Xenophobic experiences of migrant female school principals, directors and teachers in South African schools

Abstract

Migration and xenophobia are realities that cannot be ignored. This qualitative study investigated reasons for the migration of female educators into South Africa as well as their experiences of xenophobia. An intrinsic case study focused on seven female migrant educators three from Zimbabwe, two from Uganda, one from Malawi and one from Ghana. They were school director, two school principals, two deputy school principals, and two teachers. These participants were sampled in the Gauteng Province using purposive, convenience and snowball sampling techniques.The data for this study were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Key findings revealed that migrants came to South Africa for social and economic reasons. They also confirmed the prevalence of xenophobia in institutions of education. As a survival strategy, the educators had to find creative approaches to integrating into local communities. The study suggests the need for genuine integration of South African and non-South African citizens to create a society that boasts of unity in diversity.

Keywords: Migration, xenophobia, intrinsic qualitative case study, snowball sampling, integration, female school principals