The role and responsibility of the school principal in managing school discipline

Abstract: Learner discipline is the most talked-about issue at any school. Principals and teachers feel that the decline in learner discipline is reaching dangerous levels and that something needs to be done fast. The decline in school discipline is not unique to South Africa but principals and teachers across the world have their hands full when dealing with school discipline. Public schools are all required to set up discipline policies that will be implemented through the rules and regulations of the school but most importantly through the Code of Conduct for Learners. The code of conduct set up by the school principal, together with the SGB (school governing body), is required by law. The South African government together with the Department of Education (DoE) through legislation, such as the South African Schools Act (SASA), Act 84 of 1996 section 8 determines that the governing body of a public school must draft a code of conduct to establish a disciplined and purposeful school environment. Although the discipline policies containing the code of conduct are set as required by the SASA, schools still experience a decline in learner discipline. This motivated the researcher to explore the role and responsibility of the school principal in school discipline. Principals on the West Rand of Gauteng were interviewed to explore their perceptions regarding their responsibility pertaining to discipline and the management thereof. The aim of this research is to provide principals with recommendations on how to manage discipline more effectively. A qualitative research method was used to conduct the research using a semi-structured interview schedule to get an in-depth understanding of principals and their role in managing school discipline. The study revealed that schools need to get parents more actively involved in school activities. Schools need to set up discipline policies to serve the school and the community but also need to ensure that parents and new teachers are trained on how to deal with the modern child and learner discipline.M.Ed. (Educational Management