By Charmaine Ndlela
More than 1.1 million learners in South Africa have experienced some form of violence at school, with 14% reporting physical violence by teachers, according to a report released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) during Child Protection Week.
The report, based on data from the General Household Survey (GHS), highlights the continued prevalence of violence against children in schools despite ongoing efforts to strengthen child protection measures.
Stats SA estimated that 1,156,009 learners had experienced violence at school. Physical violence by teachers was reported by 14% of learners, compared with about 8% who reported physical violence by fellow learners.
The report was released as South Africa marks Child Protection Week, observed from May 29 to June 5 under the theme, “Working Together in Ending Violence Against Children”, aimed at raising awareness of children’s rights and promoting collective action to prevent abuse.
According to the findings, younger children were particularly vulnerable. Learners aged between five and eight years reported the highest levels of violence, with incidents peaking at age seven, when 20.6% reported experiencing violence, and again at age 13, at 19.5%.
Stats SA said the findings pointed to critical periods of vulnerability during early schooling and adolescence.
Data collected between 2009 and 2024 showed that the proportion of learners aged five years and older who experienced corporal punishment declined by 10 percentage points over the period. While the reduction was gradual in earlier years, the most significant decline occurred between 2015 and 2024.
The report also found that peer-perpetrated violence remained a concern. Physical violence by fellow learners was most common among seven-year-olds, with 16.3% reporting such experiences.
The findings suggest that aggressive peer interactions often emerge during the early years of formal schooling.
Verbal abuse was found to be more prevalent among learners than teachers. About 21% of learners identified fellow learners as the source of verbal abuse, compared with 12% who reported verbal abuse by teachers.
The highest incidence of verbal abuse was recorded among seven-year-olds, with 30.1% reporting exposure, underscoring the vulnerability of learners in the early primary school years to bullying and peer aggression.
Gender disparities were also evident. Females accounted for about 63% of reported cases of verbal abuse involving teachers and 58% of physical violence cases perpetrated by teachers.
The report concluded that younger learners, particularly those around the age of seven, face heightened vulnerability to violence at school, while girls are disproportionately affected by teacher-related abuse and verbal violence.
Stats SA said the findings underscore the need to ensure schools remain safe environments that support children’s development, learning and wellbeing.
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