Effects of drug and substance abuse on students’ discipline in public day secondary schools in Nakuru Municipality, Nakuru

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate on the effects of drug and substance abuse on students’ discipline in public day secondary schools in Nakuru Municipality, Nakuru County, Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives; to identify the types of drugs and substance abused by students in public day secondary schools in Nakuru Municipality, to establish the level of the students’ discipline in public day secondary schools in Nakuru Municipality, to determine the extent to which drug and substance-abusing parents influence students’ discipline in public day secondary schools in Nakuru Municipality and to establish the influence of students’ perceptions of the effects of drug and substance abuse on students’ discipline in public day secondary schools in Nakuru Municipality. This study employed a descriptive survey research design. The target population for this study consisted of all 18 public day secondary school comprising of 18 guidance and counseling teachers, 10,571 students. Stratified random sampling method was used to select schools and then simple random sampling method was used to select respondents from various strata. The sample size was 380 respondents which comprised of 9 guidance and counseling teachers and 371 students. Data collection tool for this study was the questionnaires. Pilot study was conducted to assess the validity and reliability of the research instruments. The data was analyzed quantitatively guided by the study objectives. The researcher used Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze the data. Results were presented as per the research question. The study established that, students abused cigarette, miraa and alcohol to a large extent, teachers experienced students’ indiscipline due to drugs and substance abuse in their school, students whose parents use drugs and other substances also learn the behavior and use drugs too and drug and substance abusing students always disobey school rules and regulations. The study recommends that; the government should put in place measures of limiting easy access to drugs and substances; there is need for affirmative policy formulation to provide/encourage use of student friendly disciplinary measures like guidance and counseling by professional teacher counselor. Secondary schools should have qualified guidance and counselling teachers to help students struggling with drugs, Teachers training curriculum should be modified to incorporate school discipline studies particularly drug abuse and the Ministry of Education Science and Technology should expand its spheres of coverage to incorporate school principals in addressing the challenges faced in enhancing student discipline. iv. Guiding and counseling should be emphasized when enhancing student discipline by sensitizing the teachers and students on the importance of counseling. More and more teacher counselors should be trained in guidance and counseling. Democratically elected student council should be empowered to coach other students on schools norms and values hence strengthening peer counseling.