The role of the peer educators in enhancing social and emotional learning: a case of foursecondary schools in Fort Beaufort district

dc.contributor.advisorRembe, Sen
dc.contributor.authorNyarayi Chinyamaen
dc.date.accessioned2026-08-14T01:44:41Z
dc.date.available2026-08-14T01:44:41Z
dc.date.issued2012en
dc.description.abstractThe aim of this study was to explore how peer education is enhancing social-emotional learning in four secondary schools in Fort Beaufort Education District. An empirical investigation using the qualitative approach examined the situation of the peer education clubs at the four schools. Data was gathered using interviews, focus groups, observations and document analysis. The purpose of the study was to examine the role of peer education programmes in enhancing social and emotional learning in schools. In this research study specifically the qualitative research approach was used. The study also adopted a purposive sampling procedure which is acceptable for special sampling situations where the researcher applied her own experience to select cases which form part of the participants. Four schools were selected, four principals, four teachers who work with peer education clubs, four focus groups, one HIV/AIDS district coordinator, and one peer group trainer. It emerged from the analysis of the collected data that peer education clubs in Fort Beaufort have a number of challenges facing them, resulting in them making insignificant contributions towards the enhancing of social-emotional learning. The clubs’ efforts have resulted in little positive behavioural change among the youth. Among the challenges revealed are: lack of proper structures and support from school administrators, poor selection of peer educators, lack of time and facilities in which to carry out their work, lack of adequate training for both teachers and peer educators. Teacher interference was also cited regularly at all four schools, thereby defeating the whole idea of peer education. The study also revealed that peer educators in Fort Beaufort are not receiving adequate support from other stakeholders like, the police, the justice department and social welfare. Another critical observation made during the study was that peer education clubs are lacking clear standards of practice, rigour and sustainability, all which should be addressed in order to enhance social-emotional learning in schools. Data was analysed using a thematic content analysis. The analysis was carried out in a manner that related to the research questions and objectives in the study. A transcript was made from the respondents’ answers. Reflection and coding was done and data was categorised as an important learning tool in schools, and to recognise its contribution to social emotional learning. The study concluded that peer education clubs in schools, despite their huge potential to improve both behaviour and academic results, are not being given a conducive environment to operate in or the necessary support. This effectively means that learners with some behavioural problems and who have the potential to reform are also being denied the opportunity to lead better lives. The Department is advised to increase the number of both peer education trainers and trained peer educators. Furthermore the training period of peer educators should be increased from the current five days. There is need for the Department of Education to formalise peer education clubs in schools and craft laws that makes it mandatory for schools to provide the clubs with decent facilities like confidential rooms to conduct their activities. More so the study recommends that there is need to train all teachers in schools in social skills and not only LO teachers to ease supervisory burden on the LO teachers.en
dc.format205 leaves; 30 cmen
dc.formatpdfen
dc.identifier.citationNyarayi Chinyama. 2012en
dc.identifier.othervital:16193en
dc.identifier.otherhttp://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006257en
dc.identifier.otherSchools -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Social conditionsen
dc.identifier.otherPeer teaching -- Education, Secondary -- South Africa- - Eastern Capeen
dc.identifier.otherLearning, Psychology ofen
dc.identifier.otherSchool management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Capeen
dc.identifier.otherTeachers -- South Africa -- Eastern Capeen
dc.identifier.otherEducation and state -- South Africa -- Eastern Capeen
dc.identifier.otherFort Beaufort (South Africa)en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11837/4726
dc.language.isoEnglishen
dc.publisherUniversity of Fort Hareen
dc.publisherFaculty of Educationen
dc.rightsUniversity of Fort Hareen
dc.subjectSchools -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Social conditionsen
dc.subjectPeer teaching -- Education, Secondary -- South Africa- - Eastern Capeen
dc.subjectLearning, Psychology ofen
dc.subjectSchool management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Capeen
dc.subjectTeachers -- South Africa -- Eastern Capeen
dc.subjectEducation and state -- South Africa -- Eastern Capeen
dc.subjectFort Beaufort (South Africa)en
dc.titleThe role of the peer educators in enhancing social and emotional learning: a case of foursecondary schools in Fort Beaufort districten
dc.title.alternativeThe role of the peer educators in enhancing social and emotional learning: a case of foursecondary schools in Fort Beaufort districten
dc.typeThesisen
dc.typeMastersen
dc.typeM Eden

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