Abstract:
Discipline is one of the most important factors that help all social systems to function effectively and to achieve their purpose. ln schools, students are expected to adhere to the school’s code of discipline and any deviation from the norm is usually checked through disciplinary system existent in the given school. For a long time, the most commonly used form of punishment was corporal punishment. However, its misuse by some teachers led to its ban in schools, which is in accordance to the rights of the child as stipulated in the Children Act No.8, 2001. This radical move in the approach to maintain discipline in Kenyan schools poses more questions than answers on the way forward among teachers and headteachers. The purpose of the study therefore, was to determine the challenges and options for secondary school administrators in maintaining student discipline. The literature review focused on the nature and causes of indiscipline, management of discipline in secondary schools and the role of school administrators in the overall school discipline. The theoretical framework guiding the study was adapted from Piaget’s development theory, Maslow’s human behaviour theory, and Mead’s social factor theory. The relevant research design for this study was cross-sectional survey research. The research was conducted in Rongai Division, Nakuru District and involved four head teachers and 40 teachers from four public secondary schools. Data was collected through questionnaires. Analysis of data employed descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages. Inferential statistics namely chi-square was used to test the relationship between the type and category of school and the state of discipline. The major findings of the study were that student discipline in secondary schools in the post-caning era has deteriorated due to constraints in the implementation of the new approaches to discipline. Teachers lacked the necessary skills to implement them. Parents, headteachers and the MOEST were also not supportive. It was also found out that there are certain discipline problems which are more prevalent in certain types and categories of schools than others. Based on these findings, the study concluded that in order for school administrators to maintain student discipline in the post-caning era, all the stakeholders (teachers, parents and students) should be involved in decisions regarding discipline. Teachers should also be trained in the area of Guidance and Counselling. This would enable them deal with problems which undermined implementation of the new approaches to discipline.
