obstacles to the maintenance of discipline in selected senior high schools in the Tamale metropolis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the obstacles to the maintenance of discipline in selected senior high schools in the Tamale Metropolis. The study employed a cross-sectional survey design. A sample size of 482 teachers was selected for the study. Both purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select the sample. Questionnaire was the main data collection instrument. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the research data. There were obstacles to the maintenance of discipline in schools as revealed by the study. Prominent among them were the interference of parents, relatives and politicians in schools’ administration, incompetent teachers, the absence of moral education, guidance and counseling in schools, media influence, irresponsible parenthood among others. It was concluded that ineffective supervision and lack of strict enforcement of school rules on the part of school authorities could just be one of the management challenges of the senior high schools in the Tamale Metropolis and is an obstacle to the maintenance of discipline in the schools. It is recommended that the school authorities should make sure that teachers, parents and learners are aware of the school policies regarding students’ behaviour and the consequences of breaching them. This can be done through PTA meetings where parents can be taken through such policies to make them understand what it means to have a well-disciplined school.