Influence of Disciplinary Actions on Discipline among Public Secondary School Students in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

Good school discipline ensures effective teaching and learning. Indiscipline is a major challenge facing schools in Kenya and it comes in many forms such as fights among students, truancy, drug abuse, dropout from schools and drop in academic performance and the problem is major challenges facing schools in Kenya. The government has recommended robust interventions at the school level to control the indiscipline. Nevertheless, students continue to exhibit immense behavioural problems. It is therefore necessary to assess the effectiveness of the numerous behaviour change interventions put in place. This study investigated the influence of school-based behaviour change interventions on students’ discipline in public secondary schools in Kiambu County. The study was guided by the following four objectives; to explore the influence of teacher counselling interventions on discipline among public secondary school students in Kiambu County, Kenya; to examine the influence of student peer counselling interventions on discipline among public secondary school students in Kiambu County, Kenya; to assess the influence of mentorship interventions on discipline among public secondary school students in Kiambu County, Kenya and; to determine the influence of disciplinary actions on discipline among public secondary school students in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study was centred on the Ecological Systems Theory (EST). Based on the correlational research design, the study targeted the 227 principals 3,479 guidance and counselling teachers and the 89,065 students in Kiambu County. From these, the study sampled 23 principals, 97 teachers and 398 students using the simple random sampling technique. Data was collected using questionnaires, interview guides, and field observation schedules. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics in line with the study objectives.  On quantitative data from the questionnaires; frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations were used. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) aided in data analysis. The null hypothesis was tested using inferential statistics where, Pearson product moment correlation coefficient (r) test was used at a significance level of 0.05. Qualitative data from open-ended questions in the questionnaires, interview guides, and secondary data transcripts were analyzed using content analysis procedures. The findings showed that there was evidence of positive and significant relationship between students’ discipline and; school discipline actions (r=0.599, p<0.05). Based on these findings, it is evident that school discipline actions indeed influence students’ discipline in the study area. Interventions around these areas should thus be strengthened to holistically enhance students’ discipline in the schools studied. The study recommends that school disciplinary actions should be well regulated to make them responsive to the punishment needs of schools. The Ministry of Education should regularly review school disciplinary policy to make it responsive to the evolving demands for disciplinary actions in schools.