THE PAINFUL VOICE OF A YOUNG MANAGER Aubrey Makhubedu NAPTOSA (National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa)
My participation in the School Related Gender Based Violence (SRGBV) project helped me to face my own challenges as a school manager. Violence experienced by school managers renders many schools dysfunctional in terms of ensuring that learning and teaching takes place in a safe environment. Emotionally wounded school management are unable to support teachers, and teachers who are supposed to be in loco parents to learners are not able to do this because they themselves require help. School managers are supposed to be supported by the department of education, but I was to find no support. There is meant to be collaboration between the Departments of Social Development, Police, Justice and Education but in reality collaboration does not exist. School governing bodies do not know how to support learners and teachers who are faced with life threatening situations. SRGBV continues to increase in our schools. The voices of learners and teachers are marginalized. The employee wellness program offered by the department of education is not accessible to all educators who need it, anywhere in the country. Department officials are unable to reach every school to offer workshops. Until there is more support in place, we will continue to have a high number of managers who are emotionally wounded, and school managers will remain under pressure and undermined.
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