Students' Participation in Making Rules and Regulations on Discipline in Public Secondary Schools in Rongai Sub-County, Nakuru County

Abstract

Discipline remains a key factor influencing the learning environment and academic performance in secondary schools. Traditionally, school rules and regulations on discipline have been designed and implemented by administrators and teachers, with minimal input from students. However, contemporary approaches to school governance emphasize participatory decision-making, where learners are seen as stakeholders in shaping a just and orderly school culture. Involving students in developing rules that govern their conduct promotes a sense of ownership, accountability, and respect for the regulations, which can enhance compliance and reduce disciplinary problems. In several secondary schools in Kenya, the effectiveness of disciplinary policies continues to face challenges. These issues raise questions about the inclusivity of the disciplinary rule-making process and the extent to which students' voices are considered. Therefore, this study evaluated assessed the extent to which students’ participation in making school rules and regulations influence discipline in public secondary schools in Rongai sub-county, Nakuru County, Kenya. The study was grounded in the theory of participation and adopted a mixed-method approach with a convergent parallel mixed design. The target population consisted of 29 public schools, 29 principals, 230 teachers, and 4998 students. Simple random sampling was used to select 9 out of 29 public secondary schools. All the 9 principals of the selected schools were automatically included in the study. The study used proportionate stratified sampling to select 144 out of 230 teaches. Proportionate stratified sampling was also used to select 370 out of 4998 students. Data collection instruments included questionnaires for students and teachers while interview guides were used to collect data from the schools’ principals. Instrument validity was ensured through experts’ review, and Reliability was tested using the test-retest technique, and a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.8 was obtained, which was considered acceptable. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including frequencies, percentages, and means, and standard deviation, which were processed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically and presented in narratives and direct quotations. The findings showed a clear disconnect between students’ and teachers’ perceptions of student involvement in rule-making. Most students reported limited participation in decisions on prep schedules, use of digital devices, dress code, school menu, and disciplinary measures. Their average rating (x̅ = 2.04, s = 0.81) pointed to minimal involvement, while teachers gave a higher rating (x̅ = 3.03, s = 0.86), suggesting moderate involvement. Interviews with school principals confirmed that student involvement is often limited and mostly consultative when new rules are introduced. The study concludes that the limited genuine involvement of students in disciplinary rule-making contributes to student disengagement and may be a factor influencing disciplinary challenges within the schools. The study recommended that principals should enhance collaboration between teachers and students, emphasizing active student participation to promotes discipline in public secondary schools in Rongai Sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya.