Representative council for learners’ understanding of the learners' code of conduct

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the understanding of learner representatives of their involvement in drawing up and implementing the code of conduct of a school. The researcher addressed the aim by undertaking an appropriate literature review and doing an empirical investigation. A qualitative approach, which was modelled on a case study, was used to explore the experiences of learner representatives in the drafting and implementation of the learner code of conduct in their respective schools. Six learner representatives from six schools in the Johannesburg Ekurhuleni District who are Representative Council for Learners (RCL) and members of the School Governing Body (SGB) were interviewed. It was found that the learner representatives are not fully involved in the drawing up of the code of conduct for learners. Learner representatives’ presence in the SGB is tokenistic because they are side-lined when it comes to the drafting of the code of conduct for learners. The study further found that learner representatives want a review of some of the rules contained in the code of conduct for learners, including the policy on hair and dress code. The recommendations arising from this study are, therefore, that the SGBs must consider involving learner representatives in the drafting and implementation of the code of conduct for learners. This may assist in the curbing of indiscipline in schools. Finally, schools can involve learner representatives in the review of the existing code of conduct.