Influence of Principals’ Involvement of Students in Decision Making on Discipline in Secondary Schools, Kenya (original) (raw)

Abstract

Stakeholder involvement is critical in that it can enhance levels of ownership of the decisions made as well building trust between the governors and the governed. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence principals’ involvement of students in decision making on student discipline in secondary schools, Kenya. The study sought to establish the areas of student involvement in decision making by secondary school principals and determine whether significant differences exist between reported incidences of student indiscipline based on the levels of student involvement in decision making in secondary schools. The study employed systems theory by Ludwig Bertalanffy which looks at organisations as systems. Schools are viewed as parts joined together by web of relationships both within and outside the school. Using a descriptive survey design with a target population of 354 secondary school principals, 300 teachers and 4602 student leaders, a sample of 118 principals and 15...

Figures (1)

Table 3 shows that the mean differences between cases of arson, students’ bullying and drug and substance abuse were statistically significant; implying that students’ involvement in decision making reduces such incidences. However the results also show that the mean difference for property destruction was not statistically significant. This indicates that the mean difference was by pure coincidence and there student’s involvement in decision making does not affect property destruction. The principals do not involve students in the main decision making process. They only involve them in simple tasks like making school rules, duty rota, games and sports, clubs and societies and class activities. In many occasions, the issues that students are involved are not contentious and at no time are they cause of strikes and demonstrations in the schools in the county. The study establishes that students are not involved in deciding on school menu which the study establishes is one of the central causes of student unrests. They are not involved in the purchase of the school bus, infrastructure developments which are budgetary considerations and bring tension in the school. The continued occurrence of strikes and discipline cases in schools is because principals do not want to cede ground and allow participatory management practices.

Table 3 shows that the mean differences between cases of arson, students’ bullying and drug and substance abuse were statistically significant; implying that students’ involvement in decision making reduces such incidences. However the results also show that the mean difference for property destruction was not statistically significant. This indicates that the mean difference was by pure coincidence and there student’s involvement in decision making does not affect property destruction. The principals do not involve students in the main decision making process. They only involve them in simple tasks like making school rules, duty rota, games and sports, clubs and societies and class activities. In many occasions, the issues that students are involved are not contentious and at no time are they cause of strikes and demonstrations in the schools in the county. The study establishes that students are not involved in deciding on school menu which the study establishes is one of the central causes of student unrests. They are not involved in the purchase of the school bus, infrastructure developments which are budgetary considerations and bring tension in the school. The continued occurrence of strikes and discipline cases in schools is because principals do not want to cede ground and allow participatory management practices.

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