| dc.description.abstract | The study sought to identify the pupil discipline problems experienced by headteachers in and out of classroom setting in Kibera slum area, Nairobi. It also sought to determine the causes of indiscipline in the primary schools and the disciplinary measures headteachers use in enhancing pupil discipline. Specifically, the study investigated the challenges facing the headteachers in enhancing pupil discipline in the primary schools. Finally, it sought to identify alternative approaches to the challenges.
From the literature review, several statements related to the term discipline were drawn. The statements included definitions of discipline, purpose of discipline, disciplinary procedures, disciplinary methods, challenges facing headteachers in enhancing pupil discipline and alternative approaches to the challenges. Ten primary schools in Kibera slum area were used for the study from which twenty education managers (headteachers and deputy headteachers) were selected. A questionnaire was the sole research instrument. Its validity and reliability were enhanced through a pilot study. The reliability co-efficient was found to be 0.84. All the headteachers returned useful questionnaires hence a 100% return rate. The study found that most of the headteachers in Kibera slum area were male (65%) while few were female (35%). Fourteen (70%) of the headteachers were thirty four years and below in age while six (30%) were thirty five years and above. Most (95%) of the headteachers had secondary school level of education while only one (5%) had primary school level. In addition, nineteen (95%) of the
headteachers were professionally qualified (teacher trained) but one (5%) was untrained. Eleven (55%) of the headteachers had an administrative experience of
5 -19 years while nine (45%) had an experience of 4 years and below. Surprisingly, none of the headteachers had above 20 years administrative experience. In terms of student population, most (90%) of the schools had a student population of 399 and below with only two (10%) having 400 - 599 pupils. However, fourteen (70%) of the schools were adequately staffed and six (30%) were understaffed while none was overstaffed.
The most highlighted definition of the term discipline was that discipline refers to the controlled, ordered behaviour resulting from obedience of rules which had
65% of the respondents. In addition, majority (90%) of the headteachers indicated
that the purpose of discipline is to create a conducive teaching / learning school environment while two (10%) indicated that the purpose is to punish misbehaving students. However, the two purposes are valid. Regarding the headteachers perception of discipline, majority (95%) perceived it as a process of encouraging the school community members to move uniformly towards meeting the objectives of the school (Theory Y) but one (5%) perceived it as only punishment (Theory X). Surprisingly, the headteachers indicated that discipline is both preventive (65%) and corrective (60%).
Regarding the causes of pupil indiscipline, poor home background remained the major cause (90%). Others included: parental influence (60%), mass media
(55%), peer group influence (50%), pupils frustrated / drug abuse (35%), conflicting school and classroom rules (25%) and ineffective management by teachers (15%). The headteachers also revealed that they experienced various types of pupil indiscipline such as laziness/lateness/absenteeism, unruly behaviour, untidiness/dirty pupils, use of bad language, withdrawn pupils, disrespect to teachers and smoking / taking alcohol "changaa". To enhance pupil discipline, the teachers use certain appropriate disciplinary measures like giving rewards to pupils, smoothness and momentum in lessons, giving pupils a list of school rules, depriving pupils of privileges, enforcing classroom rules and severe punishments for misbehaving pupils. It was revealed that in enhancing pupil discipline, headteachers in Kibera slum area face various challenges. The challenges, in order of magnitude, included: parents interference (55%), unconducive teaching/learning environment hence community interference (50%), lack of interest in pupils especially on guidance and counseling (40%), lack of support by superiors like District Education Officers (30%), ridicule / humiliation / fine in courts (30%), lack of support from some teachers (30%), inadequate leadership knowledge on discipline (15%) and teachers being bad examples (5%). The major alternative approaches to the challenges which were suggested included .modernizing the role of education welfare services, making parents face up to their responsibility, provision of teacher training in validated disciplinary techniques, starting a National behaviour and attendance strategy for schools, use of in - school suspension accompanied by guidance and counseling, new measures and rules on exclusions and improve working with police.
The study concluded that pupil discipline is necessary since primary schools form the basis of all learning institutions. Discipline in primary schools therefore need to be seen as a system of guiding the individual pupils to make reasonable decisions responsibly irrespective of their young age. Finally, pupil discipline in slums requires special redress since the headteachers of the primary schools here face unique challenges in enhancing it. The study then recommended that there is need for affirmative policy formulation / action by all stakeholders in order to address the challenges facing headteachers in enhancing pupil discipline in primary schools in Kibera slum area, Nairobi. | en |
