INFLUENCE OF PRINCIPALS’ INVOLVEMENT OF STUDENT COUNCIL IN DISCIPLINE MANAGEMENT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN BUMULA SUB-COUNTY, BUNGOMA COUNTY, KENYA
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Management of students’ discipline in secondary schools plays in the improvement of academic performance in examinations. However, in many public secondary schools in Bumula Sub-county, students register low grades in KCSE with cases of students’ indiscipline being on the rise.
Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of involvement of student council in discipline management on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Bumula Sub-county, Bungoma County, Kenya. The study was guided by the school management theory and academic achievement theory.
Methodology: The study applied mixed methodology and thus adopted concurrent triangulation design. The target population was 1, 290 respondents comprising 37 deputy principals, 513 teacher-counselors and 740 student leaders from which a sample of 306 respondents was determined using Yamane’s Formula. This included 12 deputy principals, 60 teacher-counselors and 234 student leaders. Questionnaires were used to collect data from student leaders whereas interview guides from principals and teacher-counsellors. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically along the objectives and presented in narrative forms. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively such as frequencies and percentages and inferentially using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Analysis in Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS 23) and presented using tables and charts.
Findings: The study established that academic performance of students in KCSE has been on a decreasing trend for the last five years (2017-2021) despite the disciplinary strategies adopted by public secondary schools such as involvement of student council in school management.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The study recommends that schools should design training programmes to equip student leaders with appropriate leadership skills. The Ministry of education should organize and offer seminars to ensure that school heads are well sensitized on the importance of involving students in school governance.
Keywords: Involvement of student council, discipline management, academic performance, public secondary schools.
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