Causes and Effects of Indiscipline among Students of the Selected SHSs in Bekwai Municipality of Ghana

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to examine the causes and effects of indiscipline among students of selected SHSs in the Bekwai Municipality. The research design that was adopted in the study was descriptive survey. Quantitative research approach was used. In this research, the target population comprised teachers in the Bekwai Senior `High School and Ofoase Kokoben Senior `High School. The targeted population for the study was teachers from Bekwai Senior High Schools (160) and Ofoase Kokoben Senior High Schools (96), totaling 256. The random sampling procedure was used to select one hundred and twenty-three (123) respondents for the study. Questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. After sorting out the questionnaires, the data was computed and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20). The statistical analysis such as frequencies, percentages and mean would be used to answer the research question. The study results indicated that the schools paid serious attention to absenteeism, the school took actions against those involved in stealing. The causes of students' disciplinary problems were poor parenting, irresponsibility of parents, parental poverty, broken home, lack of commitment by teachers, and head leadership style. The study concluded that the school rules and regulations were implemented in such a way that they enhanced discipline in the schools under study. The study results recommended that the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Education, should conduct sensitization campaigns to educate all stakeholders on the need to participate in the discipline of children in and out of school as a measure to curb the increasing cases of student indiscipline at the selected schools and that the district education directorate should encourage head masters and teachers to use affirmative policy formulation to provide/encourage use of student-friendly disciplinary measures like guidance and counseling by experts.