Principals’ Leadership Practices And Their Influence On Students’ Discipline In Public Secondary Schools In Makindu Sub County, Kenya.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the principals’ leadership practices and their influence on students’ discipline management in public secondary school in Makindu Sub County, Kenya. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The sample comprised of 20 principals, 46 teachers and 197 students who were selected by simple random sampling. Data in the study was collected using questionnaires and descriptive statistics method was used for evaluating headteachers’ transformative leadership styles on teachers’ job satisfaction. Findings revealed that the principals encouraged open door policy for students to discuss their issues with them, the principals consulted with students before any changes are made to the diet provided by the school and also allowed students to have a say in determining the dress code of the school. Further, the principals set aside specific day(s) in a week for meetings with the students to discuss matters pertaining to the running and of the school. Pearson correlation coefficients computed to find out the relationships between principals leadership practices and student discipline generated strong negative correlation coefficients of r= -0.961 with corresponding significant level (p-value = 0.000<0.05) hence there was significant relationship between principals’ consultation of the student council and the number of students’ disciplinary cases in school. The study established that principals in their respective secondary schools encouraged open door policy where students were free to see the head of the institution to discuss their problems. The study thus recommends that principals should adopt leadership skills and mechanisms which are aimed at minimizing instances of students’ indiscipline. Schools should organize for seminars and workshops for student leaders to acquire skills necessary to help reduce instances of indiscipline in the schools. Principals should adopt collaborative approach which brings all school stakeholders to help address students’ indiscipline. Rules for the membership to the student council should be flexible for all students so that they can appreciate and support the students’councils’ leadership.