The Impact Of Students Discipline On Academic Performance In Secondary Schools A Case Of Masinga Sub-County, Yatta District, Kenya

Abstract

Discipline is the key aspect of the secondary school students for them to excel in their academic performance. Discipline varies from one school to another, although, in general, young children are expected to respect school rules, such as lining up, tidying up after lessons, and undressing and dressing themselves for physical education classes, in an attempt to promote independence and resourcefulness. The study was carried out in five (5) secondary schools in Masinga Divion, Yatta District, of Kenya in the month of April, 2008. The schools visited represent 73 per cent of the schools. The overall aim of the study was to document the performances variations in different age groups of students depending on the level of the discipline, give detailed analysis of the offences committed and the punishments given. The study collected data from many sources and used different data collection techniques both quantitative and qualitative. These included group discussions to collect qualitative data from pupils, teachers and community members. The questionnaire technique was used to collect data from students, a check list to collect observational data from schools and in-depth interviews to get data from teachers and administrators. According to this study discipline in its various forms has diverse impacts in student’s performance and consequences thereafter, both tangible and intangible, upon society, those consequences, and those entrusted with the responsibility of its detection, prevention, and treatment. The researcher reached the following conclusion; the school rules have not been fully adhered to by the majority of the students. This is as a result of less involvement of the teachers to the school activities and programs where by teachers get involved only when they are on duty. Teachers have not been vigilant on the discipline of the students and many are times when students are not aware on they are expected to do. In many of the schools, students were reported to have sneaked out of viii school to the nearby shopping centers to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, hunt for ladies, play pool etc. The kind of punishment given to the students in the most cases does not amount to the offence committed. The students’ confessed that in most cases when they were sure they were in the wrong were not punished. Finally guidance and counseling should be well defined and monitored in schools since it plays a big role in changing one’s behavior.