Student- Teacher Perceptions Of The State Of Discipline In Senior Secondary Schools: A Case Study Of Kwanyako Secondary School

ABSTRACT

The general purpose of this study was to find out the perceptions of students and teachers on the state of discipline in Kwanyako Senior Secondary School. Research questions formulated to direct the research focused on the perceptions of discipline, causes and remedies to indiscipline in schools to enlighten students and teachers on the roles they play in order to address the problem of indiscipline in the school. Simple random sampling was used to select 104 students, purposive sampling to select twenty members of staff including the Headmaster, Assistant Headmaster and Guidance and Counselling Co-ordinator with data analysed using simple percentages.

The study revealed a congruence of opinions among the respondents on most of the disciplinary issues by expressing similar sentiments and proposing strategies to encourage discipline in students but frowned on the extreme punitive forms on indiscipline. A closer look at the student- related causes of disciplinary problems derived from responses revealed they are mostly orchestrated by students. To improve discipline in schools, all communication avenues should be effectively utilised in relation to students, demanding self control from students knowing the consequences of their behaviours. This will be achieved if guidance and counselling services are made a full-time responsibility in schools.

It was therefore recommended that school administrators seeking to maintain discipline in their schools, should work on getting to know students individually, liaising with the community and some of its members serving as resource persons in extracurricular activities as well as school governance.