School management and students’ discipline in secondary schools in Kabarole District, Uganda.

Abstract

This study sought to investigate how school management affects students discipline in secondary school in Kabarole District. The problem of indiscipline had raised many questions directed towards the management of these secondary schools. The objectives were to find out how management styles affects students’ disciplines to examine how supervision of students’ activities affects their discipline, whether students’ participation in decision making and proper communication affects discipline in secondary schools. The study was guided by methodology which comprised of descriptive research design using both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The total population of respondents were 3,172 and the sample population was 345 respondents. Sampling techniques included purposive sampling and random sampling using Krejie and Morgan’s table. The findings indicated that management styles, supervision of students’ activities, students participation in decision making and communication affects students discipline in secondary schools in Kabarole District. The following conclusions were made that; management styles affects students discipline especially Laisses fare style causes indiscipline in schools. Supervision of students activities especially in areas of sports and academics needs much attention. There is need to empower students in decision making which will help them to solve their own discipline related problems and communication contributes much in improving students discipline. In all the following recommendations were reached. There is need for school managers to carefully select and apply appropriate management styles in running schools, to supervise students activities in order to enhance discipline among students, school managers to allow students to participate in making decisions in schools and to ensure that there is efficient communication between headteachers, teachers and students in schools so as to enhance discipline in schools. Lastly the following areas should be considered for further research; a replica of this study should be carried out in other secondary schools in Uganda. Also strategies of managing students discipline in secondary school in Uganda.