| dc.description.abstract | A head's public and professional reputation depends more on the standard of discipline in his or her school than any other single factor, for good discipline brings about good results in every field of school endeavour. A principal who lets discipline slip out of his or her hands risks trouble. Of late students have shown a lot of bad behaviour which has resulted in riots, boycotts, burning of schools and other unruly behaviour that has resulted into deaths and destruction of public property. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the principals' characteristics and the maintenance of discipline in public secondary schools in Nairobi Province. The study sought to determine the kinds of discipline problems experienced among secondary school students, the causes of those discipline problems and the methods that could be used to enhance discipline in secondary schools in Nairobi Province. In the literature reviewed for this study, types of indiscipline issues of schools was highlighted, causes of school indiscipline, methods of dealing with students indiscipline, constraints faced by principals in their effort to solve discipline problems, and the role of principals in school discipline. From the review conceptual framework was developed. The study was ex-post facto in design .The target population was purposively sampled to include all the 48 principals of public secondary schools in Nairobi Province. The basic instrument used to collect data was a questionnaire .The questionnaire targeted the principals as the respondents. This questionnaire was divided into three parts. Section A consisted of six short questions on the demographic variables which formed the independent variables. Part two of the questionnaire consisted of fifteen questions on the roles played by principals so as to ensure good discipline is maintained. Section C of the questionnaire was made up of five questions with sub-items to be dealt with showing discipline problems that the Principals had not been trained to handle and the last part was on causes of indiscipline and their solutions. The items in the questionnaire were tested for content validity and reliability by means of a pilot study. The pilot study consisted of five principals and the final research covered forty-three principals of whom thirty-eight responded and five did not. The lack of response from the five did not affect the end results. The validity and reliability of the instrument was tested during the pilot study where the respondents were asked to make alterations, - additions or delete sections that were not clear. These alterations were in co-operated to form the final instrument that was used in data collection. The data was analysed using Likert Rating Scale. The t-test was used to determine the level of significance. The study came up with the following research findings: All public secondary schools in Nairobi Province have discipline problems. The kind of discipline problems experienced includes stealing whereby some students steal either school property or other students' belongings. Some students abuse drugs whereby varied types of drug abuse and narcotic substances are readily available in schools. Lack of employment has led to students creating an attitude that education, and schooling is for passing time awaiting to go back to a bleak future for some of the students therefore leading to a do not care attitude. Some of the methods used in dealing with discipline problems in schools include punishment, suspension, summoning of parents and guardians to school, and guidance and counseling. The most prevalent causes of discipline problems among students are drug abuse, poverty, matatu culture that uses students out of school and maladjustment. The result indicated that there is no significant difference between Principals characteristics (gender, age, religious affiliation, academic qualification and administrative experience) and discipline in public secondary schools. The recommendations of the study are as follows: Schools should use guidance and counseling as the best way of handling discipline Issues. Principals need to ensure that sound spiritual direction and moral training is taking place in their institutions, in order to influence students to reject bad examples that are prevalent in the society. There is need for schools to create a happy atmosphere that will lower stress and keep up the students morale when faced with severe academic pressures. Students should be involved in decision making on matters that concern them such as reviewing of school rules from time to time. The kinds of methods used in school to handle discipline issues should be those that encourage a sense of ownership among students and helps them cultivate appositive attitude towards work and strive to be responsible citizens in future. Principals should forbid teachers from inventing and using punishments that are humiliating to the students. Principals must try to off-set the effects of poor parental training by making every student understand what is expected of them to be responsible people. Create a system in the school that allows free information flow from the - administration to the students and from the students back to the administration. In dealing with discipline matters, the principals should cultivate a democratic and participatory kind of administration by holding regular meetings with teachers and students and allowing them to freely express their views, give suggestions and air grievances. School principals should always have an opportunity to expound on school policies for all to understand. The study came up with the following suggestions for further research: The role of principals in the provision of guidance and counseling in secondary schools in Nairobi Province as a better way of dealing with discipline issues in schools. Further study be conducted on the effect of involving parents in dealing with discipline problems in secondary schools. | en |
