This study aimed to explore the effects of cyberbullying on Grade 7 learners’ academic performance in Vhembe West District, Limpopo Province. Cyberbullying is an ongoing, deliberate act of aggression by an individual or group against a victim who is unable to defend themselves, utilising electronic modes of interaction. Despite cyberbullying being widespread in South Africa, there is limited research on the experiences of primary school learners, as existing studies focus mainly on high school learners. However, cyberbullying has detrimental effects on learner victims, particularly on their academic performance. The Department of Basic Education is also increasingly confronted with incidents of cyberbullying, as learners engage more with digital technologies. To understand this phenomenon, this study utilised a qualitative research approach within an interpretivist paradigm, employing a case study design to gain an in-depth understanding of learners’ lived experiences of cyberbullying. The study population consisted of 24 purposively sampled participants from three primary schools: 9 Grade 7 learners, 9 school-based support team (SBST) members, 3 Grade 7 teachers, and 3 principals. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers and principals, focus group discussions with learners and SBST members, and document analysis. Bandura’s social cognitive theory highlights how learners’ behaviours and academic performance are influenced through interactions and by the environment. Thematic analysis revealed that Grade 7 learners experience various forms of cyberbullying, including harassment, social exclusion, impersonation and dissemination of harmful digital content. Cyberbullying impacts learners’ emotional well-being, self-esteem, concentration and classroom participation, often leading to poor academic performance. Learners frequently remain silent victims due to fear, stigma, and limited reporting mechanisms, resulting in emotional distress, psychological challenges, and behavioural difficulties that impair their academic performance. These findings indicate that cyberbullying poses a serious threat to both learners’ academic performance and their general welfare. This study recommends implementing comprehensive school-based interventions, clear cyberbullying policies, digital citizenship education, and collaborative support to prevent and address cyberbullying.
Ngudo iyi yo ṱoḓisisa masiandoitwa a u tambudzwa nga inthanethe kha kushumele kwa vhagudiswa vha Gireidi ya 7 kha zwa pfunzo Tshiṱirikini tsha Vhukovhela ha Vhembe, Vunḓuni ḽa Limpopo. U tambudzwa nga inthanethe ndi nyito i bvelaho phanḓa, nga khole, ya vhuhali nga muthu kana tshigwada kha mupondwa ane a sa kone u ḓiimelela, hu tshi shumiswa nḓila dza eḽekiṱhironiki dza u ṱanganelana. Naho u tambudzwa nga inthanethe zwo phaḓalala Afrika Tshipembe, hu na ṱhoḓisiso ṱhukhu nga ha tshenzhemo dza vhagudiswa vha zwikolo zwa phuraimari, sa izwi ngudo dzi re hone dzi tshi sedza nga maanḓa kha vhagudiswa vha zwikolo zwa nṱha. Naho zwo ralo, u tambudzwa nga inthanethe zwi na masiandoitwa a si a vhuḓi kha vha vhagudiswa, zwihuluhulu kha kushumele kwavho kwa pfunzo. Muhasho wa zwa pfunzo dza fhasi u khou ḓi ṱangana na zwiwo zwa u tambudzwa nga inthanethe musi vhagudiswa vha tshi khou ṱanganelana nga maanḓa na thekhinoḽodzhi dza didzhithala. U itela u pfesesa fhungo iḽi, ngudo iyi yo shumisa nḓila ya ṱhoḓisiso ya vhuimo nga ngomu ha paradigm ya ṱhalutshedzo, i tshi shumisa nzudzanyo ya ngudo ya tsumbo u itela u kona u pfesesa tshenzhemo dza vhagudiswa dza u tambudzwa nga inthanethe. Tshivhalo tsha ngudo tsho vha tshi na vhaṱanganedzi vha 24 vho sampulwaho nga ndivho u bva kha zwikolo zwiraru zwa phuraimari: vhagudiswa vha 9 vha Gireidi ya 7, miraḓo ya thikhedzo ya tshikolo ya 9, vhadededzi vha 3 vha Gireidi ya 7 na ṱhoho dza zwikolo 3. Datha yo kuvhanganywa nga kha inthavhiyu dzo dzudzanywaho nga tshipiḓa na vhagudisi na ṱhoho dza zwikolo, nyambedzano dza zwigwada zwo livhiswaho na vhagudi na tshigwada tsha thikhedzo ya Tshikolo na tsenguluso ya maṅwalo. Bandura’s social cognitive theory yo sumbedza nḓila ine vhuḓifari ha vhagudiswa na kushumele kwavho kha zwa pfunzo zwa ṱuṱuwedzwa ngayo nga u ṱanganelana na nga mupo.
Tsenguluso ya thero yo bvisela khagala uri vhagudiswa vha Gireidi ya 7 vha tshenzhela mifuda yo fhambanaho ya u tambudzwa nga inthanethe, hu tshi katelwa u holedza, u bviswa tshitshavhani, u ḓiita muthu na u phaḓaladza zwithu zwi re khombo zwa didzhithala. U tambudzwa nga inthanethe zwi kwama vhuḓifari ha muhumbulo wa vhagudiswa, u ḓiṱhonifha, u ṱhogomela na u shela mulenzhe kilasini, kanzhi zwi ita uri vha sa shume zwavhuḓi kha zwa pfunzo. Vhagudiswa vha anzela u vha vhapondwa vho fhumulaho nga ṅwambo wa nyofho, u nyadziwa na maitele a u vhiga a si gathi, zwine zwa ita uri vha tsikeledzee kha muhumbulo, na vhuleme ha vhuḓifari vhune ha thithisa kushumele kwavho kwa pfunzo. Mawanwa o sumbedza uri u tambudzwa nga inthanethe zwi ḓisa khombo khulwane kha kushumele kwa vhagudiswa kha zwa pfunzo na kha vhuḓifari nga u angaredza. Ngudo iyi yo themendela u ḓivhadzwa ha u dzhenelela ho ḓisendekaho kha zwikolo, mbekanyamaitele dzi re khagala dza u tambudzwa nga inthanethe, pfunzo ya vhudzulapo ya didzhithala, na tshumisano vhukati ha zwikolo na zwiimiswa zwa thikhedzo u itela u thivhela na u langa u tambudzwa nga inthanethe.
Nyakišišo ye e hlahloba ditlamorago tša bomphenyašilo bja inthanete go baithuti ba Mphato wa 7 ka Seleteng sa Vhembe Bodikela, Profenseng ya Limpopo. Bomphenyašilo bja inthanete ke tiro ye e tšwelago pele, ya ka boomo go tšwa go motho o tee goba sehlopha sa batho kgahlanong le mohlaselwa yo a sa kgonego go itšhireletša; batšwasehlabelo ba šomiša mekgwa ya tirišano ya elektroniki. Le ge bomphenyašilo bja inthanete bo atile ka Afrika Borwa, dinyakišišo tša maitemogelo a baithuti ba dikolo tša tlase dia hlokwa, ka ge dinyakišišo tše di lego gona di lebišitše kudu go baithuti ba dikolo tše di phagamego. Lega go le bjalo, bomphenyašilo bja inthaneteng bo na le ditlamorago tše kotsi go baithuti, kudu go tšwelopele kua dithutong tša bona. Kgoro ya Thuto ya Fase (elego DBE ka boripana) le yona e lebane kudu le ditiragalo tša bomphenyašilo bja inthanete ge baithuti ba tsenela kudu theknolotši ya titšithale. Go kwešiša tiragalo ye yabo mphenyašilo, nyakišišo ye e šomišitše mokgwa wa nyakišišo ya boleng ka gare ga mohlala wa tlhathollo, e šomiša tlhamo ya nyakišišo ya mohlala go hwetša kwešišo ye e tseneletšego ya maitemogelo a baithuti go ditlamorago tša bomphenyašilo bja inthanete. Batšeakarolo go nyakišišo ye ba akaretša baithuti ba masomepedi nne (24) bao ba tšerwego sampole ka nepo go tšwa dikolong tše tharo tša tlase: baithuti ba 9 ba Mphato wa 7, maloko a 9 a Sehlopha sa Thekgo ye e Theilwego Sekolong (SBST), barutiši ba 3 ba Mphato wa 7, le dihlogo tša dikolo tše 3. Datha e kgobokeditšwe ka dipoledišano tšeo di rulagantšwego le tšeo di sego tša rulaganywa gabotse (semi-structured interviews) le barutiši le dihlogo tša dikolo, dipoledišano tša sehlopha sa nepo le baithuti le maloko a SBST, le tshekatsheko ya ditokomane. Teori ya temogo ya leago ya Bandura (Bandura’s social cognitive theory) e tšweleditše ka fao maitshwaro a baithuti le tiragatšo ya thuto di tutuetšwago ka ditirišano le ke tikologo.
Tshekatsheko ya merero e utolotše gore baithuti ba Mphato wa 7 ba itemogela mehuta ye e fapanego ya bomphenyašilo bja inthanete, go akaretšwa tlaišo, go kgaphelwa ka ntle ga setšhaba, go itira motho ka noši le go phatlalatša diteng tša titšithale tše kotsi. Bomphenyašilo bja inthanete bo ama maikutlo a baithuti, go itshepa, go tsepamiša kgopolo le go tšea karolo ka phapošing; gomme seo se lebiša go tshepedišo ye mpe ya thuto. Baithuti gantši ba dula e le bahlaselwa bao ba homotšego ka lebaka la poifo, kgethollo, le mekgwa ye e lekanyeditšwego ya go bega, go feletša ka tlalelo ya maikutlo, ditlhohlo tša monagano, le mathata a boitshwaro ao a senyago maemo a bona a thuto. Dikutollo tše di laetša gore bomphenyašilo bja inthanete bo bea tšhošetšo ye kgolo go bobedi tshepedišo ya baithuti ya thuto le boiketlo bja kakaretšo. Nyakišišo ye e šišinya ditsenogare tše di feletšego tše di theilwego sekolong, melawana ye e kwagalago ya bomphenyašilo bja inthanete, thuto ya boagi bja titšithale, le thekgo ya tirišano go thibela le go rarolla bomphenyašilo bja inthanete.
