Respect

As a value, respect is not explicitly defined in the Constitution (Links to an external site.), but it is implicit in the way the Bill of Rights governs not only the state’s relationship with citizens, but also citizens’ relationships with each other.

The essence of respect as a value can be deduced from other declarations and conventions supported by the state. For example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Links to an external site.) states that ‘education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms’.

Education should therefore prepare learners for taking responsibility for life in a free society (Links to an external site.) in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, gender equality, and friendship among all peoples, ethnic (Links to an external site.), national and religious groups, and persons of indigenous origin (Links to an external site.) (Department of Education 2001:19).

Educators should set an example by respecting the dignity of all learners in class. By being kind and tolerant and developing cooperative learning (Links to an external site.) activities which allow all learners to participate to the best of their abilities, educators will lay a good foundation for learners to become aware of the positive influence of respect towards themselves and others in class and in society as a whole (Kitshoff, 2006:24).