The Effectiveness of Indigenous African Values in Building the Resilience of Out-Of-School Suspended Learners
Author
View
Keywords
License
Copyright (c) 2025 by the authors

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
How To Cite
Abstract
This study explores the effectiveness of indigenous African values in building the resilience of suspended learners in South African township schools. Schools often impose suspensions in response to a wide range of behaviour challenges established by legislators and officials to address problems related to school interruptions. Nevertheless, despite the established disciplinary procedures, students still exhibit difficult behaviour. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of African Indigenous values in building the resilience of suspended learners. The study comes from larger research that focuses on the experiences of suspended learners in the context of township secondary schools. This research study is qualitative in nature to provide a rich description of the parents' experiences in their natural setting. I used a purposive sample of parents of suspended learners based on the characteristics of the population and the objective of the study. I collected data using face-to-face interviews, field notes, and documents. The collected data was organised, organized, prepared systematically, and classified into themes and categories. The findings showed that given the increasing number of suspended learners in township schools, parents and the school community recognised the need to understand the risk factors that contribute to behaviour problems as a stepping stone to building the resilience of adolescents.
References
- Adler, R. H. (2022). Trustworthiness in qualitative research. Journal of Human Lactation, 38(4), 598–602. https://doi.org/ 10.1177/08903344221116620
- Ajitoni, B. D. (2024). Ubuntu and the philosophy of community in African thought: An exploration of collective identity and social harmony. Journal of African Studies and Sustainable Development, 7(3).
- Anderson, J. (2014). The impact of family structure on the health of children: Effects of divorce. The Linacre Quarterly, 81(4), 378–387. https://doi.org/10.1179/0024363914Z.00000000087
- Antonopoulou, H. (2024). The value of emotional intelligence: Self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, and empathy as key components. Technium Education and Humanities, 8, 78–92. https://doi.org/10.47577/teh.v8i.9719
- Aubel, J., & Coulibaly, M. (2023). Enhancing Ubuntu: Promoting the Community Connectedness – The Foundation for Social Change for Girls. In D. Muia & P. Rhonda (Eds.), Connectedness, Resilience and Empowerment (pp. 1–24). Springer.
- Balogun, K. K., Aruoture, E., & Haruna, E. (2024). Globalization and the Decline of the African Value System. Nigerian Journal of Social Psychology, 7(2).
- Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis?. Qualitative research in psychology, 18(3), 328–352. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2020.1769238
- Ceglédi, T., Alter, E., Godó, K., & Papp, H. (2024). Can High Involvement of Roma Parents Combat the Impact of Poverty? Resilience and Parental Involvement in the Success of Roma Students at School from the Students’ Perspective. Horyzonty Wychowania, 23(66), 107–120. https://doi.org/10.35765/hw.2024.2366.11
- Choudhury, J. (2021). Emotional Intelligence, Socio-Emotional Competence, and Human Capital. Ra Journal of Applied Research, 7(4), 2932–2938. https://doi.org/10.47191/rajar/v7i4.08
- Creswell, J., & Poth, C. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design. SAGE Publications.
- Curran, F. C., & Finch, M. A. (2021). Reforming school discipline: Responses by school district leadership to revised state guidelines for student codes of conduct. Educational Administration Quarterly, 57(2), 179–220.
- Ebersöhn, S., & Bouwer, A. C. (2015). A bio-ecological interpretation of the relationship challenges in the context of the reconstituted family. South African Journal of Education, 35(2), 1039. https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v35n2a1039
- Fortune, G. (2024). Predicting Resilience and Parenting Practices Among Black Single Mothers [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Kean University.
- Girvan, E. J., McIntosh, K., & Santiago-Rosario, M. R. (2021). Associations between community-level racial biases, office discipline referrals, and out-of-school suspensions. School Psychology Review, 50(2-3), 288–302.
- Gumbi, E. B. (2019). Indigenous fundamentals for early childhood development in a shared educational praxis for the 21st century: a pedagogical perspective on a multi-cultural race. Gender behaviour, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.4314/gab.v17i3.
- Hartman, S., Winsler, A. & Manfra, L. (2017). Behaviour concerns among low-income, ethnically and linguistically diverse children in childcare: Importance for school readiness and kindergarten achievement. Early Education and Development, 28(3), 255–273. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2016.1222121
- Jacobsen, W. C., Pace, G. T., & Ramirez, N. G. (2019). Punishment and inequality at an early age: Exclusionary discipline in elementary school. Social forces, 97(3), 973–998. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soy072
- Lephoto, M. N. R. (2021). Application of Ubuntu philosophy for the enhancement of Guidance and Counselling: An alternative for facilitating inclusive education in Lesotho. African Perspectives of Research in Teaching and Learning, 5, 95–107.
- Letseka, M. (2022). Educating for global citizenship, peace and harmony through Ubuntu. In N’Dri Assie-Lumumba & M. Cross (Eds.), Ubuntu and comparative education and international education for peace (pp. 8–27). Brill-Sense.
- Livingstone, S., & Byrne, J. (2018). Parenting in the digital age: The challenges of parental responsibility in comparative perspective. In G. Mascheroni, C. Ponte & A. Jorge (Eds.), Digital Parenting. The Challenges for Families in the Digital Age (pp. 19–30). Nordicom.
- Magezi, V., & Khlopa, C. (2021). The tenet of Ubuntu in South African ethics: Inclusive hospitality and Christian ethical disposition of effective pastoral care in Africa. Stellenbosch Theological Journal, 7(1), 1–32. https://doi.org/10.17570/stj.2021.v7n1.a14
- Mampane, R. (2014). Factors contributing to the resilience of middle-aged adolescents in a South African township: Insights from a resilience questionnaire. South African Journal of Education, 34(4), 1–11. https:/doi:10.15700/201412052114
- Martinez-Yarza, N., Solabarrieta-Eizaguirre, J., & Santibáñez-Gruber, R. (2024). The impact of family involvement on students’ social-emotional development: the mediational role of school engagement. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 39(4), 4297–4327. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-024-00862-1
- Masten, A. S. (2018). Resilience theory and research on children and families: Past, present, and promise. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 10(1), 12–31. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12255
- Masten, C., Lombardi, J., & Fisher, P. (2021, October 28). Helping families meet basic needs enables parents to promote healthy growth and development of children. Centre for Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/helping-families-meet-basic-needs-enables-parents-to-promote
- Mhaka-Mutepfa, M., & Maundeni, T. (2019). The role of faith (spirituality/religion) in resilience in sub-Saharan African children. The International Journal of Community and Social Development, 1(3), 211–233. https://doi.org/10.1177/2516602619859961
- Mhaka-Mutepfa, M., Cumming, R., & Mpofu, E. (2014). Grandparents fostering orphans: Influences of protective factors on their health and well-being. Health Care for Women International, 35(7–9), 1022–1039. https://doi.org/10.1080/07399332.2014.916294
- Mokwena, A.V., Mokwena, K., Van Der Heever, H., & Mokgatle, M. (2020). The national policy on drug abuse management in South African schools: Unknown and unimplemented. Journal of Drug and Alcohol Research, 9(5), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.4303/jdar/236098
- Msila, V. (2012). Black parental involvement in South African rural schools: Will parents ever help to improve effective school management? Journal of Educational and Social Research, 2(2), 303–313. https://doi.org/10.5901/jesr.2012.v2n2.303
- Mugumbate, J., & Chereni, A. (2019). Using African Ubuntu theory in social work with children in Zimbabwe. African Journal of Social Work, 9(1).
- Ngubane, N., & Makua, M. (2021). Ubuntu pedagogy: transform educational practices in South Africa through an African philosophy: from theory to practice. Inkanyiso: Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 13(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.4102/ink.v13i1.9
- Obadire, O. T., & Sinthumule, D. A. (2021). Learner discipline in the post-corporal punishment era: What an experience! South African Journal of Education, 41(2). https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v41n2a1862
- Ogg, J., & Anthony, C. J. (2019). Parent involvement and children's externalising behaviour: Exploring longitudinal bidirectional effects across gender. Journal of School Psychology, 73, 21–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2019.02.002
- Onwuatuegwu, I. N., & Paul-Mgbeafulike, V. S. (2023). African traditional educational framework: Unveiling the wisdom beyond Western education. Nnadiebube Journal of Philosophy, 6(2).
- Palaiologou, I. (2010). Personal, social, and emotional development. In I. Palaiologou (Eds.), The Early Years Foundation Stage: Theory and practice (pp. 345–365). Sage.
- Perveen, A., Khatoon, Z., & Haider, A. (2025). How early life trauma influences youth resilience: the buffering effect of kinship in promoting good health and well-being. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/17450128.2025.2489967
- Phasha, K. T. (2021). Experiences of adolescent boys with absent fathers in single mothers' families in Bakenberg Village, Limpopo Province [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Limpopo.
- Piscitello, J., Kim, Y.K., Orooji, M., & Robison, S. (2022). Sociodemographic risk, school participation, and community characteristics: A mediated approach to understanding high school dropout. Children and Youth Services Review, 133, 106347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106347
- Rees, E., Beeber, S. N., Sampson, R., & Lietz, J. P. (2023). Empowering single parents: Navigating socio-economic challenges and fostering resilience in family well-being. Law and Economics, 17(2), 131–150. https://doi.org/10.35335/laweco.v17i2.5
- Republic of South Africa. Constitution of South Africa (108 of 1996). Government Printers.
- Reuben, S., & van Breda, A. D. (2024). Care-leavers' efforts to build resilience through relationships of belonging. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 60(2), 339–362. https://doi.org/10.15270/60-2-1300
- RSA (1996). Republic of South Africa 1996. South African Schools Act (Act 84 of 1996). Government Printer.
- Sanders, J. E., Mishna, F., Fallon, B., & McCready, L. (2022). Experiences of adversity among high school students who have been suspended or expelled: Systemic racism, inequity, school and community violence. Traumatology, 30(3), 485–495. https://doi.org/10.1037/trm0000425
- Sanders, M. R., & Turner, K. M. (2018). The importance of parenting in influencing the lives of children. In Handbook of parenting and child development across the lifespan (pp. 3–26). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
- Sedibe, M., & Hendricks, N. G. P. (2021). Drug abuse amongst adolescent learners in townships. Interchange, 52(1), 17–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-020-09407-z
- Seroto, J. (2021). Relating to others through Ubuntu values. In M. Letseka (Eds.), Open Distance Learning (ODL) through the Philosophy of Ubuntu (pp. 41–55). Nova Science Publishers.
- Sibanda, A., & Batisai, K. (2021). The intersections of identity, belonging, and drug use disorder: struggles of male youth in post-apartheid South Africa. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 26(1), 143–157. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2021.1899945
- Skiba, R. J., Arredondo, M. I., Gray, C., & Rausch, M. K. (2018). Discipline disparities: New and emerging research in the United States. In J. Deakin, E. Taylor & A. Kupchik (Eds.), The Palgrave International Handbook of School Discipline, Surveillance, and Social Control (pp. 235–252). Springer.
- Smith, E. P., Yzaguirre, M. M., Dwanyen, L., & Wieling, E. (2022). Culturally relevant parenting approaches among African American and Latinx children and families: Toward resilient, strengths-based, trauma-informed practices. Adversity and Resilience Science, 3(3), 209–224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42844-022-00059-9
- Smith, K. E., & Pollak, S. D. (2021). Social relationships and children’s perceptions of adversity. Child Development Perspectives, 15(4), 228–234. http://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12427
- Sodi, T., Bopape, D., & Makgahlela, M. (2021). Botho as an essential ingredient of African psychology: An insider perspective. South African Journal of Psychology, 51(3), 441–452. https://doi.org/10.1177/0081246320985259
- Theron, L. (2023). Resilience of sub-Saharan children and adolescents: A scoping review. Transcultural Psychiatry, 60(6), 1017–1039. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461520938916
- Udom, M. S. (2024). Ubuntu Philosophy as an African Ontology. Madonna University Thought and Action Journal of Philosophy, 2(1), 46–54.
- UNICEF. (2025). Strengthening families to prevent family separation in Eastern and Southern Africa.
- Veriava, F., & Paterson, K. (2020). The right to education. In the Research Handbook on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights as Human Rights. Edward Elgar Publishing.
- Wakhley, G. D. (2024). Interventions for behavioural problems of students belonging to broken families in middle and secondary schools. International Journal of Humanities and Education Development, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.22161/jhed.6.2.10
- Wang, Y., Esteinou, R., & Xia, Y. R. (2024). Adolescent autonomy and parent-adolescent communication: A comparative critical review of English, Chinese, and Spanish literature. In Y. R. Xia, M. R. T. de Guzman, R. Esteinou, & C. S. Hollist (Eds.), Global perspectives on adolescents and their families (pp. 267–291). Springer Nature Switzerland AG. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49230-3_13
- Wenham, L. J. (2019). Misunderstood, Misinterpreted, and mismanaged: voices of learners marginalised in a secondary school [Unpublished doctoral dissertation], University College London.
- Zartler, U. (2021). Children and parents after separation. In Research Handbook on the Sociology of the Family (pp. 300–313). Edward Elgar Publishing.
- Zvomuya, W. (2020). Utilization of Ubuntu bowl in social work processes: the way to go towards the achievement of social development in Africa. African Journal of Social Work, 10(1), 63–68. https://doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v10i1.
- Zwane, T. T. (2022). Socio-economic status of households and the determinants of asset poverty: A case of South Africa. International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, 12(4), 114. https://doi.org/10.32479/ijefi.12975
https://doi.org/10.37441/cejer/2025/7/1/15231