Behavior Profile: School Management Teams Hold Perpetrators Accountable
Democracy and Governance Goal: Reduce school-related gender-based violence
School Management Teams hold perpetrators accountable for all forms of SRGBV
% of school community members who say their school enforces the code of conduct in case of sexual harassment or assault

Behavior Analysis

Strategy

BEHAVIOR AND STEPS

What steps are needed to practice this behavior?

School Management Teams hold perpetrators accountable for all forms of GBV

  1. Align school codes of conduct to national laws and policies
  2. Apply national GBV laws, policies and School Safety Framework
  3. Recognize all forms of SRGBV as contrary to school policy
  4. Report all forms of SRGBV
  5. Clearly inform all stakeholders in the school of reporting processes and procedures
  6. Respond immediately, guided by relevant laws, school policy and procedures

FACTORS

What factors may prevent or support practice of this behavior?
Structural
Accessibility: School Management Teams can hold perpetrators accountable because several laws, regulations, Dept. of Education guidelines, and contractual arrangements provide guidance and processes.
Service Experience: School Management Teams cannot hold perpetrators accountable because teachers are not empowered to respond to safety issues with strategies and techniques that minimize violence
Service Experience: School Management Teams cannot hold perpetrators accountable because of a lack of assistance and reciprocity among the school (through the principal), police, employer, National Council for Educators, Education Department, and social partners to inform one another of complaints and provide referrals
Service Experience: School Management Teams cannot hold perpetrators accountable because boys often refuse to be punished by female educators
Service Experience: School Management Teams cannot hold perpetrators accountable because parent SGB members are not able to play their role (including setting up disciplinary systems and protocols)
Social
Norms: School Management Teams do not hold perpetrators accountable because a deeply rooted culture of silence around GBV and teacher misconduct makes it difficult
Internal
Attitudes and Beliefs: School Management Teams do not hold perpetrators accountable because they hold misconceptions about non-heterosexuality, corporal punishment, and types of GBV and sexual harassment, (e.g., belief that homophobic teasing is not violence, some learners can only be disciplined through the use of corporal punishment, corporal punishment is effective and harmless, relationships with 15-year old learners are not statutory rape, touching someone’s body parts is not serious)
Skills: School Management Teams do not hold perpetrators accountable because many SGBs, particularly in less advantaged areas, do not have the required literacy, skills, experience, understanding of relevant legislation, or confidence to exercise their authority to design and enforce a clear learner code of conduct

SUPPORTING ACTORS AND ACTIONS

Who must support the practice of this behavior, and what actions must they take?
Institutional
Department of Basic Education (DBE): Support School Management Teams (SMTs) to orient teachers, parents and learners on School Codes of Conduct, policies and disciplinary procedures for management of SRGBV, including highlighting the advantages of strong, active SGBs and disciplinary committees in improving school discipline, taking some of the burden off principals
Department of Basic Education (DBE): Hold forums with School Management Teams where all relevant safety policies and guidelines are re-disseminated and discussed
Department of Basic Education (DBE): Facilitate training for SGB members that will assist them to understand how schools function. The training would also include a clear guide on the role of SGB in relation to schools and learners.
Human Rights and Gender Equality Commissions: Proactively inform (through joint forums) school administrators, DBE, SACE, HOD, etc. about what constitutes the different forms of GBV, their seriousness and broad impact, and the importance of a collaborative approach when responding to SGBV
Human Rights and Gender Equality Commissions: Proactively inform (through joint forums) SMTs, DBE, SACE, HOD, etc. about what constitutes the different forms of GBV, their seriousness and broad impact, and the importance of a collaborative approach when responding to SGBV
District Education Department: Provide ongoing guidance and mentorship to School Management Teams on building strong and responsive SGBs and disciplinary committees that prioritise and mainstream SRGBV interventions in schools and enforce disciplinary procedures, taking some of the burden off principals
District Education Department: Assist SGBs to revise, implement and monitor the School Code of Conduct, policies and disciplinary procedures in alignment with national laws and policies related to SRGBV.
District Education Department: Orient SGB on national policies, School Codes of Conduct, Disciplinary Procedures, and SRGBV-related laws, using language and support materials all SGB members understand
District Education Department: Hold sessions with School Management Teams, teachers, and learners to assist and empower them with strategies for effectively responding to abusive learners and to encourage equal respect of all, regardless of gender or other differences.
District Psych-Social Support Services: Raise awareness of available services.
Circuit Manager: Conduct regular guidance, monitoring and feedback of policy implementation in schools, including management of reported SRGBV incidents of all types
District Psychosocial Support Services: Respond to reports of SRGBV, providing psychosocial support for survivors, perpetrators, and others affected by SRGBV, referring for further investigation and interventions as appropriate
National Council of Educators: Monitor and discipline educators accused of SRGBV, including de-registering offenders.
Police Services: Respond, investigate and report back on SRGBV complaints in a timely manner.
Department of Justice: Work with Education Department to provide information to SMTs and SGBs about pathways to justice and to strengthen the referral process.

POSSIBLE PROGRAM STRATEGIES

What strategies will best focus our efforts based on this analysis?

Strategy requires Communication Support

Enabling Environment
Partnerships and Networks: Host orientation workshops for teachers, parents, school support staff and learners on endorsed policies, Codes of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures on SRGBV.
Partnerships and Networks: Monitor the response of School Management Teams, Education Department, Head of Department, etc. to SRGBV (through various stakeholder engagements and attaching to existing structures) and help them to address deficiencies and their causes
Partnerships and Networks: Facilitate or participate in training workshops for School Management Teams, teachers, and support staff where they can explore misconceptions about GBV (including homophobia and corporal punishment) and be equipped to identify different types of sexual harassment and respond appropriately
Partnerships and Networks: Provide a platform for continuous stakeholder engagement through dialogues and meetings in order to facilitate information sharing and streamline referral processes
Partnerships and Networks: Assist DED and others with training materials/sessions that cater for SGB parents who are less literate in order to ensure they fully understand the content which will enable their active participation.
Policies and Governance: Monitor implementation of school codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures (including gaps, challenges and feedback from learners, teachers and School Management Teams); feed findings back to School Management Teams at quarterly meetings
Policies and Governance: In coordination with DED, assist SGBs to review and align school codes of conduct with national policies and guidelines (3-day orientation on human rights, SRGBV, national policy and guidelines and drafting).
Demand and Use
Advocacy: Advocate for ongoing refresher courses on diversity, human rights, classroom management, inclusivity etc. for educators
Advocacy: Petition National Council for Educators to monitor and discipline educators accused of SRGBV, including de-registering offenders
Advocacy: Advocate to the SGB, School Management Teams, DED, and PDE for improved oversight and enforcement of disciplinary measures against educators who perpetrate SRGBV.
Communication: Use local media for talk shows, interviews, etc. to educate about the different types of sexual harassment, misconceptions about GBV (including homophobia and corporal punishment) and encourage speaking out about all forms of GBV -- noticing, reporting, challenging, positive messaging -- to replace old, harmful norms with new, positive norms
Collective Engagement: Hold, participate in, or support school community dialogues to discuss misconceptions about GBV; how they manifest in their school, how they impact individuals, families, and the school community; and what they can do about it, i.e., develop, implement, and monitor a school-wide strategy to correct such misconceptions and the resulting behaviours
Skills Building: Host orientation workshops with the DED for schools on the National School Safety Framework (NSSF) and relevant content (e.g., restorative practices/restorative justice)