| dc.description.abstract | The study was informed by the fact that cases of students' violence and unrest leading to loss of life and property continue being experienced in secondary schools. The violent acts have been blamed on lack of participation of students in school management. The study adopted descriptive survey design to investigate students' participation in school management and its effect on students' discipline.
A purposeful sampling technique was used to select 20 head teachers. While purposeful and random sampling technique was used to select 350 students from secondary schools in Laikipia West District Kenya. The data collection instrument was students and teachers' questionnaire which gave a strong satisfactory reliability coefficient of 0.964 and was analyzed using inferential statistical techniques in SPSS.
The study established that; Headteachers do not involve student in all aspects of student personnel management, however they regularly encourage students' participation through; electing their own leaders, airing of views on critical school administration without victimization, giving students hearing before punishment, diet changes and student affairs like clubs through the school suggestion boxes. There are a number of challenges facing secondary school head teachers in involving students in management of student personnel and curriculum matters these include indiscipline problems among students, students not being well informed and making unrealistic demands, thus making students' participation in school management difficult.
Finally the study revealed that headteachers' age, education level and teaching experience affect student's level of participation in school management. However, the gender of the head teacher was found to have no significant effect. Schools can enhance students' participation in school management by strengthening open forums like students' barazas, clubs and class meetings, and develop programs like guidance and counseling and student bodies. | en_US |
