The relationship between school environment and indiscipline among pupils in selected Government High Schools in Kitwe district
Date
2011-04-15
Authors
Banja, Madalitso Khulupirika
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Abstract
There have been many acts of serious indiscipline among pupils in high
schools during both the pre and post independence eras in Zambia. A number of
factors may contribute to indiscipline among pupils in schools. The purpose of this
study was to find out whether there was a relationship between school environment
and indiscipline among pupils in selected Government High Schools in Kitwe District.
Specifically the study sought to:
a) find out whether there was a relationship between the behaviour of teachers and pupil indiscipline.
b) determine whether pupil indiscipline was caused by administrative practices
and operational procedures.
c) investigate the nature of indiscipline among pupils.
The sample comprised four schools from which were drawn 128 Grade Eleven
and Twelve pupils, four headteachers and their deputies and twelve members of the
disciplinary committees. Data was collected through questionnaires, focus group
discussions, semi-structured interviews and document analysis, and was analysed
qualitatively to establish categories, themes and sub themes in the data. Descriptive statistics were used to come up with percentages and frequency tables.
The findings of this study show that there was a significant relationship
between pupils' indiscipline and the school environment. Specifically, the study
showed that teachers' behaviour such as absenteeism from work, reporting late for
class, failure to attend to pupils' personal problems, teachers' threats and use of sarcastic and abusive language towards pupils, having affairs with schoolgirls among many others, all contributed to pupils' indiscipline. It was also found that school administrations' practices and operational procedures which included use of abusive language towards pupils, bureaucratic tendencies and a laissez-faire attitude to work
all contributed to pupils' indiscipline.
The nature of pupil discipline problems that occurred most often as a result of
the above teacher behaviour and headteachers' administrative practices and
operational procedures were found to be rudeness to teachers and headteachers,
absenteeism from school, dodging and noise making.
In line with its findings, this study gives recommendations to policy makers on
ways and means that can be employed to tackle the problem of indiscipline among
pupils in Government high schools. Such measures should include the formulation of
relevant and clear guidelines for teacher and headteacher behaviour.
Description
Keywords
School discipline -- Teachers -- Pupils -- Kitwe , School environment -- pupils -- Teachers -- Kitwe