Correctional educators’ experiences of professional development in a South African prison school
Zanele Sinegugu Dhlamini & Mbongiseni Mdakane
Abstract
Both local and international research converge on the finding that correctional educators (CEs) are key in the rehabilitation of incarcerated students. Nevertheless, a gap remains in understanding how CEs’ experiences affect their pedagogy and professional identity within the correctional environment. To address this gap, this study investigated the experiences of CEs and how teaching at a South African correctional facility influenced their pedagogy and professional identity. A phenomenological research design, embedded in the qualitative research approach and grounded in the Professional Identity Formation (PIF) framework, was adopted using an interpretivist approach. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit 11 participants, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically. The findings revealed an ageing workforce with substantial teaching experience, often transitioning from mainstream to correctional education, suggesting a strong emotional connection to the teaching profession. Despite numerous challenges, including a shortage of CEs and teaching resources, and a lack of sustainable professional development opportunities, CEs expressed a strong desire for continuous professional learning and institutional support in pursuit of their professional growth and empowerment. This study contributes to the scholarship of prison education by identifying challenges affecting the professional development of CEs while also offering recommendations to enhance their professional effectiveness and the responsiveness of the institutional support they yearn for, such as the allocation of adequate resources and investment in ongoing professional development.
Keywords
professional development, correctional educators, Department of Correctional Services, South Africa
Author information & Contribution
Zanele Sinegugu Dhlamini. Corresponding author. Master’s student in the Department of Psychology, University of Pretoria. Email: u16123728@tuks.co.za
Mbongiseni Mdakane. PhD (Psychology). Senior Lecturer, University of South Africa. Email: emdakam@unisa.ac.za
“All authors equally contributed to the conception, design, preparation, data gathering and analysis, and writing of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.”
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Funding
This work was not supported by any funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement
This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical guidelines set by the University of Pretoria. The conduct of this study has been approved and given relative clearances by the University of Pretoria and South African Department of Correctional Services.
AI Declaration
AI tools were not used in writing this paper.
Notes
This paper has been presented in the 8th Southern African Students’ Psychology Conference, themed “Healing Inter- and Transgenerational Trauma: A Place for Psychology in Africa’s Future.
Acknowledgement
The authors wish to acknowledge Dr Bongani Innocent Nkambule for his contribution in this study.
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Cite this article:
Dhlamini, Z.S. & Mdakane, M. (2025). Correctional educators’ experiences of professional development in a South African prison school. International Review of Social Sciences Research, 5(4), 133-156. https://doi.org/10.53378/irssr.353290
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