A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EFFECTS OF SCHOOL DISCIPLINARY APPROACH ON MORAL AND ACADEMIC BEHAVIOUR OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

This study was on a comparative analysis of effects of school disciplinary approach on moral and academic behavior of secondary school students. A case study of selected secondary schools in Oshodi District. The following research objectives were used for the study: To examine some approaches to school discipline, to find out student attitudes towards the various disciplinary measures in Oshodi, to analyze the effects of strict disciplinary measure on student academic performance and to find out the effects of school discipline on students’ morality. The researcher used the tabular percentage analysis to analysis the data, because it is useful in analyzing description research. Tables were almost any form of quantitative analysis. It can be used for analysis of categorical variable relies on cross-classified data, in the form of frequencies (Percentages). The study concluded that strict discipline has a negative impact on students’ academic performance, thus, student should be given the benefit of the doubt. Teachers should advise erring students and not rely on using the cane on them in order to set them straight.  The study also recommended that teachers/schools should apply moderate disciplinary measures, teachers/schools should avoid very strict disciplinary measure because it scares students from learning and Schools should make use of guidance and counseling experts more.

Chapter one

Introduction

1.1Background of the study

Provision of quality education and training is the ultimate goal of any educational system. The success of teaching is reflected by academic performance of students. This goal can never be achieved without school discipline. How students are disciplined has been an issue since the inception of public education. In 1770, William Blackstone applied the phrase in loco parentis, which literally means in place of the parents, to educators. In loco parentis gave teachers the ability to act in place of the parent in response to disciplinary actions (Conte, 2000). In loco parentis was implemented in schools in the early 1900s, and with it came corporal punishment.

Scholars in recent times have written more on indiscipline among pupils and its effects on learning outcome and their progress in schools. Some scholars suggest that disciplinary policies simply do not have different effects (Verdugo et al, 2009. Other asserts that suspension do not prevent students’ future misbehavior (Nichols, 2004). If school is effectively disciplined, the academic performance on the part of student and teacher will be highly rated. Gawe, Vakalisa and Jacobs, (2001:190) express cooperative learning if academic performance is to be achieved among students.

Victorian era parents believed children who were lazy and insubordinate were alienating themselves from God, and teachers were thought to be the perfect authority figure to ensure alienation did not occur (Parker-Jenkins, 1997). During this time period corporal punishment was viewed as necessary to produce citizens who conformed to the norms of society, beat out sin, and ensure learning occurred (Parker Jenkins, 1997). The book of Proverbs in the Bible advocates the use of a rod, i.e. corporal punishment, to save children’s souls from death.

Therefore, teachers began administering corporal punishment for acts of wrong doing by their charges (Conte, 2000).Recently scholars have written more on indiscipline among pupils and its effects on learning outcome and their progress in schools. Discipline in school is a very important aspect towards academic excellence, while lack of it usually gives rise to a lot of problems such as lack of vision and mission, poor time management, irregular attendance and punishment. It also plays a vital role in the acquisition of sense of responsibility in learners as well as educators. Gawe, Vakalisa and Jacobs, (2001:190) express cooperative learning if academic performance is to be achieved among students.

Effective discipline helps in the achievement of goals, expectation and expectation and responsibility in students (Dunham, 1984:66).Good discipline creates a good image of the school and prepares learners for the future. Disruptive behavior amongst learners eliminated if there is good discipline at school. The implementation of effective discipline at school is a key for the learner in his journey to adulthood. By definition discipline refers to the ability to carry out reasonable instructions or orders to reach appropriate standards of behaviors. It is understood to be that abstract quality in a human being which is associated with and manifested by a person’s ability to do things well at the right time, in the right circumstance, without or with minimum supervision (Ngonyani, 1973:15).

Likewise, moral, has been defined as standards, principles of good behavior. Thus, moral values imply behavior, respect, truthfulness, tolerance and attitude exhibited and encouraged by members of the society for the fact that they are both good and desirable to mankind generally as against those behaviors condemned and discouraged. Examples of moral values include faithfulness, humility, self-discipline, honesty, brotherliness, patience, hardworking, respect and truthfulness (Adam. Adesina M. L & Suhaila, H 2017; Ohwovorione 2013). However, most of the philosophers, such as Kurt Baier, Phillipa Foot, and Geoffrey Warnock, claim that morality prohibits actions such as killing, disrespect, immoralities, murder, cheating, slaying, assassination, causing pain, arrogance, deceiving, and breaking promises (Trezise 1996). Consequently, the study of Berkowitz pointed out that good moral system protects human rights, equitable access of everybody to all the material and human resource. It has clear definition for ‘virtues’ and ‘vices’ and it accommodates all the aspects of human life. It determines the actions on pleasures and pains. It defines limits for relationships. It facilitates the community to act acceptably in all spheres of life. For that reason, Morals are evaluated through logic, experience and proper judgment, whether this originates from culture, philosophy, religion, society or individual conscience. In the normative and universal sense, morality refers to an ideal code of conduct, discipline and politeness in the society which one would adopt in preference to alternatives by all rational people, under specified conditions. “To deny ‘morality’ in this sense is a position known as moral skepticism” (Berkowitz in Afifah 2008).

Effective discipline helps in the achievement of goals, expectation and expectation and responsibility in students (Dunham, 1984:66).Good discipline creates a good image of the school and prepares learners for the future. Disruptive behavior amongst learners eliminated if there is good discipline at school. The implementation of effective discipline at school is a key for the learner in his journey to adulthood. By definition discipline refers to the ability to carry out reasonable instructions or orders to reach appropriate standards of behaviors. It is understood to be that abstract quality in a human being which is associated with and manifested by a person’s ability to do things well at the right time, in the right circumstance, without or with minimum supervision (Ngonyani, 1973:15).

Various studies have been conducted on issues pertaining to schools’ academic performance, such as those by Malekela (2000:61), Galabawa (2000:100) and Mosha (2000:4). They have pointed out some factors that lead to varying levels of performance in schools, including availability of teachers, availability of teaching and learning materials and language communication. Omari (1995) talks about school discipline as one among aspects that influence performance in schools. School discipline is an essential element in any educational institution if the students are to benefit from the opportunities offered to them. Omari (1995:38) argues that it is difficult to maintain order and discipline in schools where teachers have no space to sit, prepare and mark students’ work. In other words, Omari (1995) supports the above scholars that availability of teaching and learning materials has an impact on school discipline.

Indiscipline in schools, and consequently, school strikes, destroy the teaching learning environment. Occasionally there are protests, riots and violence and sometimes the police have to come in to intervene to protect school property. Some schools become virtual prisons as they construct huge walls and expensive fences to protect good students, teachers and property against undisciplined students. Ohsako (1997:7) argues that violence is a sensitive issue that provokes anxiety, arouses emotions and has negative impact on school performance.

Despite the rules endorsed by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training but they are not followed by many of the students and their teachers in some government and private schools, who misbehave wherever they are outside the school environment. As Omari (1995:25) observes, the most important thing is not so much to have written rules pinned in the office of the head teacher or discipline master as to have rules actually implemented. School rules and regulations should facilitate administrative work, should focus on the creation of a good atmosphere for teaching and learning

1.2 Statement of the problem

Despite numerous studies that have been carried out such as those by Malekela (2000:61), Galabawa (2000:100), Mosha (2000:4) and Omari (1995:38) that look for factors associated with academic performance in schools, little has been investigated on discipline on moral, particularly with respect to best performing secondary schools in comparison with least performing secondary schools. A study into this issue is thus imperative that focused on how school discipline can be identified or defined, factors of its existence or absence in schools, and the principal determinants of school discipline in relation to academic performance in schools. Therefore there is a need to address the issue of indiscipline in schools if they are to meet the academic and social needs of all students and the society in general

1.3 Objective of the study

The main objective of the study is to find out the comparative analysis of effect of school disciplinary approach on moral and academic behavior of secondary school student in some selected secondary schools in Oshodi district. The specific objectives are;

1. To examine some approaches to school discipline
2. To find out student attitudes towards the various disciplinary measures in Oshodi
3. To analyze the effects of strict disciplinary measure on student academic performance
4. To find out the effects of school discipline on students’ morality

1.4 Research Question

The following research questions are formulated to guide the study;

1. What are some approaches to school discipline in Oshodi district?
2. What are student attitudes towards the various disciplinary measures?
3. What is the effect strict disciplinary measure on student academic performance in Oshodi district?
4. What are the effects of school discipline on students’ morality in Oshodi district?

1.5 Significance of the study

The study is expected to give information which will be helpful to school head teachers, parents, policy makers in the Ministry of Education. Furthermore the study is expected to help the Government of Nigeria in solving the increasing problems of indiscipline among students’ in schools. Also the study will assist head of schools on how to manage school rules and regulations, not only in Oshodi district but also in other schools in the whole country at large and also will provide protective measures against indiscipline.

1.6 Scope of the study

The scope of the study covers a comparative analysis of effect of school disciplinary approach on moral and academic behavior of secondary school students. The study will be limited to selected secondary schools in Oshodi district

1.7 Definition of terms

Academic Performance

Academic performance is the measured ability and achievement level of a learner in a school, subject or particular skills.

Discipline

 Discipline in this study means a form of discipline appropriate to the regulation of children and the maintenance of order in the school

School  School in this study is described as a formal institution for instruction or preparation for adult life which transport culture to the next generation.

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