Influence of Students’ Attitude towards Mental Harassment Ban on Student Discipline in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya: A Case Study of Ugenya, Gem and Siaya Sub-Counties

Abstract

The Kenya government prohibited Mental Harassment in schools as stipulated in the Basic Education Act 2013. This was as a result of the recommendations of the Wangai Report which revealed that Physical Punishment and Mental Harassment were major causes of indiscipline among students. In spite of  the ban the level of discipline in schools is still a major problem in Ugenya, Gem and Siaya sub-Counties, where cases of indiscipline for the years 2013 – 2016 were 83 (49%) higher than those experienced in Siaya County, 123 (47%) for the same period. Teachers still use Mental Harassment to manage student discipline in schools especially in Gem, Ugenya, and Siaya sub-counties despite the ban. Mental Harassment as a strategy of student discipline management involves reprimanding, sarcasm, name calling, shouting, insults and verbal warning. The concept discipline refers to educating someone to acquire desired behaviour. Research studies have found a relationship between attitude and behaviour (discipline). Therefore this study investigated the relationship between students’ attitude to Mental Harassment ban and the level of student discipline in secondary schools. The study established that students’ attitude to Mental Harassment ban accounted for 79.3% variation in student discipline. The study concluded that there was a strong positive relationship between students’ attitude to Mental Harassment ban and the level of student discipline in secondary schools.

Keywords: Influence, Students’ attitude to Mental Harassment Ban, Student Discipline, Public Secondary Schools, Ugenya, Gem and Siaya Sub counties, Kenya.