Educator Experiences of Violence and Perceived Effects on the Teaching Environment in Public High Schools in Soweto, South Africa

Abstract

Background School violence poses a persistent threat to educational quality and equity in South Africa, particularly in township schools where educators face daily exposure to aggression, intimidation, and disruption. Despite formal safety frameworks, high-density environments in Soweto continue to report frequent incidents that undermine teaching and learning. Township schools, shaped by historical inequalities and contemporary socioeconomic disparities, face challenges, such as overcrowding and gangsterism, which contribute to unsafe learning environments. Educators in Soweto public high schools navigate complex roles as both responders and victims, often without adequate institutional support. Community violence, overcrowding, and governance gaps further strain the instructional environment. Most research on school violence focus on learners, with limited documentation of the educators’ lived experiences. Aim This study aimed to examine the multifaceted roles of educators in Soweto public high schools as both responders to and victims of school violence. It seeks to explore how community factors such as violence, overcrowding, and governance deficiencies, affect the learning environment, educator well-being, and pedagogical practice. Methods A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed involving semi-structured in-depth interviews with 13 purposively selected educators from schools identified as having high levels of violence. This study was framed using Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1994), which enables a nuanced understanding of how various environmental factors contribute to school violence. Thematic analysis was conducted using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework, supported by MAXQDA software for data organization and coding. Results The study identified four key themes. First, profiles of participating schools and educators provided contextual grounding. Second, educators reported varied experiences of school v violence, including frequent learner conflicts, high incident visibility, and their dual roles as responders and victims. Third, they highlighted contributing factors such as gangsterism, socio- economic hardship, policy enforcement gaps, and leadership challenges. Fourth, educators described the impact of violence on school safety, infrastructure, emotional well-being, and learner engagement. Finally, they proposed solutions including stronger policy implementation, improved security, enhanced psychosocial support, and collaborative school cultures. Conclusion This study highlighted the pivotal role of educators in addressing school violence in Soweto. Their experiences reveal the interplay of historical, socioeconomic, and systemic factors that create unsafe school environments. These findings call for targeted interventions, including trauma-informed pedagogy and conflict resolution training, to foster safer educational environments in township schools. Addressing this issue requires collaboration among educators, learners, policymakers, parents, communities, and researchers. Educators' opinions must be prioritized in school safety policymaking, as their insights are crucial for developing context-specific solutions.