The purpose of the study was to investigate the nature of discipline and how school principals in rural secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal perceive and manage discipline in their schools. The researcher chose Zululand district in KwaZulu-Natal as the study area because it is where most of the rural schools are. The role of principals in promoting discipline in schools. The role of members of the school's governing body in the promotion.
LIST OF TABLES
APPENDICES
INTRODUCTION
According to Ramsey (1994:3), the roots of discipline lie in the way people think about themselves and others. The key to school discipline is shared values among students, teachers, leaders and panels about what is acceptable and appropriate behavior in the school environment.
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
- Discipline
- Schooling
It is hoped that this study will contribute to improving discipline management in rural secondary schools. Schooling in this study means instruction or training given to students in secondary schools in the Zululand region of KwaZulu-Natal.
THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
Rural secondary schools are therefore those schools that are found in the outskirts of KwaZulu-Natal, and among the challenges they face, in particular, is the task of improving the quality of education. In the Republic of South Africa before 27 April 1994 there were many education departments, namely four provincial education departments for white students, under the authority of the Department of Education and Culture (People's Council); one for Colored students, under the authority of the Department of Education and Culture (House of Representatives); one for Indian students, under the authority of the Department of Education and Culture (House of Representatives); ten departments of education and culture for the various black ethnic communities; and the Department of Education and Training, which was responsible for providing education and training to Black pupils outside the former self-governing national states, namely those in Qwaqwa, Lebowa, Gazankulu, KwaZulu, Kwa-Ngwane and Kwa-Ndebele, and to those in the former independent states, namely Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei (Duma, 1995:5).
METHOD OF INVESTIGATION
- Research design and instrumentation
- Population and Sampling
Questionnaires were given to school principals of the rural secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal. The questionnaire was divided into three parts, each of which focused on the purpose of the study.
LIMITATIONS OF THE EMPIRICAL STUDY
CHAPTER DIVISION
The chapter also provides a broader historical and conceptual framework for managing disciplinary problems in schools. The next chapter will provide a broader historical and conceptual framework of the discipline in schooling in rural secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal.
INTRODUCTION
CONCEPTUALISING DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS
- Management Theories
- Political Management Theories
- Collegial Management Theories
- Bureaucratic Management Theories
Salo further states that the amount of control teachers have is often seen by administrators as a measure of the quality of a teacher. Yariv further states that the core action of the bureaucratic management theories is based on rigid use of rules and sanctions to maintain law and order within the organization.
THE HISTORY OF DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS
- The origin of discipline in schooling
- The Ancient Greece Period 850 – 146 BC
Athens was the first state in world history to place the highest priority on the individual freedom of its citizens (Kruger, 2002:66). With the rise of Christianity and under the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, the education system became strongly religious.
EXPLORATION OF DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLING IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND UNDER-DEVELOPED
- United States of America
- Australia
- Lesotho
According to the study conducted by Monyooe, corporal punishment is a popular form of punishment in secondary schools in Lesotho. Research has revealed that teachers in Lesotho face verbal and physical humiliation at the hands of their students (de Wet, 2006:22).
- Discipline policy
- Classroom policy
- School governing body
- Standard or grade tutor
- Parental involvement as a disciplinary measure
Parents, learners and teachers must be involved in the development of the Code of Conduct. According to the Department of Education, parents must take responsibility for the discipline of their children at home as well as getting involved in the activities of both the child and the school.
THE ESSENCE OF DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS
- The principal’s supervisory strategies for school discipline
- The legislation that mandates discipline in schools .1 The South African Constitution
Joubert and Bray (2009:40) explain that the principal acts in two roles: as a member of the governing body of the school and as an employee of the department. The main purpose of the South African Schools Act (No. 84 of 1996) (SASA) is to transform education by creating and managing a national school system that will give everyone equal opportunities to develop their talents (Joubert &, Prinsloo, 2001). ), as cited by Kruger and van Deventer (2003:269).
OBSTACLES TO SCHOOL DISCIPLINE
- Instruction without context
- Failure to teach thinking skills
- Lack of parental involvement
- Large and overcrowded classrooms
- Punishment
- Inconsistence in the application of rules and regulations
- Acts of disrespect for teachers by learners
- The instilling of values
Human rights and freedoms are not absolute and can therefore be limited, because the right of teachers and students to safety and security of the person must be respected and protected. Mabeba and Prinsloo (2000:34) and Van Wyk state that students' disciplinary problems in South Africa range from the rejection of reasoning, lateness, truancy, neglecting to do homework, noisy, physical violence, theft, threats, verbal abuse, lack of concentration, crime, gangsterism, rape, constant violation of the school code of conduct and drug abuse. The collapse of moral values in society has a great influence on the discipline of students in schools.
BENEFIT OF DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS
- Discipline establishes order
- Discipline teaches learners about self-control and responsibility
- Discipline provides a safe school environment
- Discipline establishes the positive teacher-learner relationship
Individuals learn self-control by being allowed to make decisions and think about the consequences of their decisions (Savage & Savage, 2010:9). They further say that individuals who are constantly shielded from the consequences of their actions are hindered from developing self-control. Kruger states that discipline is viewed as a means of teaching students self-control and self-direction.
CONCLUSION
School climate is one of the vital qualities that one 'feels' when walking into the school. Each school has its own unique school climate because no two schools are exactly the same. A positive school climate not only facilitates student learning and higher academic performance, but also promotes the healthy social and emotional development of students (Adelman & Taylor, 2005 in Preble & Gordon 2011:14).
DELIMITATION OF STUDY
The sample used, including the method of data analysis, instrumentation, questionnaire administration, pilot study and ethical approach will be discussed in detail. The population chosen for this study consisted of 260 principals, randomly selected from a total population of more than 30 schools per circuit, i.e. 20 schools from each circuit. Choosing less than 20 schools per circuit, on the other hand, may carry the risk of obtaining less accurate information.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND INSTRUMENTATION
- Nature of Research Design
- Research Instruments
- Pilot study
The advantage of using unstructured one-to-one interviews is that the researcher is able to probe if the response lacks sufficient detail. To determine the validity and reliability of the interview form, the researcher conducted a pilot study. Before the interviews were conducted, the researcher visited the schools to arrange the interview and prepare the participants.
POPULATION AND SAMPLING
- Target Population
- Sampling
The participants were also asked to sign a voluntary consent form and the researcher explained to the participants that they were free to withdraw at any time if they wished.
ADMINISTRATION OF THE RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
- Permission to conduct the Survey
- Interviewing Schedule
The researcher targeted days on which there were principal meetings and delivered the questionnaires on that day, after consulting with the district managers. For the interviews, the researcher used simple random sampling to select the principals of the schools to be interviewed. The names of the schools were placed in a hat and the researcher took the names of the schools, five from each county.
DATA PROCESSING
ETHICAL APPROACH
Before conducting the research, the researcher obtained formal permission from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. The researcher made sure that the participants understood the purpose of the research, and the importance of their contributions to the body of knowledge. The researcher was not engaged in falsifying data references, and referred the authors to prevent plagiarism.
CONCLUSION
Approval was obtained from the University of Zululand Faculty of Education Academic Ethics Committee (Appendix F). The participants were informed that their participation in the project was voluntary. The issue of privacy was also important, so it was important for the researcher to protect the respondents' rights to privacy.
INTRODUCTION
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE DATA
- The Questionnaire
- Principals’ perceptions about discipline
- Disciplinary problems experienced by principals in schools
- How principals deal with each of the problems identified
- Educators and the maintenance of discipline
- Support from learners’ parents and members of the community
- Assistance needed in order to be able to deal with discipline
Educators, parents and students should be well informed about the legal nature and implications of the Code of Conduct. The governing body of a public school must adopt a code of conduct for the school's students. It has been revealed in Table 4.5 that 91% of the respondents indicated that the governing body of a public school is not allowed to adopt a code of conduct for students in the school.
All schools should engage parents or guardians of students in their children's education. It became clear that community members do not feel they own the school.
INTRODUCTION
SUMMARY OF THE STUDY
This chapter also extrapolates the essence of discipline in schools and discusses theories and current aspects of school. They believe that the abolition of corporal punishment has led to the breakdown of discipline in schools (cf. 4.3.8.1). The absence of parents in the education of their children contributes to the lack of discipline in rural primary schools.
CONCLUSIONS
- Home-related disciplinary problems
The conclusion is that it is imperative that the Department of Education organizes training seminars that will train members of governing bodies on school administration policies and documents. The interviews revealed that most rural secondary schools have the problem of dysfunctional members of the governing body. In most schools, the issue of discipline is the responsibility of management, and this, according to the researcher, is one of the main problems leading to the decline of discipline in rural secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Initiation of capacity development programme for principals of schools
- Initiation of capacity development programmes for members of the school governing body
- Action to be taken by relevant stakeholders to intensify discipline in rural secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal
- Conclusions
Members of the governing body should be trained, preferably on Sundays because some members work. It is important for principals to facilitate and develop capacity-building programs for members of the school's governing body. The study reveals that a high proportion of the members of the school's governing body cannot participate in the formulation and implementation of school policies.
-Based violence prevention in Canada: Results of a study of policies and programs Ottawa ON Solicitor General of Canada, www.sgc.gcca/epub /corr/1199502/e 199502.htm. 2003). The role of values in school discipline. Gauteng Department of Education (1999). The Self-Managing School Project: An Implementation Summary in District N7 Internal Report. 2001).Using qualitative interviews in evaluation.http://aq.arizona.edu/. fer/fs/cyfar/intervu5.htm.
APPENDIX A
QUESTIONNAIRES
DEMOGRAPHIC AND GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1 Gender of Respondent
- Age Group
- Educational Qualification
Use the scale below to indicate your assessment of discipline in schools 3 = Yes 2 = Not sure 1 = No. Good teaching and learning are the fundamental tasks of a school and cannot take place without good discipline. Poor parental discipline and supervision were among other factors responsible for the emergence and persistence of behavior problems in schools.
APPENDIX B
INTERVIEW SCHEDULE FOR THE STUDY
INTERVIEW SCHEDULE
TOPIC
DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLING: A STUDY OF RURAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KWAZULU NATAL
What is the importance or role of discipline in your school?
What type of disciplinary problems do you experience in your school?
How do you deal with each of these problems?
What is the relationship between the educators’ conduct and the manner in which you attempt to maintain discipline?
What support do you get from learners’ parents and members of the community with regard to discipline enforcing in your school?
APPENDIX C
APPLICATION FORM TO CONDUCT A STUDY
Application for Permission to Conduct Research in KwaZulu Natal Department of Education Institutions
Applicants Details
Have you applied for permission to conduct this research or any other research within the KZNDoE institutions?
- Is the proposed research part of a tertiary qualification?
- Briefly state the Research Background
- What contribution will the proposed study make to the education, health, safety, welfare of the learners and to the education system as a whole?
- KZN Department of Education Districts from which sample will be drawn (please tick) – Please attach the list of all schools
- Research data collection instruments: (Note: a list and only a brief description is required here - the actual instruments must be attached)
- Procedure for obtaining consent of participants and where appropriate parents or guardians
- Procedure to maintain confidentiality ( if applicable)
- Questions or issues with the potential to be intrusive, upsetting or incriminating to participants (if applicable): N/A
- Additional support available to participants in the event of disturbance resulting from intrusive questions or issues (if applicable): N/A
- Declaration
- Agreement to provide and to grant the KwaZulu Natal Department of Education the right to publish a summary of the report
This methodology will be used, firstly, because the researcher believes that it will lead to some known truths about discipline in schooling in rural secondary schools in KwaZulu Natal. A letter requesting permission to conduct research in the school will be written to the principal of the school. The study is about the management of discipline in schools in general, so the participants will be school principals.
APPENDIX D
PERMISSION TO CONDUCT THE SURVEY
APPENDIX E
LETTERS TO THE PRINCIPALS
This research project is for my PhD in Education (Educational Foundations and Management) at the University of Zululand (Main Campus), under the supervision of Dr MAN Duma. The information obtained will greatly help the Ministry of Education to improve the quality of management in schools.
Consent form for principals
APPENDIX F
ETHICS CLEARANCE
