| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of miraa farming on
learners' discipline in public primary schools in Mutuati division, Igembe North
district and establish the strategies that can be used to address the problem. The
study was guided by the following research question; to identify the extent to
which parental socio-economic factors influence learners' discipline, to establish
the extent to which peer influence/pressure among pupils affect learners
discipline, to find out the extent to which miraa harvesting/sales influence
learners' discipline, to find out the influence of using miraa as a drug on learners'
discipline and finally the strategies that can be used to enhance learners'
discipline among pupils, strategies to be used to address cases of indiscipline as a
result of miraa abuse. The study adopted the social learning theory by Albert
Bandura. The theory asserts that people learn through observing others'
behaviours.
The study adopted the descriptive survey research design whose purpose is to
describe the state of affairs and involves a method of collecting data by
interviewing or administering questionnaires to a sample of individuals. The
target population consisted of all the public primary schools in Mutuati division,
Igembe North district. Random sampling was used to sample 8 head teachers, 26
class teachers and 134 pupils. Field survey method was adopted to collect data
using questionnaires that were in three sets; head teachers', teachers' and class
eight pupils' questionnaires. The questionnaires contained both open-ended and
closed-ended questions. Instrument validity was determined during a pilot study
while the reliability was determined using internal consistency. The three sets of
questionnaire were considered reliable since they had a high coefficient value of
0.7.
The researcher sought a research permit from the Ministry of Education in the
Department of National Council for Science and Technology before embarking on
the field study. Upon obtaining the research permit, the researcher took copies of
the permit to the DEO and DC Igembe North District. The researcher then
administered the questionnaires personally. Descriptive statistics was used to
analyze quantitative data in form of frequencies, percentages, average tables,
charts and graphs. Qualitative data was arranged into themes as per the objectives
ad research questions. The analysis of structures items was mainly done using the
statistical package for social science (SPSS)
The key study findings from the study were that the main parental socio-economic
was miraa farming and the livelihood of the community despite the high earnings
from miraa was below average. Involvement of learners with miraa farming has
highly contributed to high indiscipline cases in schools. This was because pupils
sneak out of schools to go earn easy money from miraa business. Miraa chewing
was also established to cause serious health implications on users.
The study came up with the following recommendation; the government should
enforce the law on EFA policies and child labour should be abolished and strictly
dealt with. Educational activists should organize forums to create community
awareness on the importance of education to learners and its impact on the
community as a whole. The head teachers should facilitate working in
collaboration with the parents and other stakeholders so that discipline can be
cultivated and enhanced among learners. This can also help in curbing miraa
abuse and generally abuse of other drugs. Schools should have drug education
programmes conducted regularly by teachers and also inviting guest speakers to
create awareness to the pupils on the dangers on drug abuse. The government
should provide enough teachers to schools so that the teaching load could be
minimized hence enabling teachers who conduct guidance and counseling to find
sufficient time to guide and counsel pupils. The government should either raise a
ban on miraa trade or enact a law to regulate miraa trade through legislation. The
government through the Ministry of Education should facilitate seminars and
workshops for teachers to sensitize them on careers guidance and counseling to
boost their effectiveness. The government should enforce the law on some bias
cultural practices like early marriages and ensure that every child goes to school
in response to the FPE which is free and compulsory.Agriculturalists should
introduce other forms of drought resistant crops that would benefit the lives of the
people of Mutuati other than miraa. | en_US |
