The Role Of Guidance And Counseling In Management Of Student Discipline In Secondary Schools In Londiani District, Kericho County, Kenya

Discipline is an integral part of the teaching-learning process in any learning institution, without which effective teaching-learning may not occur. Students in secondary schools are in their adolescent stage characterized by numerous changes and may end up being unruly resulting to indiscipline problems. The purpose of the study was to examine the role of guidance and counseling in the management of students discipline in secondary schools in Londiani District in Kericho County, Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives; to establish disciplinary problems experienced in secondary schools in Londiani district, to find out the role of Head teachers, Deputy Head teachers, Head of guidance and counseling and teachers in guidance and counseling in the management of students discipline, to find out the nature of cases of indiscipline referred to the teacher counselor by teachers, to establish the factors that hinder effective guidance and counseling in the management of students discipline in Londiani District. The researcher employed stratified sampling technique to select the schools to be studied. The target population comprised 25 public secondary schools, 25 head teachers, 25 heads of guidance and counseling, 280 teachers and 3750 students. Out of this, a sample of 10(40%) secondary schools, 10(40%) head teachers, 10(40%) deputy head teachers, 10(40%) heads of guidance and counseling, 30(10.7%) teachers and 380(10.1%) students was selected through the simple random sampling technique. Two instruments were used to collect data for the study. These were interview schedules and questionnaires. The data collected through questionnaire was analyzed using descriptive statistics inform of frequencies and percentages. The data collected using interview schedules was analyzed using summary tables for the purpose of data presentation and interpretation. Data was presented using tables. The study concludes that Lateness, bullying of the students and disobedience are the commonest offences that student commit. Laziness is the most common problem in schools. Results showed head of guidance and counseling organize the guidance and counseling services in the school, offer guidance and counseling services to the students. The findings show that guidance and counselling was minimally used in the management of student discipline in secondary schools in Londiani District. Punishments especially physical punishment, corporal punishment and suspension/calling parents were used as a disciplinary method. It was also found out that the policy guidelines from the Ministry of Education on how the schools could use guidance and counselling to manage student disciplinary cases in schools are not adhered to. The study recommends that Ministry of Education should do regular follow up on how policy guidelines on the use of guidance and counselling for the management of students discipline in secondary schools are being implemented.