Composite effects of bullying on grade 10 learners' academic achievements in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Abstract

This study examines the composite effect of bullying on the academic achievement of Grade 10 learners in the Buffalo City Metro (BCM), South Africa. Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory guided the study. A quantitative research method was employed; schools were selected through simple random sampling, and participants were chosen using proportional stratified sampling. When planning this study, 14,819 Grade 10 learners were confirmed at the BCM Education District, of which 1,037 were included. A structured questionnaire, along with a list of Grade 10 term report marks, was used as part of the analysis. Both descriptive and inferential analyses were performed. The analysis of the study findings reveals that learners who have “Never” experienced forms of bullying are 0.748 times less likely to fail academically compared to those who “Always” experienced bullying. However, since the p-value for this result is 0.315 (greater than 0.05), the impact is not significant. This study concludes that a small proportion of learners had experienced intimidation, spreading of rumours, verbal degradation, physical assault, property destruction, exclusion, and insults. It is recommended that learners be encouraged to speak out about bullying incidents. Parents and guardians are encouraged to monitor their children’s behaviour, including their use of technology and phone conversations, and to maintain regular communication with class teachers to track their children’s academic progress. If learners continue to study in an adverse environment where violence flourishes, such an environment could create fear, anxiety, and psychological trauma in their minds, which may subsequently affect their academic achievement.