Re-imagining teacher’s experience with overcrowded classrooms in the public secondary schools in South Africa

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore teachers’ experiences with overcrowded classrooms in public secondary schools in the Sekhukhune Region of Limpopo Province. The study adopted a qualitative research approach using interviews for data collection with 150 teachers. The overall findings of the study points out that teachers experience numerous challenges during teaching and learning as result of large number of learners in the classrooms. These challenges include failure to stimulate learners’ interest, and failure to instill critical thinking and JOURNAL OF GENDER, INFORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA (JGIDA) ISBN: 2050-4276 (Print) ISSN: 2050-4284 (Online) Indexed at: EBSCO, ProQuest, J-Gate and Sabinet. Also indexed and accredited by IBSS Special Issue, September 2019 Pp 91-103 Re-Imagining Teacher’s Experience with ... 92 problem solving activities in learners. The findings of the study are vital significant to South African government in particular and other governments in general with similar challenges for future improvements. The study is guided by the progressivism learning theory to understand the complexity of the overcrowded classrooms in teaching and learning in public secondary schools.