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A Systematic Review of Alternatives to Corporal Punishment in South African Schools
Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613760467763200 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Gush, Chloe Beth |
| author2 | Moen, Melanie |
| author_browse | Gush, Chloe Beth Moen, Melanie |
| author_facet | Moen, Melanie Gush, Chloe Beth |
| author_sort | Gush, Chloe Beth |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136050 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:41:15.521Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136050 A Systematic Review of Alternatives to Corporal Punishment in South African Schools Gush, Chloe Beth Moen, Melanie Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology. Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Gush, C. B. 2026. A Systematic Review of Alternatives to Corporal Punishment in South African Schools. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/1338510f-cb37-447b-9bb4-b93e03256c28 School discipline remains a globally debated topic, and with children spending a significant portion of their lives in schools, these environments play a pivotal role in overall development and well-being. In South Africa, school corporal punishment has been banned for nearly 30 years, yet other forms of punitive discipline remain prevalent. While policies exist regarding alternatives to corporal punishment (ATCP), the implementation and effectiveness of these, in practice, remain inconsistent. Learner misbehaviour has risen, while educators feel disempowered, leading to unsafe school spaces where optimal teaching and learning cannot take place. What is needed is additional information to better understand the practicalities of discipline in South African schools, including the types of strategies being used and the factors hindering their effectiveness. This study used a qualitative systematic literature review (QSLR) to synthesise what is known about school discipline in South Africa. This was framed within Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model to understand development as a reciprocal and multisystemic process. Through thematic synthesis, four key themes emerged: (1) complexities and conflicts in currently used school disciplinary approaches; (2) school codes of conduct as an overarching disciplinary tool; (3) hindrances to ATCP as reciprocal and multisystemic; and (4) training, collaboration and restoration as the way forward. These themes reiterate that school discipline practices remain inconsistent and that additional training and multi-stakeholder collaboration are needed to create cohesive policies and practices that support safe school spaces and optimal learner development. These findings were then synthesised to create an adaptable resource for the effective implementation of positive and restorative disciplinary practices across multiple levels within the school environment. This is in line with global best practices, such as school-wide positive behaviour interventions and supports, and aims to support processes of collaborative, evidence-based decision-making within the education space. Masters 2026-04-21T09:34:12Z 2026-04-21T09:34:12Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136050 en Stellenbosch University 159 pages : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Gush, Chloe Beth A Systematic Review of Alternatives to Corporal Punishment in South African Schools |
| title | A Systematic Review of Alternatives to Corporal Punishment in South African Schools |
| title_full | A Systematic Review of Alternatives to Corporal Punishment in South African Schools |
| title_fullStr | A Systematic Review of Alternatives to Corporal Punishment in South African Schools |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Systematic Review of Alternatives to Corporal Punishment in South African Schools |
| title_short | A Systematic Review of Alternatives to Corporal Punishment in South African Schools |
| title_sort | systematic review of alternatives to corporal punishment in south african schools |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136050 |
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