Factors contributing to deviant behaviours among pupils in selected public secondary schools of Mazabuka district, Zambia.
Date
2022-06-20
Authors
Chuulabantu, Elita
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Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors contributing to deviant behaviours among pupils in five selected public secondary schools of Mazabuka District of Southern province, Zambia. This study had three objectives to achieve. The first objective was to investigate the nature of deviant behaviours among pupils in public secondary schools while the second objective was to examine the factors contributing to deviant behaviours among pupils. The third and last one was to assess the measures that schools have put in place to stop deviant behaviours among pupils. A descriptive research design was used in this study and data was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The sample size for this study was 65 respondents. It comprised 5 school head teachers, 5 deputy head teachers, 5 heads of department, 10 prefects, 5 PTA representatives and 35 teachers of Mazabuka District. Purposive sampling was employed to select the five (5) Head teachers, and (5) Deputy Head teachers. Thirty-five (35) teachers and PTA members were conveniently selected using simple random sampling. The major findings of the study were that the nature of deviant behaviour found in schools among pupils included absenteeism, beer drinking, fighting, sexual relations, and smoking. The factors that perpetuated deviance behaviour are environmental background of pupils, introduction of human rights, peer pressure, technological advancement or use of social media and parents’ lack of commitment. It was found out that in order to handle deviant pupils, there was need to engage parents, expulsion, punishing pupils who are deviant and suspending those who exhibit deviant behaviour in schools. The recommendations which were given includes engaging of parents, guidance and counselling of pupils, giving motivational talks and since corporal punishment was abolished, the government should come up with other means of controlling pupils who exhibit deviant behaviours.
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Keywords
Problem children--Behavior modification. , Behavioral assessment of children. , Oppositional defiant disorder in children.