Role of prefects in enhancing discipline among students in public secondary schools in Embu west district, Embu county

Abstract

Discipline is the epicenter of success in school and prefects have a crucial role to play in school administration. Despite the involvement of students’ leaders, indiscipline cases have been on the rise as is manifested in the burning of schools. The researcher hence embarked on establishing the role of prefects in enhancing discipline in public secondary schools. The study was carried out in Embu West District, Embu County. The objectives of this study were, to find out the duties of prefects in enhancing discipline in secondary schools, the extent of perfects involvement in students’ indiscipline, training of prefects on enhancing discipline and ways of improving the performance of prefects in carrying out their duties in public secondary schools in Embu west district. To achieve these objectives the researcher used structured questionnaires for prefects and guidance and counseling teachers and deputy principals. Descriptive statistics entailing frequencies and percentages were used for data analysis. The study findings revealed that prefects were in charge of maintaining discipline and order in their respective classes as well as schools. This was confirmed by 50% of the deputy principles, 50% of Guiding and counseling teachers and 53.2% of the prefects. In ensuring that school rules are adhered to by fellow students and helping teachers maintain discipline, 39.2% of the prefects responded positively. These responsibilities were noted to enhance discipline in schools. The duties assigned to prefects enhance discipline in secondary schools; this is because their duties entail maintaining discipline and order in their respective classes, dining hall (16.67% of deputy principles), and dormitory (16.67% of deputy principles) and in the school compound (16.67% of deputy principles). Regarding the extent to which involvement of prefects in dealing with students’ indiscipline in public secondary Schools 50% agreed, and 33.33% strongly agreed that prefects are involved in solving indiscipline issues that can be solved without the assistance of teachers, by listening to their fellow student complains. The common causes of student indiscipline were peer influence (33.89%) drug abuse (32.04%), conflicting school rules (11.65%), poor management (11.65%) and media influence (10.68%). Training plays a major role in equipping prefects with leadership skills, student conflict management skills in school and Arbitration skills .Based on study findings it is recommended that prefect’s duties need to be clearly defined by school management to avoid conflict with their fellow students, that prefects should be trained on management skills, leadership skills, negotiation and peer counseling in order to execute their duties as prefects and that there is need to have school forums where all students are involved and sensitized on the role of prefects