa, di behelletswe ka sehloohong mabapi le ho ntshetswa pele ekasitana le ho ntlafatswa hore di sebediswe boithutong ba diphuputso le mahlale. Le ha ho le jwalo, phahamiso ya puo ya Afrikaans le puo ya isiZulu jwalo ka dipuo tsa Yunivesithi ya Freistata, e tla dula e le ntho ya bohlokwa ho etsa bonnete ba hore beng ba dipuo tsena, ba na le tokelo ya ho fumana tshehetso ya thuto ka dipuo tseo ba di utlwisisang le ho di rata.

Ka tshebediso ya Akhademi ya Botemengata, diprojeke le meralo ya ntshetsopele di motjheng ho tshehetsa mokgwa wa Botemengata yunivesithing ekasitana le ho nnetefatsa hore dipuo tsohle di a phahamiswa mme di tshwarwa ka tsela e lekanang. Mohlala, taba ena e kenya diprojeke tse kang ntshetsopele ya mareho a puo ya Afrikaans bakeng sa dithuto tse fapaneng ho latela tshwano e teng marehong a puo ya Sesotho a entsweng ke Yunivesithi ena ya Freistata, hape le ho latela tshwano e teng marehong a puo ya isiZulu (a nkilweng Yunivesithing ya KwaZulu -Natala ho ya ka Memorandamo ya Kutlwuno). Yunivesithi ya Freistata, ha re etsa mohlala, e se e ntse e tswela pele ho etsa mareho a thuto ya Saekholoji ka puong ya Matsoho ya Afrika Borwa.

ISITATIMENDE-MBIKO: UKUQHAKANJISWA KWEZILIMI EZIGUNYAZIWE ZE-UFS

INyuvesi yase-Free State (UFS) izibophezele ekuqhakambiseni ubuliminingi ngenhloso yokunikezela ngolwazi ngendlela elinganayo nokuphumelelisa abafundi bayo bonke, ukuphumelelisa ezocwaningo, ukuqhakambisa umoya wozwano nokuhlanganyela, kanye nomuzwa onamandla wokuthi umuntu-nomuntu azizwe eyilunga eliqavile ngokusebenzisa izilimi ezigunyaziwe okuyisiSuthu, Ulimi lweZandla lwaseNingizimu Afrikha, isiZulu, isiBhunu, kanye nesiNgisi eminxeni yayo ehlukahlukene yezinhlelo zayo.

NgokweNqubomgomo yoLimi ye-UFS eyethulwa ngowezi-2023, isiNgisi yilona limi lezinhlelo zonke zenyuvesi, ngaphandle kwemikhakha, kwezifundo kanye nezinhlelo ezivele ezisebenza ngezinye izilimi (njengesiBhunu, isi-Arabhu, isiDashi, isiJalimane, isiFrentshi, isiZulu, isiSuthu kanye noLimi lweZandla lwaseNingizimu Afrikha) emabangeni aphansi (undergraduate) naphezulu (postgraduate) kuwo wonke amakhempasi ayo. Izethulo, izinsiza-kufunda/-kufundisa, izivinyo zokuphothula izifundo kanye nolunye ulwazi oluhlobene nakho kungolimi lwesiNgisi, ngaphandle kwemikhakha lapho khona kusebenza ngqo olunye ulimi njengesifundo noma njengolimi lokufundisa nokwenza imisebenzi yezifundo.

Ekubhekeni okuphambene okusanda kubhalwa izintatheli, isiBhunu siwulimi futhi sisazoqhubeka sibe ulimi lwe-UFS, kanti futhi ukuqhakanjiswa kwaso kubaluleke ngendlela efanayo nalokho kwesiSuthu, Ulimi lweZandla lwaseNingizimu Afrikha, isiZulu kanye nesiNgisi.

Eminyakeni edlule injolozela ibihlonywe kakhulu ekuthuthukiseni nasekuvanyisweni kwesiSuthu kanye noLimi lweZandla lwaseNingizimu Afrikha. Noma kunjalo, ukuqhakanjiswa kwesiBhunu nesiZulu njengezilimi ze-UFS kusabalulekile ngesizathu sokuqinisekisa ukuthi abanikazi bazo lezi zilimi bayalithakasela ilungelo lokuthola ukusizakala ngokwemfundo ephakeme ngezilimi abazizwa kangcono futhi abazincamelayo.

Ngokusebenzisa ihhovisi lesikhungo sobuliminingi sayo i-Academy for Multilingualism, izinhlelo ezahlukahlukene nemizamo ehlabahlosile sekuvele kusemgangathweni ngenhloso yokwelekelela umhlahlandlela wenyuvesi wobuliminingi kanye nokuqinisekisa ukuthi zonke izilimi ze-UFS ziyaqhakanjiswa futhi ziphathwa ngokubaluleka okulinganayo. Isibonelo, lokhu kubandakanya ukunikezelwa kohlu lwamatemu esiBhunu oluchuma imikhakha enhlobonhlobo ngenhloso yokuhambisana nohlu lwamatemu esiSuthu aqanjwe i-UFS, kanye nohlu lwamatemu esiZulu (athathwe eNyuvesi yaKwaZulu Natali ngendlela yesivumelwano esisayinwe izinhlaka zombili). Isibonelo, i-UFS isivele isiqalile iphethe uhlelo lokuthuthukiswa kohlu lwamatemu ezifundo eziphathelene nomqondo, phecelezi iPsychology isebenzisa Ulimi lweZandla lwaseNingizimu Afrikha.

Issued by:

Lacea Loader

Senior Director: Communication and Marketing

University of the Free State

loaderl@ufs.ac.za

News Archive

Inaugural lecture: Bullying in schools: Everyone’s problem

2005-06-03

Bullebakkery in skole: Almal se probleem
Bullying in schools: Everyone’s problem
Intreerede, 1 Junie 2005
Inaugural lecture, 1 June 2005
Corene de Wet

1. Inleiding
Leerders hoor dikwels dat hul ouers en opvoeders opmerkings soos die volgende maak:
Might is right. It is good to be able to dominate others. To be dominated by others is shameful. You should never complain about ill-treatment by others. You should learn to take it. You should never sympathise with wimps. To be gentle and compassionate is to be weak (Rigby 1996: 80).

Dié opmerkings, wat impliseer dat bullebakkery deel van die grootwordproses is, word deur volwassenes vir wie leerders lief is en respekteer, geuiter. Dit het tot gevolg dat bullebakkery as aanvaarbare gedrag voorgehou word. Bullebakkery maak egter inbreuk op die kind se reg tot menswaardigheid, privaatheid, vryheid en sekuriteit. Bullebakkery het ’n invloed op die slagoffer se fisieke, emosionele, sosiale en opvoedkundige welstand. Fisieke gevolge sluit die volgende in: hoofpyne, bednatmaak, verlies aan eetlus, swak liggaamshouding en maagprobleme. Bullebakkery kan tot die volgende emosionele probleme by slagoffers lei: depressie, selfmoordneigings en selfmoord, gespannenheid, vrees, asook gevoelens wat geassosieer word met Post Traumatiese Stres – verwardheid, angstigheid, woede en hartseer. Sosiale gevolge van bullebakkery is onder andere sosiale isolasie en eensaamheid, slagoffers het probleme om met ander kinders en volwassenes te meng, en is/word baie skaam. Opvoedkundige gevolge sluit die volgende in: slagoffers is baie afwesig, onttrek hulle van sosiale aktiwiteite by die skool, hulle is bang om vrae in die klas te vra, verlies aan konsentrasie, steek dit weg as hulle nie werk verstaan nie as gevolg van die vrees dat hulle gespot sal word en onderprestasie sodat hulle nie as té slim voorkom nie.

Bullying has various short- and long-term consequences for the bully. Although bullies are often popular in their peer group, they are seldom able to conclude real friendships. They rarely do well at school. Educators do not like them. Bullying is sometimes the first stepping stone to juvenile crime and criminal activities. The bully abuses alcohol and drugs more readily than other children. Some of them come to school armed. Bullies are often anti-social adults; some of them abuse their children, marriage or life partners. Roland (2002:62-65) found that not only victims but also bullies have suicide thoughts and symptoms of depression more regularly than learners who are not involved in bullying. Zeelie (2002:280) writes that bullying is a “loss experience”, a “loss of safety, loss of self-esteem (they bully you, then you bully yourself). Bullies experience a loss of belonging and lose control over their own life.”

The aim of this lecture is to report, against the background of a literature study on data from two studies on bullying in Free State secondary schools. In both of these, questionnaires were answered anonymously and the data treated confidentially. The first study involved an investigation into a group of Free State learners’ perceptions and experiences of bullying in their respective schools. The second study concentrated on Free State educators’ experiences, observations and perceptions with regard to bullying.

2. What is bullying?
Research on bullying in schools was conducted for the first time more than thirty years ago by Dan Olweus in Norway. From the literature review, it seems that bullying is a problem not only in Nordic countries, but also in among others the USA, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Japan. Although research on bullying since the 1980s has led to various international publications, little has been published on the subject in South Africa.

Olweus (1994:9), the leading figure in research on bullying, defines bullying as follows: “a student is being bullied or victimized when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative action on the part of one or more students.” Olweus (1994:9) explains the term “negative action” as follows: “a negative action is when someone intentionally inflicts, or attempts to inflict injury or discomfort upon another”. A Dutch psychologist, Van der Meer (quoted by Limper 1998:1), gives the following definition: “Bullying is a systematic, psychological, physical or sexual act of violence by a pupil or a group of pupils with respect to one or more classmates, who are not (any longer) in a position to defend themselves.”

From the aforementioned definitions it is clear that bullying always includes the following three elements: the intentional use of aggression, an unbalanced relationship of power between the bully and the victim, and the causing of physical pain and/or emotional misery.

Although there are considerable similarities between bullying and other forms of aggression, bullying, according to De Haan (1997:1), has the following characteristics: the bully acts purposefully rather than accidentally. The aim of bullying is to get control over another person by means of physical or verbal aggression. Bullies attack without reason, except that they see victims as easy targets. Bullies are usually more popular among their peer group than children who are merely aggressive.

The following common examples of bullying can be identified:
• Physical bullying includes punching, poking, strangling, hair pulling, beating, biting, excessive tickling and direct vandalism.
• Verbal bullying includes such acts as hurtful name-calling, persistent teasing, gossiping and racist remarks.
• Relational bullying occurs when the victim is deliberately excluded from activities.
• Emotional bullying includes terrorising, extorting, defaming, blackmailing, rating/ranking of personal characteristics such as race, disability or ethnicity, manipulating friendships, ostracising and peer pressure.
• Sexual bullying includes many of the above as well as exhibitionism, sexual positioning, sexual harassment and abuse involving actual physical contact and sexual assault.

3. Die aard en omvang van leerderbullebakkery

Die persepsie dat bullebakkery deel van die grootwordproses is, lei daartoe dat slagoffers onwillig is om hulle ouers en opvoeders te vertel dat hulle afgeknou word. Voorts blyk dit dat slagoffers weerwraak van die bullebak of selfs klasmaats, wat die onthulling as storieaandraery sal sien, vrees. Indien die afknouery erg is of oor ’n lang tydperk plaasvind, is die slagoffers bang dat dit hulle ouers sal ontstel, veral as hulle dink dat hulle ouers nie in staat sal wees om die situasie te verander nie. Kinders is soms onwillig om te erken dat hulle duur items of geld aan bullebakke gegee het. Ouers stel nie net akademiese nie, maar ook sosiale verwagtinge aan hulle kinders, gevolglik is geviktimiseerde kinders, wat verworpe en ongewild voel, onwillig om te erken dat hulle afgeknou word. Adolessente voel dikwels, in hulle strewe na groter onafhanklikheid, dat hulle in staat behoort te wees om die probleem self te hanteer. Voorts is die kind-ouer-/ leerder-opvoederverhouding gedurende adolessensie dikwels gespanne en is kommunikasiekanale nie na wense nie. Bullebakkery is soms so subtiel dat dit moeilik is om dit te verwoord. Daar bestaan voorts die siening by leerders dat opvoeders nie betrokke wil raak by bullebakkery nie.

Voorafvermelde faktore het tot gevolg dat baie ouers en opvoeders onbewus is van die vlakke van bullebakkery waaraan hulle kinders en/of leerders blootgestel word. Die volgende navorsingsresultate toon egter aan dat bullebakkery ‘n redelik algemene verskynsel in Vrystaatse skole is.

Vrystaatse leerders word die meeste aan direkte en die tweede meeste aan indirekte verbale teistering blootgestel. Slegs 29.2% van die leerders wat aan die navorsingsprojek deelgeneem het, was nog nooit aan direkte en 32.15% aan indirekte verbale teistering blootgestel nie. Byna die helfte van die leerders het aangedui dat hulle ten minste een keer per maand die slagoffers van direkte verbale teistering was. ‘n Relatief groot persentasie van die leerders (32.45%) is al deur mede-leerders te lyf gegaan; 11.21% van hulle is ten minste een keer per week deur mede-leerders geslaan en/of geskop, gestamp en/of op ’n ander wyse fisiek seergemaak. Direkte, fisieke aggressie is dan ook die derde mees algemene vorm van bullebakery waaraan die leerders blootgestel is.

Die plek waar die Vrystaatse leerders besonder weerloos teenoor bullebakke staan, is taxi’s. Hoewel slegs 31.86% van die respondente aangetoon het dat hulle met ’n taxi skool toe en terug pendel, beleef 29.64% van hierdié leerders taxi’s as óf baie onveilig óf redelik onveilig met betrekking tot bullebakkery. Die area op die skoolterrein waar die leerders die meeste aan bullebakkery blootgestel word, is die badkamers/toilette. Die area waar die meerderheid Vrystaatse leerders geborge voel, is hulle klaskamers – slegs 0.61% het aangetoon dat hulle “baie onveilig en bang” in hulle klaskamers voel; 59.55% het aangetoon dat hulle “baie veilig” daar voel.

From the research it is apparent that learners are usually bullied by members of the same gender. However, not only boys are guilty of physical harassment: several boys indicated that one or more girls injured them physically, a number of girls were injured by members of the same gender. Some of the boys described in the open-ended question how they were kicked and beaten by other boys on a regular basis. One of them was kicked in the face regularly by his hostel roommate, he was too afraid to do something about it, because “his family was known for assaulting people”. Another boy mentions that the bullies regularly put sand in his mouth.

According to a grade 12 girl, learners are verbally bullied on a regular basis not only individually, but also as a group. She writes:

At our school there are these boys who are racists. They act mean against black people in our school. There is this particular group of boys in our Maths class. When the teacher is out they take a red pen and write on the projector and spray it with spirits. It looks like blood and they would say it is AIDS and my friends and I have it.

By contrast with the opinions of Banks (1997:1) and Olweus (1994:19, 23-25) that racial composition in schools does not influence bullying, it seems to play a role in some Free State schools, as is apparent from the above description. Besides this grade 12 girl, 25 respondents described explicitly racist incidents.

Slegs 4.91% van die opvoeder- en 16.22% van die leerderrespondente het aangetoon dat bullebakkery “glad nie” ‘n probleem by hulle onderskeie skole was nie. Dit moet gevolglik beklemtoon word dat opvoeders regsgeldig en moreel verplig is om dissipline te handhaaf en om te sien na die veiligheid van leerders wat aan hulle sorg toevertrou is. Volgens die Gedragskode van die Suid-Afrikaanse Raad vir Opvoeders (SACE s.a.:1) moet opvoeders alle redelike stappe neem om die veiligheid van leerders te verseker. Opvoeders moet ook kennis neem van Squelch (2000:53) se waarskuwing, naamlik dat skole bullebakkery nie as onbelangrik moet afmaak nie. Skoolhoofde of opvoeders kan aan nalatigheid skuldig bevind word indien bevind sou word dat hulle nie die nodige stappe geneem het om bullebakkery te voorkom en dissipline te handhaaf nie.

If victims of bullying are faced with school inaction, the criminal justice system should be considered. Police action should be seen as a last resort. It is therefore important for educators to honour their ‘in loco parentis’ obligations. It is thus encouraging to take note of the fact that 88.29% of the educator respondents indicated that they would intervene in cases of verbal bullying, while 89.71% of them would intervene if they saw learners being physically bullied. However, only 19.97% of the learners who were victims of bullying indicated that they were helped by educators or other adults from their respective schools.

Consistent with previous research, it was found in the present study that learners are reluctant to tell others, especially educators, that they are being victimised by bullies. Educators therefore need to acknowledge that they may have a credibility problem with many children when it comes to dealing satisfactorily with bully/victim problems. This can be remedied by demonstrating that educator intervention is much more likely to result in satisfactory outcomes for those learners they seek to help. It is important that educator intervention does not make matters worse. This may require some educators to change their strategies. One promising strategy is to work closely with the learners who are prepared to cooperate with educators in countering bullying, for example by working with an anti-bullying committee of learners, who give support and credibility to the efforts of educators and counsellors.

Die bevindinge van die studie, wat lig werp op die gebrek aan vertroue by leerders in hulle opvoeders se vermoëns en/of bereidwilligheid om hulle by te staan in die stryd teen bullebakkery, het belangrike implikasies vir onderwyseropleidinginstellinge. Die belangrikheid van opleiding, hetsy aanvanklike of indiensopleiding, om opvoeders te bemagtig om bullebakkery te beveg, moet beklemtoon word. Opvoeders sukkel dikwels om te besluit of kinders besig is om mekaar af te knou, en of hulle slegs besig is om te speel en/of mekaar te terg. Die onvermoë van opvoeders om binne ‘n breukdeel van ‘n sekonde ‘n oordeel te vel, is een van die belangrikste redes waarom opvoeders dikwels nie bullebaksituasies in die kiem smoor nie. Voorts is daar ‘n persepsie onder sommige leerders dat opvoederintervensie die posisie van die slagoffer sal vererger. Opleiding is dus belangrik om opvoeders te help om ingeligte besluite te neem wanneer hulle konfliksituasies waarneem. Opleidingskursusse moet voornemende opvoeders met basiese beradingsvaardighede toerus sodat hulle in staat sal wees om die praktiese en emosionele aspekte van viktimisasie te hanteer.

Attention will now be given to a topic that receives scant attention by researchers, namely, the fact that some learners bully their educators.

4. Educator-targeted bullying

According to Pervin and Turner (1998:4) it could be argued that educator-targeted bullying and disruptive learner behaviour is the same thing. Fontana (1995:354) defines disruptive behaviour as “behaviour that proves unacceptable to the teacher”. Educator-targeted bullying can include the following: }

• Persistent, intentional, vigorous abuse of the educator.
• Swearing and/or mocking the educator.
• Knowingly ignoring the educator.
• Making personal comments about the educator.
• Damaging the educator’s property.

Learners who indulge in educator-targeted bullying aim to undermine the educator’s confidence. In a study on educator-targeted bullying in Free State schools it was found that 24.85% of the respondents were physically abused by their learners, 33.44% were the victims of indirect verbal bullying, and 18.1% were at one time or another sexually harassed by their learners. These bullying actions should be seen as infringements of educators’ human rights (RSA 1996, art. 9-12), and in contravention of the Guidelines for the consideration of governing bodies in adopting of a code of conduct for learners (RSA, 1998: 11, 14). The aforementioned guidelines list the bullying of learners as one of the learner offences that may lead to either suspension or expulsion. Although these guidelines do not mention educator-targeted bullying, it could be argued that the forbidding of this, could mutatis mutandis be made applicable to educator-targeted bullying.

Pervin and Turner (1998:7) have found that victims of educator-targeted bullying have lowered their expectations (in terms of behaviour, co-operation and academic output) of learners who bully them. They warn that this lowered expectation may rub off on other learners who happen to be in the same class as the bullies. As a result of lowered educator expectations, classes containing learners who carry out educator-targeted bullying are less likely to be exposed to a variety of teaching methods, thereby reducing the scope for educators to carry out interesting lessons. Educators are reluctant to tell their colleagues that they are the targets of learner bullies. Educators who suffer from educator-targeted bullying should therefore be supported with some kind of mentoring system by their colleagues and principals. There should be an awareness among all role players – educators, principals, parents, learners and the Department of Education – that educator-targeted bullying does, in fact, take place. By raising awareness, it will be possible to improve morale in schools and reduce educator-targeted bullying. In their anti-bullying policies, schools should include a section on educator-targeted bullying, which may help to solve the problem.

However, educators are not the only victims of bullying; some of them are the bullies.

5. Opvoeders wat leerders viktimiseer

Elke kind het die reg om onderwys in ‘n veilige skoolmilieu te ontvang. Hoewel dit opvoeders se verantwoordelikheid is om dié reg van leerders in stand te hou, blyk dit dat sommige opvoeders direk verantwoordelik gehou kan word vir die skending van kinderregte. Terwyl seksuele wangedrag deur diegene in gesagsposisies nog altyd ten sterkste afgekeur is, is dit nie altyd die geval met ander vorme van verbale en fisieke bullebakkery nie. Die geringskatting van dié vorm van opvoederwangedrag blyk uit die feit dat min bewyse in die literatuur gevind kon word oor navorsing wat handel oor opvoeders wat leerders treiter. Yoon (2004:38), Smith (2004:98) asook Parada, Marsh en Craven (2003:8) wys kripties daarop dat opvoeders wel hulle leerders kan afknou. Die feit dat geen verwysing na navorsing oor dié tipe bullebakkery in ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks gevind kon word nie, beteken nie dat die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysowerhede die tipe opvoederwangedrag goedkeur nie. Volgens die Suid-Afrikaanse Raad vir Opvoeders se Gedragskode (SACE s.a.:2) moet opvoeders

• Gesag met empatie uitoefen;
• Enige vorm van vernedering vermy, en hulleself van enige fisieke en psigologiese misbruike weerhou; en
• Hulle van seksuele teistering, hetsy fisiek of emosioneel, van leerders weerhou.

Indien voorafgaande met die voorbeelde van wat bullebakkery is, vergelyk word, is die ooreenkomste duidelik. Daar kan dus gekonkludeer word dat die Suid-Afrikaanse Raad vir Opvoeders bullebakkery deur opvoeders verbied.

Individue is dikwels die beste bron van inligting oor hulle eie gedrag, want hulle weet waarom hulle sekere dade gepleeg het. Tog blyk dit dat selfevaluering, veral met betrekking tot aggressiewe gedrag, onderworpe is aan verskeie vooroordele – soos byvoorbeeld om ‘n sosiaal aanvaarbare antwoord te gee (Pakaslahti & Kelikangas-Järvinen 2000:178). Dit is dus kommerwekkend dat 55.83% van die opvoeders wat aan die navorsingsprojek deelgeneem het, aangedui het dat hulle al leerders verbaal geviktimiseer het; 50.31% van die respondente het aangedui dat hulle al leerders te lyf gegaan het. ‘n Klein persentasie van dié opvoeders, naamlik 6.13%, het genoem dat hulle ten minste een keer per maand skuldig was aan dade van seksuele teistering.

Sommige opvoeders is nie net direk nie, maar ook indirek verantwoordelik vir die teistering van leerders. Opvoeders sien dikwels sensitiwiteit en die negatiewe houding wat sommige leerders teenoor bullebakkery toon, as negatiewe karaktereienskappe. Opvoeders wat onverdraagsaamheid teenoor leerderslagoffers van bullebakkery se onvermoë om hulle situasie self te besleg toon, is instrumenteel in die vestiging van ‘n geweldskultuur in skole. Eerder as om sensitiwiteit en die vermoë om jouself van gewelddadige teenoptrede te weerhou as positiewe karaktereienskappe te beskou, word dit as die optrede van ‘n swakkeling afgemaak. Dié houding dra eerstens daartoe by dat leerders onwillig is om opvoeders in hulle vertroue te neem as hulle slagoffers van bullebakkery is. Tweedens kan dit gesien word as ‘n bevestiging van die wanpersepsie dat bullebakkery ‘n integrale deel van die grootwordproses is.

6. Concluding remarks

From this lecture, it has become evident that while some Free State educators and learners are the witnesses of incidences of bullying, others are the victims and/or perpetrators of direct and indirect verbal, as well as emotional, physical and sexual bullying. In a twenty-first century climate of increasing concern for the rights of individuals and groups, be they due to race, sex, disability, religion, or sexual orientation, the right of the learner to be educated, but also the right of the educator to educate without suffering from victimisation is entrenched in the South African Bill of Rights. Every educator and learner in South Africa has the right to life, equal protection and benefit of the law, of dignity, as well as of freedom and security of the person (RSA, 1996: art. 9-12). These rights will only be realised in a bully-free school milieu.

Om bullebakkery teen te werk is ’n omvattende anti-bullebakprogram, kollektiewe verantwoordelikheid en die vestiging van ’n omgeekultuur by skole en in die gemeenskap noodsaaklik. Onderwysowerhede, wetstoepassers, onderwysersopleidingsinstellings, opvoeders, ouers en leerders – die slagoffer, die bullebak en die klas- en/of skoolmaats (stille meerderheid) – is die belangrikste rolspelers in die stryd teen bullebakkery is. Dié rolspelers moet betrek word om -

• ’n bewustheid te skep oor die aard en omvang van bullebakkery;
• portuurgroepverhoudinge te verbeter;
• tussenbeide te tree om intimidasie te voorkom;
• duidelike reëls te ontwikkel om bullebakkery te voorkom; en
• (mede-)leerders en opvoeders te ondersteun en te beskerm.

Bronnelys

Banks R 1997. What should parents and teachers know about bullying? http://www.focusas.com/Bullying.html.

DeHaan L 1997. Bullies. http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/yf/famsci/ fs570w.htm.

Fontana D 1995. Psychology for teachers. Third edition. London: MacMillan Press.

Limper R 1998. The only way to combat bullying is cooperation between all those involved in school. http://ericcass.uncg.edu/virtuallib/bullying/1013.html

Olweus D 1994. Bullying at school. What we know and what we can do. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.

Pakaslahti L & Kelikangas-Järvinen L 2000. Comparing of peer, teacher and self-assessments on adolescent direct and indirect aggression. Educational Psychology, 20(2):177-190.

Parada RH, Marsh HW & Craven R 2003. The beyond bullying program: an innovative program empowering teachers to counteract bullying in schools. Paper presented at NZARE AARE, Auckland, New Zealand, November 2003.

Pervin K & Turner A 1998. A study of bullying of teachers by pupils in an Inner London school. Pastoral Care, December: 4-10.

Rigby K 1999. Bullying in schools and what to do about it. Melbourne: The Australian Council for Educational Research.

Roland E 2002. Bulling, depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. Educational Research, 44(1):55-67.

Republic of South Africa (RSA) 1996. Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Act 108 of 1996. Available url.: http://www.polity.prg.za/html/govdocs/constitution/saconst.html?rebookmark+1.

RSA (Republic of South Africa) 1998. Guidelines for the consideration of governing bodies in adopting of a code of conduct for learners. Government Gazette 776, 15 May. Pretoria: Government Printer.

SACE (South African Council for Educators) s.a. Code of Conduct of the South African Council of Educators. http://www.sace.org.za/Sace/code-ethics.jsp.

Smith PK 2004. Bullying: recent developments. Child and adolescent mental health, 9(3):98-103.

Squelch JM 2000. Discipline. Pretoria: CELP.

Yoon JS 2004. Predicting teacher interventions in bullying situations. Education and Treatment of Children, 27(1):37-45.

Zeelie DG 2002. Bully proofing your school – policy and programme formulation. In Gauteng Department of Education. Proceedings of the Third Educationally Speaking Conference. Warmbaths, May 2002. Johannesburg: Gauteng Department of Education.

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