An analysis of trends in disciplinary action in the North West Department of Education

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse the type and nature of all offences committed by educators in the North West Department of Education between 2001 and 2006. The focus of this study was on all regions, Further Education and Training Colleges (F.E.T.) and Office Based Educators. The research approach used in this study was Qualitative. The primary data were all the educator offences reported and finalised at the North West Department of Education, Directorate Labour Relations from 2001 to 2006. The data were collected from the Direcotrate Labour Relations records of educator transgressions from 2001 to 2006. The researcher did content analysis of all the reported offences to determine their nature and type. The data were presented in graphs, and a comparison amongst each type of offence and comparison amongst each region was done. The study revealed that absenteeism, fraud, insubordination, sexual abuse, and abscondment were the top five transgressions committed by educators in the North West Department of Education between 2001 and 2006. The Bophirima region reflected the highest offences compared to all other regions. The researcher recommends that management in each institution and office should create a corporate culture in which employees are free to raise their problems with management and be assisted and advised. Employees should be motivated, encouraged and be ambitious to succeed in their careers, since motivated and ambitious employees do not commit offences. All employees should be taken through an induction training that will expose them to all labour legislation that affects them, for example the Labour Relations Act, 66 of 1995, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 7 5 of 1997, all Codes of Good Practice, the Constitution of Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996, Departmental Policies

and Legislation, Employment of Educators Act 76 of 1998, South African Schools Act 84 of 1996, South African Council of Educators Act 31 of 2000, National Education Policy Act 27 of 1996 e.t.c. Management must ensure all employees are aware about the rules, regulations and Acts governing their employment. It is also recommended that each educator must be given a file with all these Acts, regulations and policies for easy access at all times.