Gendered spaces: students’ experiences of the social school spaces in high schools in Hhohho Region, Eswatini

Abstract

Background: This article makes a social constructionist exploration of student experiences of gendered social school spaces in high schools in the Hhohho region, Eswatini. Methods: The study utilsed a qualitative narrative inquiry methodology. Individual and focus group semi structured interviews were used to generate data. The participants were 24 purposively selected students (12 boys and 12 girls) from four high schools in Hhohho region. Participants ranged in age from 16 to 18 years of age. Results: Boys and girls experienced the school's social spaces differently. The social school environments had an impact on the students' academic performance. The teachers' poor treatment of the students, according to the students' complaints, caused them to despise school. They griped about the numerous strict regulations that teachers upheld. The students proposed that teachers should relax their strict restrictions and give the students more autonomy so that the social school spaces would be more responsive, particularly in terms of relationships with teachers. According to the social constructionism theory that guides this study, societal and interpersonal influences shape how people live their lives (Gergen, 1985). The relationships students establish with teachers are what make their lives meaningful.