CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

This chapter entails background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of  the  study,  research  objectives,  research  questions,  significance  of  the  study, limitation,  delimitation,  basic  assumptions and operational definition of central terms.

Background of the study

School discipline refers to a set of rules and regulations that govern the behavior of students and seeks to maintain law and order in schools. It   aims  at creating  a safe and  conducive  environment  for  learning  in  the  classroom  and  school  (Duke, 1989).Academic excellence can  best be achieved  where  the standards of discipline are  high.  Good  discipline  is  therefore  essential  for  the  establishment  of  a  safe, respectful  environment  for  learning,  because  all  members  focus  on  teaching  and learning process.  The appropriate behavior, emotional, social and moral progress of students is dependent on  good  discipline  (Dufresne,  Hillman,  Carson  and  Krame,  2010). The  traditional approach to discipline was  based  on the  notion that  children are  naturally  bad and their  badness  must  be  regulated.  Discipline  is  therefore  one  of  the  most  important components  that  facilitate  effective  functioning  of  social  organizations  function enabling  them  to  achieve  their  objectives.  Schools  are  social  systems  with  dual objectives,  first  schools  give  students  training  in  acquisition  of  knowledge,  and secondly  schools  play  a  role  of  training  students  to  have  good  conduct.  Eshwani (1993) notes that education helps socializing students to fit in the society and this is best achieved with good discipline. 

According to Porteus and Valley (2001) school systems have historically maintained discipline among students by employing corporal punishment. Organized application of corporal punishment in schools worldwide was common in totalitarian schools. In these  schools  learners  are  prepared  for  more  than  simple  obedience  to  a  central school  authority,  and  not  for  administrative  participation  (Morrel,  2001).  In 1974, the American Psychological Association prohibited the use of corporal punishment in schools. It established a children’s Right Task Force to oversee this.  A National Education  Association  report  printed  during  that  decade  officially  recommended abolishment  of  corporal  punishment  in  schools.  Corporal  punishment  is dehumanizing  and  an  abusive  exercise  that  entrenches  the  notion  that  classroom problems  can be solved through violence. The  abolishment  of corporal punishment and  other  in-human  practices  in  our  schools  is  critical  to  development  of  human rights in the society.

The failure by teachers to device effective discipline strategies has led to the increased cases of learner indiscipline in schools (Maphosa and Shumba, 2010). Many  educators  are  now  facing  multiple  struggles  with  regard  to  discipline  in schools  because  the  alternative  discipline  strategies  to  corporal  punishment   are ineffective.  This study offers an insight on how the current dilemma can be handled. It gives suggestions on how the gaps  in research  on the area can be  filled through constructive  and  proactive  alternatives  that  contribute  to  the  growth  of  balanced children  who  can  interact  in  a  respectful,  tolerant  and  responsible  manner. Punishment alone does not maintain school discipline.  Discipline and indiscipline are transactional phenomena used in classroom, school, and community ecologies. External discipline has become an alternative to many schools.  The  measures  of alternative  discipline  that  have  been  used  include  office  referrals,  manual  work, suspensions  and  expulsions.  There has been a global ban of corporal punishment effected in most countries especially Cameroon.

Cameroon abolished corporal punishment in 1998 through Article 35 of the Cameroon National Education Guidelines No98/004 1998which states: “The physical and moral integrity of the student is guaranteed in the educational system. Therefore, corporal punishment and all other forms of violence, discrimination of any kind and the sale, distribution and consumption of alcohol beverages, tobacco and drugs are prohibited’’.  After the ban on corporal punishment, there have been concerns of deteriorating school discipline. Cameroon   has of recent experienced an escalation of learner indiscipline that is attributed to the failure to institute sound and alternative ways of punishment by teachers.  Learner indiscipline  has  escalated  to  the  level  where  students‟  openly  defy  teachers  since they  know  nothing  much  can  be  done  to  them.

Thus,  the  effectiveness  of  the  teacher’s  role  in  directing  the appropriate campus  behaviour  of  the  students will depend upon the acceptance of his leadership role. Students therefore have a negative opinion of the ability of their teacher, which they think will be difficult for them, to adopt desirable patterns of behaviour as required.  In this case, a teacher can hardly serve as a role model for his or her students. This situation is most unfavourable for proper moral development. For if the  teacher  fails  to  inspire  good  behaviour  in  his  students  through  persuasion  and  cooperative ventures, he or she may be compelled to abandon such rational methods and resort to coercion and punishment.

Statement of the Problem

School  discipline  has  continued  to  decline  after  the  ban  of  corporal  punishment 1998.  The ban was stipulated in 1998 through Article 35 of the Cameroon National Education Guidelines No98/004 1998.  Unrests have been prevalent in many public schools in Cameroon in recent years.  Prior to the abolition of corporal punishment,  most  of  teachers  knew  corporal  punishment  as  a  strategy  to  enforce discipline  and  instill  fear  in  students  rather  than  train  them  to  become  responsible citizens. This put teachers in a difficult situation as regards enforcing discipline and some teachers felt striped off of their right and authority over students.  A series of strikes  have  taken  place  in  different  parts  of  the  country  leading  to  massive destruction of  property and killing of students and teachers.   

The  misbehaviour  of  children  is  common  in  all  schools  although  most  schools  manage  to keep  this  within  tolerable  limits.  Occasionally, however, poor disciplinary management within the school can cause a more general breakdown in order. Riak (2007) stated that there have been frequent complaints about the decline in the standard of discipline in many schools today, despite all the effort by the school authorities to enforce discipline. He said while the general public is deeply concerned about the problem, it has not been able yet to identify the basic cause or to find a satisfactory remedy to the problem. The underlying principle concerning the imposition of school discipline is that it should be administered  in  a  manner  consistent  with  the  child’s  dignity  and  in  accordance  with applicable international laws on the Rights of the Child. Article 28(2) of the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) to which Cameroon is a signatory provides that, British Journal of Psychology Research State  parties  shall  take  all  appropriate  measures  to  ensure  that  school  discipline  is administered in a manner consistent with the child’s human dignity and in conformity with the present convention.  On  the  other  hand  teachers  use  unorthodox  styles  which sometimes  are  primitive  and  unacceptable.  In  schools,  strictly  maintaining  order  in  the classroom tend to divert  the teacher’s  attention  from instruction, leaving little opportunity for concentration and focus on what is being taught (Mensah, 2009).

This research  was  to  fill  the  gap  found  in  many  other  studies  in public schools in Bamenda III on  students‟ discipline. It answers questions such as: Are there  alternative discipline strategies  in  place,  what  is  the  effectiveness  of  these  strategies,  what  challenges  are  there  and ways of improving  discipline  in secondary schools in Bamenda III. Do  teachers wait  until  an  event  comes  up  before  they  plan  on  consequences  to  administer  for each situation?  Are these strategies going to foster appropriate school behavior amongst students?

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to establish the effect of school discipline strategies on appropriate campus behavior of students in Bamenda III

Objectives of the Study

The following were the research objectives:-

(i)  To determine the    discipline strategies being used in Secondary Schools in Bamenda III Municipality.

(ii)  To determine the effect of these strategies on the appropriate behaviors of learners

(iii) To find out challenges experience in the implementation of alternative disciplinary strategies

Research Questions

(i)  What  are  the  alternative  discipline  strategies  used  in  secondary  schools  in Bamenda III sub division.

(ii)  How effective    the alternative disciplinary strategies been in dealing with major and minor disciplinary issues in secondary schools?

(iii)  What challenges are experienced while implementing the alternative strategies of discipline?