Abstract:
Discipline in schools is about positive behavior change
in order to create conducive environment for learning. When
discipline is achieved in secondary schools, it becomes
instrumental in students academic performance. This study
focused on assessment of the influence of teachers’ discipline
management strategies on KCSE performance in public
secondary schools in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The
objective of this study was to establish the influence of guidance
and counseling, on KCSE performance. The county has had a
trend of grade wastage from KCPE to KCSE. The study adopted
descriptive survey research design which used mixed method
approach. The study targeted 104 public secondary schools in
Tharaka Nithi County, with 10 boys schools, 17 girls schools and
77 mixed schools. Stratified random, purposive sampling method
and Krejcie & Morgan population sample table was used to
determine the sample size. Principals and teachers were the
respondents in this study. Interview schedule for 21 principals
and 346 questionnaires for teachers were used as tools for data
collection. The study sampled 42 schools, which constituted 40%
of the total population size. The researcher prepared the
instruments with expert judgment by supervisors. Cronbach’s
Alpha Coefficient (α) was employed in determining the reliability
of the instruments. A pilot study of 10% of the sample schools
and respondents was carried out from each of school category.
Alpha index of 0.869 was obtained for the teachers’
questionnaires. The reliability of the interview schedule was
ensured by the consistency of the questions and the order in
which they were administered. The study used descriptive
statistics which included frequencies, measures of central
tendencies (mean) and measures of dispersion (standard
deviation). Inferential statistics Pearson r was used to test the
relationships of the hypotheses with the aid of Statistical Package
for Social Sciences (SPSS) in analyzing the data. The data from
the interview guide was arranged thematically, transcribed and
then presented verbatim in order to triangulate the results. The
results revealed that teachers’ discipline management strategy
influence KCSE Performance. Guidance and counseling
influenced KCSE performance positively. The findings of this
study are expected to be of benefit to different stake holders, who
are sensitized with new information on alternative disciplinary
strategies to be used on students’ discipline in schools, the policy
makers are assisted to come up with a new policy on use of
alternative disciplinary methods in schools.
Key words: Management strategies, improve academic
performance, secondary schools, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya.
