A gendered analysis of the casualisation of teachers' work in a transitional society, Durban, South Africa. 1993-4.
Loading...
Date
1998
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This thesis describes the casualisation of teachers' work (in Greater Durban) during the
period of the democratic transition in South Africa. It provides evidence that contract
teaching exists among men and women teachers employed in primary and secondary
schools. These teachers are relegated to the secondary labour market with low income,
poorer working conditions and lack of job security.
It begins by adopting an electic theoretical approach, combining labour process and
interactionist theories, to understand teachers' work. From this eclectic theoretical
perspective, it is argued that contract teachers control and influence over their work is
considerably eroded by the casualisation of the teaching labour process. However, unlike
existing international studies, it is argued that casualisation of teaching in the Durban
area serves not only as a deskilling process for most contract teachers but also as a re-skilling
process for a few. Furthermore, this study shows that contract teaching has a
gendered dimension. Not only because women teachers are mostly affected by
casualisation of teaching but that it tends to relegate women to the primary school system
where they teach young children. It is therefore argued that the casualisation of teaching
extends women's mothering role into the classroom.
The historical basis for casualisation of teaching, in South Africa, especially its gender
dimension is a result of the 'Marriage Bar 'of 1912, the legacy of the Bantu Education
system and the non-standardisation of teachers' qualifications until the 1980s, as well as
the education policy flux during the period of political transition.
Because contract teaching has existed over a long period, it has to be acknowledged as a
sub-category of the national teaching corps. This means that the contribution of contract
teachers towards the formation and transformation of the capacity to learn should not
only be recognised and accordingly rewarded by education authorities but that
casualisation of teaching should constitute an area for further academic research.
Description
Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, 1998.
Keywords
Women teachers--Employment--KwaZulu-Natal., Sexism in education--South Africa., Temporary employees--South Africa., Theses--Education., Discrimination in employment--KwaZulu-Natal., Casual labour--South Africa.