ABSTRACT

Maintaining and managing learner discipline in schools may be a daunting task on part of school leadership. The abolishment of corporal punishment in South African schools has become a topic of discussion since the dawn of the new education dispensation. School leaders through school governing bodies are expected to adopt a code of conduct for learners. This chapter conceptualizes the notion of learner discipline, reviews the literature on learner discipline, and analyzes the developments regarding learner discipline since the abolishment of corporal punishment. From the analysis of the status of learner discipline, this chapter provides suggestions on how school leadership can lead and manage learner discipline within the South African school context.