The effect of protests on learner`s performance: in Malamulele Central Circuit Vhembe District

Schools in South Africa are experiencing a high volume of arson and closure due to violent and non-violent protests which are unrelated to education. This affects learners, teachers and various stakeholders within the country in different ways. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of protests on learners’ performance in Malamulele Central Circuit. Qualitative research methodology was employed to deal with firsthand experiences. Random sampling was used to sample all the participants. The population of this study comprised of twelve learners, four per grade from Grades 10, 11, and 12; three teachers from Grades 10, 11 and 12 and two School Governing Board members who were randomly sampled. The findings revealed that learners and teachers affected by protests were having a lot of work to complete in less time than the prescribed period and that they were highly depressed by the whole situation. This influenced their academic performance negatively. This investigation recommends that affected learners, together with their teachers, need to be given the privilege to choose between sittings for exams with the rest of the unaffected learners or have special exams later on.