Authors :
Umziuvukile James Tshatshu
Volume/Issue :
Volume 8 - 2023, Issue 9 - September
Google Scholar :
https://tinyurl.com/yc4zpjhe
Scribd :
https://tinyurl.com/usxfmwdb
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8434428
Abstract :
The article highlights the negative influence of
drugs and alcohol abuse on school safety and suggests
solution to the problem. Literature study and the focus
group interviews revealed that drugs and alcohol abuse
causes school violence, and learners’ absenteeism. It is
further highlighted that due to drugs abuse, most schools
experience a problem of learner fights, gang fights, and
learner mental hallucination. Learners who abuse drugs
and alcohol have a tendency to be absent from classes,
play school truancy or have a pattern of sneaking in and
out of school premises. They sneak out from school
premises to purchase and consume drugs and alcohol,
supplied by drugs vendors and taverns in the school
surroundings. Learners who are absent from classes are
also found in school toilets where they take in drugs or
are drunk. Thereafter they go to classes or loiter around
the school and cause disruption. The consumption of
marijuana (dagga) and other drugs, including alcohol
alters the state of mind, causes disciplinary problems
and also contribute to poor academic performance.
The article highlights the threatening high level
drugs and alcohol abuse by learners in South African
schools. It is not only fellow learners in this scenario
whose safety is at risk, teachers as well are likely to
become victims of the violent learners. The researcher
applied the qualitative interpretive paradigm. Learners
who participated were interviewed in focus groups and
this informed the researcher about the findings on the
influence of drugs and alcohol abuse.
Keywords :
Drugs and Alcohol Abuse, Violence, Learners, Poor Academic Performance.
The article highlights the negative influence of
drugs and alcohol abuse on school safety and suggests
solution to the problem. Literature study and the focus
group interviews revealed that drugs and alcohol abuse
causes school violence, and learners’ absenteeism. It is
further highlighted that due to drugs abuse, most schools
experience a problem of learner fights, gang fights, and
learner mental hallucination. Learners who abuse drugs
and alcohol have a tendency to be absent from classes,
play school truancy or have a pattern of sneaking in and
out of school premises. They sneak out from school
premises to purchase and consume drugs and alcohol,
supplied by drugs vendors and taverns in the school
surroundings. Learners who are absent from classes are
also found in school toilets where they take in drugs or
are drunk. Thereafter they go to classes or loiter around
the school and cause disruption. The consumption of
marijuana (dagga) and other drugs, including alcohol
alters the state of mind, causes disciplinary problems
and also contribute to poor academic performance.
The article highlights the threatening high level
drugs and alcohol abuse by learners in South African
schools. It is not only fellow learners in this scenario
whose safety is at risk, teachers as well are likely to
become victims of the violent learners. The researcher
applied the qualitative interpretive paradigm. Learners
who participated were interviewed in focus groups and
this informed the researcher about the findings on the
influence of drugs and alcohol abuse.
Keywords :
Drugs and Alcohol Abuse, Violence, Learners, Poor Academic Performance.
