Masters Graduate Delivers Presentation on Violence at Wentworth Schools at Conference in Italy

BY: .

Click here for the isiZulu version

Doctoral candidate in the School of Social Sciences at UKZN’s College of Humanities Ms Xolile Kunene delivered a presentation on violence at schools in Wentworth, Durban, during a conference in Italy.

The International Journal of Arts and Sciences (IJAS) Academic Conference, held at the British School in Rome, takes placed annually in either Europe or the United States providing opportunities for academics to share their research through the mediums of the conference podium and IJAS double-blind refereed publications.

Academics are able to obtain informal in-depth feedback through discussions, thus establishing contact with professionals in other countries and institutions. It also introduces academics to educational premises in locations that are suitable for studying abroad and for their student exchange programmes.

Kunene’s paper - based on her thesis for her master’s degree - was titled: School-Based Violence in Wentworth Secondary Schools.

Kunene says it was important for her to share with other scholars her research on school violence in South Africa.

‘Violence needs to be reported as it is an occurrence that yields negative results not only to a particular individual but also to the community and ultimately to the country as a whole. As a result, each school should have proper channels and systems in place to allow victims to report and voice their opinions about the pandemic,’ she said.

She learned at the conference that South Africa was not alone in the problems it faced as other countries experienced similar challenges.

‘We then just need to learn from one another in terms of best practices and thus provide amicable solutions to our challenges. Let’s appreciate what we have at our disposal and make the best of it no matter how small or big it is,’ said Kunene.

Currently reading for her PhD, Kunene is the Principal Programme Officer in the School of Health Sciences at UKZN.

Words: Lihle Sosibo 

Photograph: Supplied