Substance abuse in a primary school context: a collaborative educator self-study in the Umgungundlovu District.

Abstract

Substance abuse in primary schools is an emerging, sensitive and critical issue that is threatening South African youth who are the future of our country. The purpose of this study was to address substance abuse in a primary school in the uMgungundlovu district by conducting a collaborative self-study on educators’ experiences of substance abuse. The study was conducted in a primary school in the uMgungundlovu district in Edendale, KwaZulu–Natal Province. Key findings revealed that my personal history contributed to my interest in substance abuse as an educator. The reflections with my colleagues (critical friends and I) also revealed our discovery of the commonly abused substance Zanex, violent behaviour of learners, lack of concentration and difficulty in disciplining substance abusers. The findings further highlight that driving forces behind substance abuse in our context include social media, individual experiences, family, community, poverty and unemployment. Lastly, the findings highlight that substance abuse can be mitigated through psychological support, community intervention programmes, departmental support, sister departments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The study is significant as my personal growth and professional development have improved by engaging in collaborative self-study as a research design. The study recommends that greater attention should be provided to educator training on the implementation of policies and the collaboration of the community in mitigating substance abuse. This study also promotes self-study as a comparatively new genre of research, which has the potential to improve educator professional development and positive transformation of the learning environment.