Experiences and practices of black women teachers : a case study of a rural secondary school in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

This study examined the experiences and practices of black women teachers in one rural school in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A case study was conducted in one school in Umbumbulu, KwaZulu-Natal. The aim of this study was to elicit women teachers’ experiences of the gender relations that exist within a school setting and the mechanisms they used to cope in a male dominant teaching environment. It is important to understand that both men and women conduct gender. Men play an active role in shaping women’s identity and controlling behaviour. For this reason, the study also gave a voice to male teachers. Semi-structured interviews with the school principal, head of departments and teachers were used to collect data. The findings revealed that cultural beliefs and expectations of rural women swayed gender discrimination of female teachers at the school and some female teachers’ complicity accepted their roles of subordination and subscribed to what they called, ‘The Zulu Way’. Most of the female teachers in this rural school believed that care giving was one of their principle responsibilities as teachers. Male teachers performed duties that required being outside the classroom, especially, disciplining learners and doing sports. The general perception at the school was that men are tough, make good decisions and learners also give them more respect. Female teachers were expected to mainly do tasks that are menial and other routine activities like filing and record keeping, while the male teachers were more often exempted from these tasks. Traditional Zulu culture was drawn upon by most male teachers to exercise their power over women and a tool to promote patriarchy and gender inequalities in the school. However, there were a few voices of resistance from male teachers - men who are able to see the gender matrix for what it was: a flimsy, sometimes harmful, way to organise the world and their personal and professional lives. In addition to voicing the needs and challenges of rural women teachers and highlighting the gaps that need to be addressed to improve their status, this study identified the available opportunities to challenge the barriers that these women face.