With the study reported on here, we explored the predisposing risk factors that influence learners’ challenging behaviour, which may result in them being suspended from school. Learners who have been suspended from school are more likely to display unacceptable challenging behaviour and are often misunderstood. Consequently, these learners do not benefit from academic success, social inclusion, or appropriate intervention that promotes health. In this article, we propose that the social context of suspended learners has a major impact on factors related to their behavioural challenges. The study was qualitative in nature, using an interpretive paradigm from a constructivist perspective. The study sample was 12 learners from previously underprivileged environments. A thematic analysis of data drawn from the participants’ biographical details and their responses was done to categorise and interpret the data to develop themes. Identifying the risk factors behind behavioural issues is vital for shaping effective interventions and enhancing resilience-building theory and practice. The research was conducted within a limited geographical and demographic context, which may have affected the generalisability of the findings to broader populations or different educational systems. The findings of this study underscore that the resilience of suspended learners, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds, is not forged in isolation but is cultivated by the collective efforts of the ecosystems in which they find themselves.

https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v46n1a2561

ORCiD iDs of authors:
Lina Mmakgabo Methi – https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8584-9243
Lloyd Daniel Nkoli Tlale - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4658-0421