Thesis:

Challenges facing teachers in enhancing discipline among secondary school students in Kuria West, Migori County.

Although discipline is an epicenter of success of a school, the number of indiscipline cases in Kuria West, Migori County has escalated over the years especially after the ban of corporal punishment. This has not only resulted in the loss of property through wanton destruction but also loss of life. The trickledown effect has also impacted negatively on the quality of education at secondary school level in the County. To this end, the purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze the challenges facing teachers in enhancing discipline in secondary schools in Kuria West Migori County. The objectives were (1) To assess nature of discipline cases which are rampart in schools (2) To assess the measures being taken to deal with rising indiscipline (3) To investigate the alternative approaches to the challenges facing teachers in Kuria West, Migori County. The survey design using an evaluative approach was adopted. The study population comprised 56 principals and 560 teachers. Stratified random sampling was used to identify 20 secondary schools out of 56, 20 principals and 100 teachers out of 560 teachers in Kuria West, Migori County were selected purposively on the basis of those with high and low indiscipline cases. This resulted an overall sample size of 120 respondents comprising of 20 principals and 100 teachers for the study. The study used a questionnaire and focused interview to collect data for the study. One hundred teachers were given self-administered questionnaires while 20 principals were interviewed. The questionnaires and focused interview were piloted to determine the reliability. A test-retest method was used to estimate the degree to which the same result could be obtained with repeated measure of accuracy. The information given in the questionnaires was treated with a lot of confidentiality. Data collected through questionnaires was edited, coded and analysed using descriptive statistics in a form of frequencies and percentages while data collected using interview schedule were audio taped and transcribed into themes, categories and sub categories as they emerged from the data. They were analysed using summary tables for the purpose of data presentation and interpretation. The major findings of the study revealed that indiscipline was caused by negative peer influence, poor parenting, socio- technological change, drug and substance abuse. These were manifested in truancy, fighting, and absenteeism, use of vulgar language, laxity, noise making, poor dressing, and being dirty. The measures used to contain these manifestations included manual punishment, suspensions expulsion, reprimand and corporal punishment. The conclusion is that the use of these approaches were not effective and required corrective measures such as guidance and counselling as opposed to the more punitive approaches. The challenge was that these corrective measures, especially guidance and counselling were not being adequately used due to inadequacy of qualified teachers with requisite skills in guidance and counselling. It is therefore recommended that the government of Kenya through the Ministry of Education should intensify and give priority to training of guidance and counselling of teachers to assist in the enhancement of discipline in schools. The DEO’s office may use the findings of the study to sensitize stakeholders on the significance of using guidance and counselling to promote discipline among the secondary school students in Kuria West.