SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES ACCORDING TO GENDER

The hypothesis that informed the computation of difference tests is that girls and boys have a different way of viewing attachment as well as violence. Actually, scholars like Prinsloo (2006) have hypothesised that school violence is gender violence. This statement begs the questions in sub-question (e). A chi-square test used to answer the above question is a difference test and it is applicable to nominal and ordinal data within a given population to show differences in performance between sub-groups (Cohen et al, 2007: 525). In the questionnaire, data on gender is nominal and a chi-square test can easily separate our set of data according to gender and analyse the difference in sub-questions (a) - (d).

The following was revealed by data in answering SUB-QUESTION (e): Does the pattern of results at (a) to (d) differ for adolescent-learners of different gender?)

5.7.1 GENDER DIFFERENCES IN FAMILY ATTACHMENT

The table below suggests that there were no statistically significant differences in the ratings of the males and females of items in the family attachment segment (in section B) and in their performance in sub-question (a).

159

TABLE. 5.7.1.1 GENDER RESPONSE TO FAMILY ATTACHMENT

Family Attachment * Gender differences Chi square test results My parents are always there for me in everything X² =1.69, df =3, p=.639 My parents always have time to discuss life with me X² =3.33, df =3, p=.344 I always look forward to going home. X² =3.66, df =3, p=.30 My home is the safest place for me X ² =0.21, df =3, p=.98 My parent only seems to notice me when I am angry X² =0.62, df =3, p=.89 I often feel angry with my parents without knowing why X² =2.09, df =3, p=.552 I get annoyed by my parent because I have to force

him/her to love me.

They all agreed or disagreed in a similar way to all the items in the section B of the questionnaire. This might also suggest that the expected frequencies patterns still remain as they are implying that boys are experiencing the same issues as girls in the family.

Trends were similar as in the case where 65% of girls and 70% of boys claim their parents make time to discuss life issues with them against 35% of girls and 30% of boys who claim that their parents never make time for them. Disgruntled children in terms of poor parenting are always in the minority in all genders. This same trend was observed as the majority of girls (85%) agreed with the majority of boys (87%) in that they always look forward to going home. Despite their love for home the majority of girls (69%) and that of boys (66%) claim their parents seem only to notice them when they are angry. This is also a sign of general learner pleasure and displeasure with parents cutting across gender. However, to both girls and boys this pleasure and displeasure with parents has not significantly triggered any form of anger (as indicated in by their responses for items 6 and 7 under family attachment where only a total of 27% boys and 23% girls claim to be angry with their parents).

5.7.2 GENDER DIFFERENCESS IN SCHOOL ATTACHMENT

There was a notable statistically significant difference only in the first and fifth items of the school attachment section between the opinions of boys and girls on their

160

feelings towards teachers’ readiness to assist them, and also teachers’ action tendencies when told about learners’ problems.

TABLE. 5.7.2.1 GENDER RESPONSE TO SCHOOL ATTACHMENT

School Attachment * Gender differences Chi square test results My teachers are always there for me in everything X² =12.98, df =3,

p=.005*

My teachers make us hate school. X² =1.51, df =3, p=.679 Our school buildings make me proud of my school. X² =4.77, df =3, p=.189 Our school rules protect us from violence and abuse from

other learners.

X ² =2.96, df =3, p=.398 Teachers act when we tell them that we have problems X² =15.07, df =3,

p=.002*

Teachers show bias towards children from rich families. X² =1.24, df =3, p=.742 School is the safest place for me. X² =1.13, df =3, p=.77 I often feel angry with other learners without knowing why X² =2.99, df =3, p=.39 I get annoyed by my teachers because I have to force

them to love or care for me.

X² =5.56, df =3, p=.14 It makes me feel good to be able to do things for my

school

X² =3.17, df =3, p=.37

To both boys and girls the frequencies were higher in the second level (Agreed) (47%

boys and 51% girls). This might mean that there is no passion (indicated by ‘Strongly Agree’) for teacher performance in showing care for the learners in the schools.

However, this reveals that girls (51%) appreciate teachers’ care than boys (47%).

18% of each gender is passionate about their teachers’ care. Only 35% of boys still believe that teachers do not care about learner problems.

5.7.3 GENDER DIFFERENCES IN VIOLENCE

Chi² tests proved that 43% of boys claim that they have never witnessed violence in the schools while 57% has witnessed it. 46% of girls claim that they have never witnessed violence while 54% has witnessed it. 31% of boys say physical violence is increasing in the schools while 69% says it is not increasing. 35% of girls say physical violence is increasing in the schools while 65% says it is not increasing. 55%

of boys say school rules reduce violence while 45% says they do not. However the interesting finding is that only 47% of girls say school rules reduce violence while 53% say they do not. This implies that more girls would like to see a change in the implementation of rules in the schools; more can be done. However the majority of

161

boys favour the status quo. May be this works well for 20% of the boys who have perpetrated violence before.

5.7.4 EXPLANATION TO NO DIFFERENCES

Contrary to Prinsloo’s (2006) assertion that most of the violence in the schools is gender violence the findings in this research indicate that gender awareness has been very effective in most high schools in South Africa as a result of many campaigns and as a result of government efforts of including Life orientation as a subject in the schools. At the same time at adolescence there are few notable gender differences. In actual fact girls become more mature than girls which make them rise over many gender problems.

At the same time the research findings indicate that there is a culture of silence among learners when it comes to revealing and reporting violence (Dunne, Humphreys & Leach, 2003). This is exposed by contradictions in responding to items 1 and 2 in the physical violence section. For example 57% of boys and 54% of girls claim that they have witnessed violence in the schools yet only 20% of boys and 16%

of girls admit that they have been involved in the physical violence. With such a high number of witnesses one wonders whether there was sincerity in responding to item 2. This could have been a result of the proximity of the teachers during the administration of the questionnaires.