Influence of students councils' involvement in decision making on discipline in public primary teachers training colleges in Eastern and Central regions in Kenya

Abstract

The study sought to establish the extent to which students in Public Primary Teachers Training Colleges are involved in decision making, specific tasks that they are involved in extent of their involvement in policy implementation and effects of their involvement in students discipline. The study also established the challenges in involvement of students in decision making as well as determining strategies of their involvement. The link pin model was best suited to interpret and discuss the finding of this study because a college is seen as a system of interlocking groups that is students, lecturers, administrators, subordinates staffs, community. Secondly because the interlocking groups are connected by individuals who occupy dual membership positions thus serving as linking pins between the groups.

This study adopted the descriptive survey design with a target population of 4,681respondents from which 490 was used as the sample size by the use purposive and simple sampling techniques. Data was analyzed by the use of SPSS Version 17 for Windows. The findings indicated that, Students councils are involved in decision making in primary teacher training colleges in eastern and central regions. The decision making tasks for which the students' council are involved include supervision of duties and student welfare, the administrators also engage them in decision making to a minor extent, and most decisions which are vital are made by the administration.

If the students councils were to large extent involved in the decision making process, the students body would own the issues that they are involved in and coordination and supervision of tasks will be much easier. Strategies for enhancing decision making would be to hold meetings with the student bodies, listen to their views on various discipline matters and guidance and counseling. There is need for the students' councils to be involved in the process of decision making in the colleges to a large extent. There is need to emphasize more on guidance and counseling as an effective mechanism of self-management and informed decision making. There is need for more meetings with the student body so that they can be listened to by the administrators as decisions are being made. There is need to publish the finding of the study to guide managers of public teachers training college to come up with policies on decision making.