Challenges Faced by School Heads in Handling Teacher Disciplinary Issues in Primary Schools in Umguza District

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the challenges faced by school heads in handling teacher disciplinary issues in Umguza District primary schools. The population comprised all the heads and teachers in the Umguza District primary schools. The sample was made up of 20 heads of schools and 100 teachers made up of 63 female and 57 male respondents. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. All the information was collected through a questionnaire which largely had close-ended questions and two open-ended questions. The study revealed that most heads lacked the necessary expertise of handling disciplinary procedures. Delays in the processing of misconduct cases also militated against the promotion of discipline among staff members. The study recommends that school heads should be afforded the opportunity to attend workshops on disciplinary procedures to equip them with the skills to implement the regulations on staff discipline. Keywords: Challenges, School heads, Disciplinary issues, Primary schools, District teachers