The influence of school leadership in management of pupils' indiscipline in public primary schools in Chonyi division, Kilifi county

Abstract

Management of pupils' indiscipline is important because it helps pupils in character development which forms a foundation of success in life. It helps teachers, government and policy makers come up with policies that enhance discipline in schools. It helps parents to have productive children who contribute positively to livelihood. The study employed a descriptive survey that involved collecting information through interviewing the head teachers and administering questionnaires to teachers and standard seven and eight pupils. It adopted simple random sampling technique so that each school had equal chance of being included in the study. It was guided by three objectives; to establish indiscipline cases experienced in public primary schools, factors that lead to indiscipline and to establish the recommended methods for the Management of Pupils' Indiscipline in public primary schools. A sample of 12 public primary schools out of 40 schools was randomly selected for the study. Data collected using interview and questionnaires was analyzed using descriptive statistical procedure as frequency counts, mean and percentages. The study concluded that noise making was the main indiscipline problem experienced in public primary schools followed by fighting, stealing, absenteeism and abusive language. Poor parenting was the major cause of indiscipline, then peer pressure, poor learning environment, media, negative attitude by teachers, low social economic status of the family. These problems could legally be handled using parental involvement, guidance and counseling and involving pupils in giving suggestions. Finally the study recommended that head teachers to sensitize the use of guidance and counseling and pastoral care, school rules and regulations to be emphasized and sensitized to pupils, Ministry of Education to sensitize parents, community, teachers and sponsors on their roles in indiscipline management and Ministry of Education and sponsors to restructure the learning environment to curtail indiscipline cases.