Influence of head teachers' training on management of pupils' discipline in public primary schools in Kieni East district, Kenya

Abstract

Head teachers require technical skills, human relations skills and conceptual skills on management of pupils' discipline. There is need to identify such competencies and training strategies in order to maintain discipline in schools so that if there is inadequacy it should be provided. The purpose of the study therefore was to investigate the influence of head teachers' training on management of pupils' discipline problems in public primary schools in Kieni East District. Employing a cross sectional survey design and stratified sampling technique, 30 head teachers and 120 teachers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire in sampled schools in Kieni East District.

Data was analyzed using SPSS. The study found that most (36.7%) of the head teachers held an undergraduate degree. The study also found that 73% of the head teachers had been trained or had taken a course in discipline while 91 % of the head teachers had been trained on guidance and counseling. On average, one to three students were punished in a day. The majority (57%) of the indiscipline cases was handled by the head teacher, this involved corporal punishment, kneeling or forcing them to finish homework during their free time. The second most popular measure taken was to involve the parents, while guidance and counseling came in last as a measure to correct indiscipline.

The study after analysis concluded that the current crop of head teachers have been trained on guidance and counseling but have not been trained on how to apply it as a solution of indiscipline. Guidance and counseling training mostly concentrated on head teachers and regular teachers were rarely involved. The researcher therefore recommended that more training on discipline issues should be given to head teachers and teachers. No teacher should be promoted to the post of head teacher without such training. Teachers should also be involved in discipline training as they are more in contact with the students as compared to the head teachers.