THE INFLUENCE OF CATEGORIZATION OF SCHOOLS ON THE DISCIPLINE OF BOYS AND GIRLS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MACHAKOS SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of categorization of school on the discipline of boys and girls in public secondary schools. Secondary information was obtained from different scholars to provide review of related literature to the study which was reviewed as per the study objective. Primary data for the study was collected through the use of questionnaires. The study targeted principals, guidance and counselling teachers and form four students (girls and boys) in public secondary schools. Descriptive survey research design was used in this study because it enabled the study to obtain information that described existing phenomena by asking individuals about their perceptions, attitudes, behaviour and values. Simple random sampling was used to sample 5 schools in each category of the schools totalling to 20 schools where 8 students were sampled from each schools. Census sampling was used to identify all the principals and heads of guidance and counselling department from the 20 sampled schools. Therefore the sample population for the study was 20 principals, 20 guidance and counselling teachers and 160 students (80 girls and 80 boys) thus, a total of 200 questionnaires were issued to the respondents. All the questionnaires from all categories of respondents were returned realizing an instrument return rate of 100 percent, which was very satisfactory for the purpose of the study. Data collected was analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. From the study findings, boys were more affected by discipline issues than girls in all categories of schools. Thus, students in single sex schools had less discipline issues than in mixed sex schools, showing that in mixed schools boys and girls influenced each other. Based on the findings of the study the following conclusions were made; Boys were more affected by discipline issues than girls. Overall discipline was higher in single sex schools than in mixed schools. Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, the study recommended that; the government of Kenya through the ministry of education should organize seminars and workshops in line with the Kenya 2010 constitution and children’s rights to sensitize teachers and principals in secondary schools on how school category influences the discipline of boys and girls in public secondary schools. Article visualizations: