Abstract

Fear and intimidation abound in South African schools. Theft, physical and sexual assault, as well as victimisation such as verbal threats, are common occurrences in our educational institutions. The school plays a central role in a child’s socialisation and it is critical that schools provide a safe environment where learning and growth can take place. It is a prime concern of our society and has become the focus of investigative journalism on television and in our news papers. Emotional Intelligence (EI) has become one of the new Human Sciences strategies. This paper suggests that EI is the missing ingredient in a social emotional intervention programme to once again provide a safe and secure place of learning, an intellectual sanctuary for our children. The chances that teenagers who cannot yet recognise or control their emotions to become involved in crime are much bigger than those of teenagers who are emotionally sound. The paper also examines the role of EI and emotion in relation to three core sociological interpretations: namely factors that cause violence (Macro-level), factors that instigate violence (Meso-level), and those that simplify it (Micro-level). It has been suggested that our education system mirrors the dynamics of our society. A better understanding of the sociological framework of violence can enable school managements to propose suitable intervention to establish a relationship between communities and parents. This research aims to investigate the relationship between EI and school management and violent behaviour of 200 grade nine learners attending a school in South Africa. The study employs an action research design and analyses using descriptive and inferential statistics to address the research objectives. The empirical study concludes that there is a correlation between EI school mangement methods and learners’ behaviour.