Counselling Strategies for Resolving Disciplinary Problems in Nigerian Public Secondary Schools

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

Definition of Concepts

Nature of Discipline Problems in Schools

Disciplinary Problems in Secondary Schools

Status of Guidance and Counseling in Enhancing Student Discipline

Theoretical Framework

Social Learning Theory

Conclusions

Recommendations

REFERENCES

ABSTRACT

This paper focused on school counselling strategies for resolving disciplinary problems in Nigerian public secondary schools. Students’ disciplinary problems are growing at alarming rate prompting the need for effective strategies for curbing them. When disciplinary problems are not curbed, they affect the teaching/learning process and the general time of the school. Disciplinary problems of students interfere with learning, divert administrative time, and contribute to teacher burn out. Schools often respond to disruptive students with exclusionary and punitive approaches that have limited value. Natures of Discipline Problems in Schools, Disciplinary Problems in Secondary Schools, etc were epistemological and empirical studied suggesting strategies which counselors should apply in resolving disciplinary problems in Nigerian secondary schools.

INTRODUCTION

Counseling is an essential element in discipline management of people in all societies even the most primitive societies grew out of the necessity of guiding individual’s behavior patterns in the interest of the group. Society itself could not function without the exercise of discipline. Using guidance and counseling to enhance discipline must be continuously being practiced if people are to work harmoniously for the achievement of common purpose. Hendrikz (1986) stresses that teachers and school administration have the responsibility of ensuring that students matures steadily along his own personal line. Students are priceless assets and most essential element in education. It was absolutely necessary to direct students to exhibit acceptable attitude and behavior within and outside the school. The rapid expansion of student enrolment in most African countries since the attainment of political independence, coupled with inadequate resources to cope with the ever increasing demand for educational provision, had made school management a much more complex and difficult enterprise than a few decades ago. Meyer (1991) states that discipline problems in schools and institutions are perhaps the single greatest cause of concern for educators globally. Discipline in consistently identified as serious school problem in public opinion polls Meyer (1991) and some authors believe that school discipline in the United States has not change greatly since (Rue & Byarr, 1992). Student indiscipline had plagued schools leading to series of unrest, destruction of school property, vandalism, sexual abuse, killing and drug abuse just to mention.

According to Agenga and Simatwa (2011) at Colobine high school in Colorado two heavily armed students killed twelve students, one teacher and seriously wounded nearly two dozen others before killing themselves, in the Sharpeville massacre of 1960 affected students in South Africa. In Nigeria 1990 schools were in so much conflict that soldiers were deployed to school assist in control of students’ behavior. In Kenya the indiscipline cases were on the rise ranging from school unrest, drug abuse, sexual abuse pregnancy, bullying, aggressive behavior laziness and inept parenting. Traditionally, suspension, expulsion and corporal punishment were popularly used to contain indiscipline. Koibatek District was not left behind it had its own share of indiscipline cases. Sources from district education office (2010) indicate that from 2007-2010 over 10 schools had major indiscipline cases. A meeting was called on 20th, July 2010 for all the principals and BOG members by the District Education officer to find solution for that trend. The meeting ended with suggestion that guidance and counseling be used among other alternatives in containing indiscipline. Despite the recommendation by National Committee on Educational Objective and Policies (1976) on the use guidance and counseling managing indiscipline cases in secondary schools was still wanting. In Koibatek; Baringo High School and Poror high school in 2009, almost at the same time went on rampage and destroyed property worth millions of shillings. In 2008, Mumberes girl’s secondary schools twice staged a peaceful demonstration. They had to walk at night for 40km through bushy and dangerous place to the DEOs’ office to present their grievances. Timboroa secondary school was the latest school to strike.

Police were called immediately and students were dispersed and suspended for two weeks. For the period from mid June 2008 to the end of July 2008, Kenya media was full of coverage of indiscipline in public secondary schools, students went on rampage Siele (April 5th 2008). East Africa standard Newspaper, various causes of conflict was highlighted as drug abuse, high handedness of administration, mock examinations, and indiscipline in secondary school. It was upon that background that the researcher intends to find out the counseling strategies for resolving disciplinary problems in Nigerian public secondary schools.

Definition of Concepts

Counselling

Counselling according to Birichi and Rukunga (2009) is a practice that had been in existence for a long time and had been passed on from one generation to another. The concept of guidance and counseling carry different but overlapping meaning. They are closely interrelated and cannot be overly separated from one another. Furthermore Mutie and Ndambuki (2002) observed that, the belief that human beings are basically self- determining creatures. That means that they had an innate desire for independence and autonomy as well as for self- destruction which implied that human beings had the ability, to control their own destiny and to be fully responsible for their action. Main goal of guidance and counseling is to help people understand themselves in order to deal with life experiences in a healthy manner, by being able to recognize the factors that cause problems and look for appropriate methods of resolving or avoiding the situations that may lead to unhealthy lifestyles. Guidance and Counselling service, Ajowi and Simatwa (2010) noted that, they are essential elements in discipline management of people in all societies.

Discipline

Success does not just happen ordinarily. Individuals want to get somewhere in life and in business. The one common theme that does come up when conversing with successful people is discipline. Whether it is a business person growing an organization or an athlete wanting to medal in competition, discipline is the one element they all have in common. Discipline is a fundamental element in obtaining goals, dreams and desire and very important school factor. Discipline has been described in various forms.

Discipline is the display of behavior that is socially agreed upon as appropriate at a given situation or time. It connotes submission to rules or some kind of order (Wilson & Lipsey, 2007). Similarly, Williamson (2012) defined discipline as an educative order that is trying to teach the right rules for its intrinsic values. According to Mgboro and

Eke (2013), discipline is teaching students to observe school laws and regulations and to respect authorities. Discipline involves submission to rules which structure what one has to learn, whether these rules are of a subject, language, games or living in a society

(Asiyai, 2012). However, to Anwana and Akpan (2007) and Simatwa (2012), discipline is training, not only of the mind, but also in self control and confidence, to produce an orderly behaviour or character in an individual. From the different definitions of discipline, inference can be drawn that discipline is a constructive life style of a human being involving the maintaining of human relationship with others. It involves training that develops good character, orderliness, and promotes efficiency and maximum profitability.

Nature of Discipline Problems in Schools

Common among disciplinary problems in schools are rule violation, disruptiveness, bullying, sexual harassment, refusal, defiance, fighting and vandalism (Kendziora & Osher, 2009). Wilson and Lipsey (2007) reported that British schools often battled with vandalism, inattentiveness, idleness, fighting, truancy, bullying etc.

Aziza (2005) and Maphosa &Mamman, (2011) reported an increase in cases of indiscipline in South African schools. Danso (2010) observed the prevalence of indiscipline such as drug abuse, abortion, rape and armed robbery in educational institutions in Ghana. Yahaya, Hashim and Ibrahim (2009) reported highly ranked disciplinary problem of student hangout, truancy, absenteeism, stealing, fighting and poor class attendance in Malaysia. In Nigerian secondary schools, students’ indiscipline has reached an epidemic stage (Nakpodia, 2010). The percentage of students who drop out of schools in urban and rural areas is much higher. Such students develop and exhibit deviant behaviour, may never fulfill their potentials and become burden to the society (Asiyai, 2012). There is high rate of examination malpractices in Nigerian education system at all levels. There is prevalence of organized cheating in both internal and external examinations in secondary schools (Ogbonna, 2006). Bullying in schools is on the increase (Uzoka, 2007). Disciplinary problems in Nigerian secondary schools generally range from examination malpractice to truancy, indecent dressing, lack of respect for teachers, cultism, teenage pregnancy, bullying, vandalism, fighting etc. Failure to deal with these behaviour problems effectively contributes to poor individual, school and community outcomes (Conoley & Goldstein, 2004).

Disciplinary Problems in Secondary Schools

The increase wave of misconduct and resultant effect showed that discipline had become a major problem of educational management in Nigeria Napkodia (2010). It is observed that students resort to unconstitutional measure in channeling their grievances and it is not unusual that schools have been blamed for the awkward and uncivilized behavior demonstrated by the students. In Kenya the problem of indiscipline in secondary schools had escalated in the past few decades. Mbiti (1974) the cases have continued to increase unabated. Thus in 1998, 26 girls at Bombolulu girls secondary school were burnt to death, in 1991 17 girls at St Kizito secondary school were killed and 70 raped, at Nyeri boys high school 4 prefects were burnt to death in their dormitory (East African Standard team 24-4-2001) in Kabarnet High School a dormitory worth millions of shillings was burnt in 2008. The same school on 17th September, 2011 Administration block worth millions of shillings was destroyed by fire, the cause is yet to be known (Daily Nation team 19th September, 2011). Koibatek was not exceptional According to DEO (annual report of discipline in schools 2010) 8 secondary schools Mumberes girls, Baringo High school, Poror high school, Timboroa Secondary school, Saos secondary school, Kabimoi secondary schools, Torongo girls and Sigoro boys’ secondary school had witness indiscipline cases of varied nature. Resources worth millions of schillings have been lost. On his annual report on indiscipline he noted that many perpetrators of violence in most of Koibatek schools were never reported. Drug abuse was common among students in Koibatek district, the commonly used drug is bhang. This was because it was cheap and easily available. This poses a major health problem. Many student take drugs as an escape from their existing problems in school and home as observed by Mutie and Ndambuki (2002) aggressive behavior; depression and anxiety are features of drug abuse among the students. Other form of disciplinary problem according to Ajowi and Simatwa (2010) noted that bullying is usually a compensation for a poor-self-concept. Student hides fear feeling of inadequacy behind act of bullying.

Bullying could be attempting, to strike back at unfriendly world or seek attention due to feelings of insecurity, poor socialization as stated by Birichi & Rukungu (2009). Laziness is key disciplinary problem, students seem not ready to sit for mock examinations and other examinations, and they felt unprepared. Ajowi and Simatwa (2010) said that strict supervision of these examination resorts in inciting other students to cause havoc so that they will have excuses why they fail to perform. Inept parenting is antisocial behavior, is influence by the kind of model the parent provide, some parent are inept as role models for children. They may provoke their children’s effective conduct by being harsh and punitive more than necessary.

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