Perceptions Towards The Indisciplined Students In Public Secondary Schools: A Case Of Kinondoni Municipality In Tanzania

Abstract 

The purpose of this study was to investigate insights of teachers towards indisciplined students and the academic performance of students. The study employed phenomenological research design to collect and analyse data. Semistructured interviews were conducted with three categories of respondents: heads of schools, discipline masters and teachers of public secondary schools. Twelve informants were purposively selected from a number of schools. The findings of the study revealed teachers‟ aversion towards indisciplined students. The study, further, showed that teachers choose to deal indisciplined students in order to improve their academic achievements. In the same vein, the study revealed that lack of parental cooperation predominantly contributed to indiscipline behaviour of students in secondary schools. The findings of this study led to draw the following conclusions: indisciplined students were left in the hands of teachers and school management committees while other stakeholders like parents and the community at large were taking minimal trouble in managing students‟ discipline at schools. When dealing with indiscipline students, teachers take the role of guardians, parents and counsellors so as to facilitate effective discipline management in respective schools. The study recommends for the need and urgency for stakeholders to take collaborative efforts on discipline management strategies in public secondary school so as to improve students‟ academic performance.