Student Peer Counselling Behaviour Management Interventions and Discipline among Public Secondary School Students in Kiambu County, Kenya

Anne Kariithi; Newton Mukolwe; Mwaura Kimani

doi:10.51867/ajernet3.1.16

Authors

Anne Kariithi Maasai Mara University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7706-661X
Newton Mukolwe Maasai Mara University
Mwaura Kimani Maasai Mara University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51867/ajernet3.1.16

Keywords:

Student Peer Counselling, Behaviour Management Interventions, Discipline, Public Secondary School Students, Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

In Kenya's educational settings, maintaining effective teaching and learning relies on a well-structured discipline system within schools. However, the prevalence of indiscipline issues, encompassing fights, truancy, drug abuse, academic deterioration, and dropouts, poses significant challenges to the education system. Despite the government's recommendations for robust interventions to counter these issues, students persist in demonstrating behavioural problems. The study assessed the influence of student peer counseling interventions on discipline among public secondary school students in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study was anchored on Ecological Systems Theory (EST). Based on the correlational research design, the study targeted 227 deputy principals, 3,479 guidance and counseling teachers, and 89,065 students in Kiambu County. From these, the study sampled 23 deputy principals, 97 teachers, and 398 students using the simple random sampling technique. Data was collected using questionnaires, interview guides, and observation schedules. Piloting was conducted to assist in determining the accuracy, clarity, and suitability of the research instruments. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, frequency, and percentages) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation and multivariate regression analysis at a significance level of 0.05). Data from interviews and secondary data sources were subjected to content analysis procedures. The findings showed that there was a positive and significant correlation between student discipline and student peer counseling (r = 0.476, p<0.05). Based on these findings, it was evident that student peer counseling and teacher counseling interventions indeed influence students’ discipline in the study area. Interventions in these areas should thus be strengthened to holistically enhance students discipline in the schools studied. The study suggested that in order to reach more students, schools should frequently hire and train peer counselors.

References

Ambayo, M.A., & Ngumi, O. (2016). Influence of Peer Counseling on Students’ Behaviour Change in Secondary Schools in Nakuru Municipality. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 5 (9), 125.

Arudo, T., & Okeyo, O. (2008). Peer Counseling Experience among Selected Kenyan Secondary Schools. Proceedings of KAPC Conference. Safari Park Hotel, 2nd to 4th September, 1-20.

Best, J.W., & Kahn, J.V. (2006). Research in Education (10th Ed). Pearson Education Inc., Cape Town.

Cortina, M.A., & Fazel, M. (2015). The Art Room: An evaluation of a targeted school-based group intervention for students with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 42 (1), 35-40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2014.12.003

Curtin, N., Malley, J., & Stewart, A. (2016). Mentoring the next generation of faculty: supporting academic career aspirations among doctoral students. Research in Higher Education, 57(6), 714-738. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-015-9403-x

Feldman, D. H. (2003). A developmental, evolutionary perspective on giftedness. In J. H. Borland (Ed.), Rethinking gifted education (pp.9-33). New York: Teachers College Press.

GOK. (2016). Ministry of Health adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Kiambu County. Government of Kenya. Accessed on January 7, 2020, from https://www.afidep.org/download/Afidep_ASRH-Kiambu-County-.pdf

Goodman-Scott, E., Betters-Bubon, J., & Peg, D. (2018). Aligning Comprehensive School Counseling Programs and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports to Maximize School Counselors’ Efforts. Professional School Counseling, 19 (1), 1–15.

Kabiru, C.W., Elung’ata, P., & Mojola, S.A. (2018). Adverse life events and delinquent behavior among Kenyan adolescents: a cross-sectional study on the protective role of parental monitoring, religiosity, and self-esteem. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health, 8 (24), 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1753-2000-8-24

Kasomo, D. (2007). Research Methods in Humanities and Education. Research, Statistics, Measurement, Evaluation and Testing. Eldoret, Kenya: Zapf Chancery.

Kindiki, J.N. (2009). Effectiveness of Communication on Students Discipline in the Secondary Schools in Kenya. Ph.D Thesis. Kenyatta University.

KNBS. (2019). Kenya Population and Housing Census: Population by County and Sub-County. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. http://housingfinanceafrica.org/app/uploads/Volume-I-Kphc-2019.pdf

Magai, D., & Malik, J. (2018). Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Children and Adolescents in Central Kenya. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 49(1), 659–671. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-018-0783-y

Malhotra, N.K. (2004). Marketing research: An applied orientation (4th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.

Mugenda, O.M., & Mugenda, A. G. (2008). Research Methods Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches Nairobi: ACTS Press Publishers.

Ndaita, J.S. (2016). The nature and causes of indiscipline cases among public secondary school students in Thika Sub-County, Kiambu County, Kenya. British Journal of Education, 4 (7), 55-66.

Ng, S., Leng, L., & Wang, Q. (2017). Active Interest Mentorship for Soon-to-Retire People: A Self-Sustaining Retirement Preparation Program. Journal of applied gerontology, 38 (3), 344-364. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0733464816687448

Nyongesa, D.N., Chonge, H.M., & Yegon, B.K. (2016). Teachers’ Disciplining Styles Influence on Pupils’ Behaviour Modification in Primary Schools in Kimilili Sub-County, Kenya. International Journal of Education and Research, 4 (2), 415.

Orodho, J. A. (2005). Techniques of writing research proposals and reports in education and social sciences (2nded.). Nairobi: Kenezja Hp Enterprises.

Pei-Boon, O., Marzuki, W., Jaafar, W., Chin-Siang, A., & Nee-Nee, C. (2020). Psychometric Properties of the Sources of Counseling Self Efficacy in a Sample of Malaysian Secondary School Counselors. SAGE Open, 10 (1), 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244020902076

Warui, J.W. (2018). Status and challenges of guidance and counseling programme in discipline management in public secondary schools in Kiambu County, Kenya. Master’s Thesis. Kenyatta University, Kenya.

Welsh, R.O., & Little, S. (2018). The School Discipline Dilemma: A Comprehensive Review of Disparities and Alternative Approaches. Review of Educational Research, 88 (5), 752-794. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654318791582

Williams, A.L., Giano, Z., Merten, M.J., Herring, A., Delk, C.A., Gallus, K.L., Cox, R.B., & Shreffler, K.M. (2019). Middle School Teachers’ Academic and Behavioral Perceptions of Their Students and Expectations for High School Graduation. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 1(1), 1-3.

Williams, J.A., Lewis, C., Glass, T.S., Butler, B.R., & Lim, J.H. (2020). The discipline gatekeeper: assistant principals’ experiences with managing school discipline in urban middle schools. Urban Education. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0042085920908913?journalCode=uexa DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085920908913

Yamane, T. (1967). Statistics, An Introductory Analysis (2nd Ed). New York: Harper and Row.