The Nature and Extent of Bullying: Evidence from Students of a South African University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18415/s7fsgd60Keywords:
Bullying; Case study; Nature and extent; South African university; StudentsAbstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the nature and extent of bullying amongst university students [Undergraduate and postgraduate students]. Stemming from students’ experiences on bullying during their academic lives at tertiary institutions, they often become perpetrators and victims of bullying. The researchers used the Social Learning Theory confirming that people observe and learn certain behaviours from others to explore the nature and the extent of bullying, using a South African university as a case study. The quantitative research approach was employed. The non-probability snowball sampling was adopted to select Twenty (20) fulltime registered students and the collected data was solicited using the questionnaire, restricted from 2017-2020 [Three – 03 years’ projection], with the pie charts and frequency tables used for analysis. Data was collected from all levels students, as prior indicated; about 31.8% 1st level, 18.2% 2nd level, 22.7% 3rd and 18.2% from other levels which include 4th level and postgraduate students that are catered in the South African university. This study was not limited to any ethnic group, 50% were Pedi, 4.5% Venda, 13.6% Tsonga and 22.7% Swati. All faculties were included in data collection, 45.5% students from humanity, 9.1% management and law, 18.2% health science and 18.2% science and agriculture. This study found that most students are bullied by fellow students and security officers, males are more likely to be the bullies than females and most students bully with friends because of group pressure or as a form of retaliation. It is recommend that [this] South African university should take legal actions towards people who practice bullying or even expel them from the institution, staff should undergo workshops and training to teach them to be humble and polite to students, campaigns to prevent bullying should be implemented in campus and support groups to help victims of bullying to cope, anti-bullying policies should be implemented and strictly explained to students and personnel and victims should have easy accessibility on where and how to report bullying.
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