Perspectives of Rural Teachers on the Effects of Peer Pressure on Learners’ Behaviour – A Case of the Mqanduli Magisterial District, South Africa

There is general unhappiness and insecurity concerning school dropouts and reports of criminal activities through various news sources and media platforms in cities, villages and townships of South Africa. This research therefore examined the effects of peer pressure on learners’ behaviour. This research was conducted in schools geographically located in rural villages of the Mqanduli magisterial district, which is one of King Sabata Dalindyebo’s local municipalities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and a case study research design involving five randomly selected teachers from five schools where each school was represented by one teacher. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were used to gather data from the five teachers. Document study of records was also used to collect, triangulate and analyse the data from the conveniently sampled five secondary schools. It emerged that peer pressure influenced the learners’ behaviours either positively or negatively. It is recommended that there is a need for learner support agents (LSAs) and full-time employed psychologists in schools to counteract the possibility of school dropouts, truants, and misbehaving learners impeding the quality of learning and teaching. The study recommends the collaboration of stakeholders such as schools, the Department of Education and sister departments as well as municipalities in introducing or strengthening programmes inculcating acceptable and desirable morals to learners. Keywords: Indiscipline, Learners, Behaviour, Peer Pressure, Quality of Learning and Teaching.