Factors influencing pupils’ discipline in public primary schools in Dagoretti Sub – County Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate factors influencing pupils’ discipline in public primary schools in Dagorreti Sub-County Nairobi , Kenya. Despite the effort made by the government to promote education in the country there are various challenges that hinder the attainment of quality education. For example, discipline of the pupils and teachers. Discipline is the most common and rampant among the challenges encountered in schools (Bosire & Kiumi, (2010). The study had adopted descriptive survey design, interviewing 23 headteachers, 468 teachers (DEO’s Office Dagorreti and 23 students leaders in Dagorreti Sub-County. The study purposely sampled 23 headteachers and 23 pupils leaders by census. Thus the study took 30 percent of all the teachers. The study also purposively sampled learners from class 6,7 and 8 pupils’ leaders whereby the researcher interviewed 2 pupils from each school. To collect data, a set of semi-structured questionnaires for headteachers, teachers and pupils was used. Before the actual data collection, piloting of the questionnaire and the interview guide was done in two secondary schools in Dagoretti Sub-County which did not participate in the actual study. The objectives of the study were: a) to determine the extent to which training of teachers in discipline management influences pupils’ discipline in Dagorretti Sub-County, Kenya; b) to examine the influence of management of school access points on pupils discipline in Dagoretti Sub County, Kenya; c) to determine the extent to which pupils’ participation in decision making influences their discipline in Dagoretti Sub-County, Kenya and d) to determine how guidance and counselling influences pupils’ discipline in Dagoretti SubCounty, Kenya. To establish the reliability of the instrument, the study used the test –rest where the second test adminstration was done one week after the first one. The study generated both quantitative and qualitative data. For quantitative data, the analysis was done through discriptive statistics by use of frequency, percentages and averages. From this study it was concluded that 55 percent of the schools do not have discipline management training for their teachers. The study found that 55 percent of the schools were not secured with perimeter walls hence such school had a higher rate of pupils sneaking. Entry of illegal substances was rampant. Eighty percent of the schools had no signs prohibiting people from trespassing in the schools. The headteacher sought cooperation from the pupils’ council on the management of school discipline, hence the headteachers had seen the benefits of providing an avenue for pupils’ particpation. In addition 65 percent of the schools viewed guidance and counselling as one of the best strategy in maintaining discipline among pupils. The study therefore recommended that, the government and head teacher need to organize and offer inservice discipline management training to teachers for at least once a year through seminars and workshops. The head teacher and teachers should provide good models for children to copy, to create cultures of self discipline from the administration down to the pupils. The head teacher should enforce a culture of collective responsibility of all stake holders. Further investigation should be carried out to explore the influence of guidance and counselling on performance.