An investigation of deputy principals practices in managing students discipline; a case of a public secondary school in Voi sub County, Kenya

Good student discipline management is the foundation of effective teaching and learning in schools. Literature gives a lot of emphasis on the deputy principal encouraging communication, group decisions and inviting participation by all stakeholders in discipline management in schools. This collaborative approach is likely to reduce conflict in schools and build a strong relationship which will motivate and encourage students to behave well. Through a qualitative approach with a single case study design, this study sought to establish deputy principals’ practices in managing student discipline in public secondary schools in Voi Subcounty, Kenya. The study sample comprised of the sub-county education officer, the principal, deputy principal, the guidance and counselling teacher, the school discipline committee, the student council and students in the school. The data for the study was gathered through face to face semi structured interviews, document analysis and focus group discussions. It was later coded thematically, analyzed and presented in a narrative form. The findings revealed that the deputy principal managed student discipline through both preventive and corrective measures. Preventive measures included involving students in formulating school rules and regulations and also recognizing and appreciating well-disciplined students. Corrective measures included administering manual punishment, inviting the parent to discuss the student discipline or referring the student for counselling by the students’ counselor whenever student indiscipline happened. In the process of managing student discipline the deputy principal encountered challenges including lack of parental support, interference by the sub county education office, lack of support by other teachers and strict government discipline policies. This study recommends that schools should encourage parents to play bigger roles and emphasize the use of guidance and counseling in dealing with student discipline to avoid conflict