Space, geography and gendered experiences of children: a narrative study of four high schools in Hhohho region, Eswatini=Indawo, ezebalazwe kanye nolwazi lwabantwana bobulili: ucwaningo olulandisayo lwezikole ezine zasezingeni eliphezulu, esifundeni iHhohho, ESwatini.

Abstract

Abstract The main objective of this study was to explore the space, geography and gendered experiences of children in four coeducational high schools in the Hhohho region of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). Guided by Social Constructionism theory, the study drew narratives of space, geography and gendered experiences of children and what could be learnt from their accounts, in order to understand and improve their educational experiences. The research draws from Massey’s (2005, 1994) theorisation of space in helping to understand the experiences children have with space and the entanglement of space, geography and gender in the school environment. In order to explore the specific school spaces that children occupy as well as how they navigate through and negotiate these spaces, the thesis used a qualitative approach and a narrative enquiry as its research design. Semi-structured individual interviews and focus group discussions were used as data generation methods. The participants were aged between 16-18 age groups and were in Form Five. A non- probability sampling technique was used, in which convenience and purposeful sampling strategies were used. The research found out that boys and girls in school spaces experienced different gendered experiences. Evidence from the research showed that school spaces, which are highly gendered, acted as a constraint to opportunities of learning especially to girls. Boys are dominant in school spaces as found out by the research. Teachers who are patriarchal and gender stereotyped support the domineering positions of boys over girls. Volunteering activities performed by community members and parents follow traditional gender roles which send the messages of a patriarchal society. Girls, for example, suffered more from sexual based violence both from teachers and from boys. They were most vulnerable to issues such as unwanted touching, body shaming and forced kissing from boys. Teachers, on the other hand, proposed love to them and were not in a position to report these cases because of fear of victimisation. Physical spaces, which included, among others, the bathrooms/toilets and libraries, needed improvement in order to promote equitable learning between boys and girls as was revealed by the study. Dirty and malfunctioning bathrooms discouraged girls from attending school, especially during their menstrual periods. Some of the bathrooms/toilets lacked privacy, which is a requirement for toilet use and also a personal space. It was further revealed that, both boys and girls in the school lacked agency. Adults, in this case, teachers and administrator dominated schools spaces. Teachers and administrators influenced most decisions that touched on their academic lives. Learners felt this as an unfair way of doing things since they wanted to take responsibility, especially on things that affected their future, like the selection of subjects. A platform for learner empowerment has been made available by the availability of guidance and counselling in schools. This has resulted in some of the learners especially the girls to stand up against any form gender inequalities that they faced within the school spaces. Some girls are now able to challenge bullying and sexually based violence in spaces that are male-dominated. Some boys are now able to respect girls as part of the empowerment processes gained through guidance and counselling. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education and Training makes sure that gender responsive spaces are provided in schools to make positive the learners’ gendered experiences. This may include, among others, the construction of well -designed bathrooms to cater for the different needs of learners, ensuring that they have their voices heard in schools and their complaints addressed. Also, the Ministry of Education and Training should make a gender module in all teacher training colleges compulsory, to ensure that teachers are well equipped with knowledge and skills to deal with gender issues in schools.

Iqoqa Inhloso yocwaningo ukucwaninga ngendawo, ezebalazwe kanye nolwazi lwabantwana bobulili ezikoleni ezine ezisemazingeni aphezulu esifundeni saseHhohho eSwatini. Ucwaningo lulawulwe yinjulalwazi i-Social Constructionism. Ucwaningo lusebenzise izingxoxo ngendawo kanye nolwazi lwabantwana bobulili nokuthi yini engafundwa kulokhu, ukuze kube nokuqonda nokuthuthukisa ulwazi lwabo kwezemfundo. Ucwaningo lubuye lusebenzise injulalwazi kaMassey (2005, 1994) i-theorisation of space ukuthuthukisa ukuqonda ngolwazi abantwana abanalo ngendawo kanye nokuqonda ngendawo kanye nesimo sesikole. Ucwaningo lusebenzise indlela eyikhwalithethivu njengesu lokuhlola indawo ethile esikoleni esetshenziswa ngabantwana kanye nokuthi baphila kanjani kulezi ndawo. Ucwaningo lusebenzise izingxoxo ezisakuhleleka kanye nezingxoxo zamaqoqo ukuqoqa imininingo. Ababambiqhaza baphakathi kweminyaka eyi-16 kuya kweyi-18 kanti basebangeni lesihlanu (Form Five) lokufunda. Iqhinga le-non-probability sampling lisetshenzisiwe kwase kusetshenziswa i-purposeful sampling. Ucwaningo luthole ukuthi abafana namantombazane ezikoleni banolwazi olungefani lobulili. Ubufakazi ocwaningweni luveze ukuthi izindawo ezikoleni ezinobulili kakhulu ziyinkinga ukudala amathuba okufunda ikakhulu kumantombazane. Abafana baqonela amantombazane lokhu kwesekwa ngothisha abanezinkolelo eziyimvunamadoda. Izinto ezenziwayo ngokuzinikela ngamalungu omphakathi nabazali zilandela indima yobulili enomyalezo-mqondo ovuna amadoda. Amantombazane azithola ehlukumezeka ngokocansi ehlukunyezwa ngabafana nothisha. Amantombazane azithola epotozwa ngempoqo, edelelwa ngemizimba yayo, eqatshulwa ngenkani ngabafana. Othisha, kolunye uhlangothi ayawashela amantombazane angakwazi ukubika kumuntu ngalolu daba ngenxa yokwesaba ukuhlukumezeka. Ucwaningo luphinde lwaveza kuthi izindawo ezinjengamathoyilethe nakumtapowolwazi zidinga ukuthuthukiswa ukuze kuzoba namathuba alinganayo okufunda kwabafana namantombazane. Ukungcola nokungasebenzi kahle kwezindlu zangasese kwenza amantombazane angabi namdlandla wokuya esikoleni ikakhulu uma esesikhathini. Amanye amathoyilethe awakuvumeli ukuba umfundi abe ngasese. Kuphinde kwavela ukuthi abafana namantombazane ezikoleni bazithela ngabandayo. Izindawo ezikoleni zigcwele kakhulu abantu abadala, othisha nomabhalane. Ebese kuthi izinqumo ngokufunda kwabo abafundi zincike kakhulu kothisha nakomabhalane. Lokhu akubajabulisi abafundi, bafisa kube yibo abazibambela mathupha, ikakhulu ezintweni ezithinta ikusasa labo, njengesinqumo sokuqoka izifundo. Ukuba khona kwabeluleki ezikoleni kwenze abafundi bazizwa benamandla. Lokhu kugcine sekwenza amantombazane eselwisana nokuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili abakuthole esikoleni. Amanye amantombazane aseyakwazi ukumelana nokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi okwenziwa ngabesilisa. Abanye babafana sebeyakwazi ukuhlonipha amantombazane njengengxenye yokuthuthukiswa kwabo ngabaluleki. Ucwaningo luphakamisa ukuthi uMnyango wezemfundo uthuthukise izikole ukuze zikwazi ukubhekana nezimo zezindawo ezikoleni ukuze abafundi babe nolwazi ngobulili. Lokhu kungafaka, ukwakhiwa kahle kwamathoyilethe ukuze izidingo zabafundi zizonakekeleka, nokuthi izikhalazo zabo zizwakale. LoMnyango kumele futhi wenze kube nemojuli emakolishi othisha ezobaqeqesha ngezinkinga zobulili ezikoleni.