DISCIPLINARY STRATEGIES AND PUPILS’ CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN AKWA IBOM NORTHEAST SENATORIAL DISTRICT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Discipline is defined as the practice of teaching others to obey rules or norms by using punishment to correct unwanted behaviors. Discipline is typically thought to have a positive influence on both the individual as well as the classroom environment. School discipline, therefore, refers to regulation of learners and the maintenance of order in schools. In a classroom, a teacher uses discipline to ensure routine is maintained, school rules are enforced, and the students are in a safe learning environment.

While the word discipline seems negative, the aims of using discipline in schools are to teach learners boundaries and limits, to help them achieve personal, academic and life goals and to help them to be well adjusted, happy and useful to the society. The doctrine of school discipline according to Nolte (1980) and Barrell (1978) is based on the concept of “loco parentis” which allows school authorities full responsibility for children’s upbringing, the right of discipline and control. In effect, teachers have the right to punish students who contravene school laws.

Disciplinary strategies on the other hand, is said to be those corrective actions a teacher or a school administrator decides to administer on an erring pupil with the intention of changing a student's behaviour when they violate school policies, commit misconduct, or exhibit poor performance. (Willems, 2021) sees disciplinary measures as approaches occasionally adopted by teachers to correct a situation where a student has broken the rules or is not putting in the required amount of effort in the classroom.

In an educational institution, disciplinary strategies are in place to serve various purposes. It is of paramount importance to have disciplinary action in an institution in order to ensure its smooth functioning. Utilizing disciplinary measures can be an opportunity for the class to reflect and learn about consequences, instill collective values, and encourage behavior that is acceptable for the classroom. The following constructs namely oral reprimand, suspension, guidance and counselling, detention, corporal punishment and expulsion are associated with disciplinary strategies.

An oral reprimand is a verbal warning given to a pupil for their unacceptable behavior or performance in a particular situation. It is a form of corrective action that is less severe than a written warning or formal disciplinary action but serves as a clear indication that the behavior is not acceptable and must be corrected. A student who receives this type of discipline often does so either privately from the teacher, in front of the class or during school devotion time in order to serve as a deterrent to others. Oral reprimands are an important tool for maintaining discipline in schools. They allow learners to receive feedback on their behaviour and performance and can help prevent more serious disciplinary action from being necessary in the future. If it fails to produce the desired result in the learner, the teacher may choose to use the guidance and counselling approach.

While counselling can be defined as a piece of advice given to a learner on social or personal problems, Guidance is advice or information aimed at resolving a problem or difficulty, especially as given by someone in authority. Hence, guidance and counselling is a total school programme provided for pupils by teachers, administrators, guidance specialist and other school personnel on a continuous basis, aimed at assisting pupils to make informed decisions and to also abstain from behaviours that will make them less effective or less productive. Counsellors are adequately trained to help learners towards positive behaviour. Learners are often referred to a school counsellor in matters that are psychological in nature, that a mere teacher cannot adequately deal with. Guidance encourages self-esteem and the development of various aspects of ‘self’, such as personal, moral and social. Kindiki (2009) postulates that guidance and counseling is an effective method of dealing with indiscipline because it addresses the problem and its root cause. Guidance and counseling is an important disciplinary measure as it helps to shape students' behaviour and character, and can promote a more conducive learning environment. Another component of disciplinary strategies that a teacher has at their disposal is detention.

Detention implies keeping a defiant student in class or school while others are out. Detention is a consequence in which students are required to remain in a presumably undesirable place for a specified amount of time outside of school hours. In this case, the learner will have to sacrifice certain stipulated time after school hours in carrying out any form of punishment stipulated. In some cases, detentions are served after school. Instead of going home at the end of the day, the student reports to a designated classroom where he or she must sit in a desk for a period of time that is often decided by the school authority or the teacher who administers the punishment.

Detentions can also be served before school, during recess (e.g., the student stays in the classroom while his classmates go to recess). As a disciplinary strategy, it has been used to make students aware that they are not completing or doing their work, displaying correct behaviuor in various situations, not behaving or completing task, or having the appropriate actions in given situations. According to Wasmund (1965), having a student stay back after the school day ends or during their lunchtime gives them time to reflect on their actions, and consider why it wasn’t worth doing in the first place. A teacher may choose to adopt corporal punishment as a disciplinary method if detention proves abortive.

Corporal punishment entails physical chastisement of a student who violates the school rules and regulations. It is the infliction of physical pain as a penalty for an infraction. Gershoff (2017) defines corporal punishment as any punishment which applies physical force, and is intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light. Corporal punishment can be administered on disobedient learners in various ways, such as the pupil kneeling down or standing for a long time, flogging the pupil with stick or cane, giving the pupil knock on the head, slapping or beating the pupil with hands, kicking and pushing the pupil with legs, pulling the pupil’s ear or hair, etc.

Over the years, the infliction of corporal punishment on recalcitrant students has been an acceptable method of promoting good behavior and instilling notion of responsibility and decorum into the heads of mischievous students, this is why Phil for Humanity (2017) sees it as having both retributive and preventive functions: retributive because it chastises for a wrong done, and preventive because it associates fear with these undesired acts hoping to stop it from happening again. In severe cases of gross misconduct, the school authority may prefer suspension.

Suspension is a disciplinary action taken against an erring pupil by way of excluding them from any school activity for a period of time, as deemed by the management or school authorities. This type of disciplinary action is usually taken against a pupil who is a habitual offender by the school authority when the learner’s offence has reached the extreme. Oftentimes, the student’s parents/guardians are notified of the reason for and duration of the out-of-school suspension. During this period, a learner is not expected to carry out any activity or participate in the learning process. Suspension serves the purpose of giving the offending student time-out to reflect on his or her improper conduct and in some instances, to get counselling for behaviour modification. . Expulsion is always considered as the teacher’s last resort when a learner’s character problem becomes unmanageable.

Expulsion can be defined as the permanent removal of a student from an academic institution due to refusing to follow the school's rules. Expulsions always mean the student must be off-campus. It is typically reserved for cases involving violence, drugs, vandalism or other serious violations of school rules. Expulsion is often used to punish undesired behaviours, deter similar behaviour, and promote more appropriate behaviour. Before a disciplinary measure such as expulsion is implemented, a pupil’s parent/guardian is invited to the disciplinary committee for hearing. A school will usually only expel a pupil as a last resort after trying to improve the pupil’s behaviour through other means. In essence, these components - oral reprimand, suspension, guidance and counselling, detention, corporal punishment and expulsion are disciplinary actions that impact upon the character development of learners within the educational setting.

Character development in a school setting is the process of inculcating into students core values and ethical principles that help them become responsible and honourable citizens. It involves helping learners understand, care about, and act on values like respect, justice, civic virtue, and responsibility. In a study conducted by Ajibola and Ali (2014), it was observed that disciplinary measures if rightly used are capable of building character, contributing to the rapid reduction or elimination of unwanted behavioural patterns, and facilitating learning, whilst at the same time teaching respect for rules and authority.

The Collins dictionary sees respect as showing an attitude of deference, admiration, esteem, or regard to someone who is more advanced than you or who occupies a position of authority. Using disciplinary techniques in school can help teachers maintain a positive educational atmosphere where both the teacher and learners will have mutual respect for one another. Mutual respect between teachers and learners can also foster teacher-student collaboration.

Teacher-student collaboration is the process of sharing responsibility for the shape, direction, and outcomes of a student's educational experience between students and teachers. This productive collaboration gives students a voice, provides them with opportunities for problem-solving, and makes them active participants in their education. Through teacher-learner collaboration, teachers can create more unified and consistent learning environments for students, leading to enhanced academic performance, increased engagement, and improved overall educational experiences (Darling-Hammond, 2001; Stoll & Louis, 2007). Additionally, another important component of character development is self-control. Self-control is the ability to regulate and alter one’s responses to avoid undesirable behaviours, increase desirable ones, and achieve long-term goals. Talwar and Carlson (2011) observe that, among the many facets of school environment, school discipline is thought of as a critical factor that effectively develops learners’ capacities for self-control. Also, in a study conducted by Deci and Ryan (2000), it was noted that school children with high levels of self-control, compared to their counterparts with low levels of self-control, have better academic performance, school readiness, physical health, well-being, social competence, and less school dropout and fewer emotional and behavioral problems. A positive disciplinary strategy can as well instill obedience in the learners.

Obedience within the educational setting implies that a learner is submissive to the commands and instructions from the teacher or school authority. According to a study by Onyali (2014), discipline enforces obedience in that, In most schools and classrooms, discipline gives learners the message that they will be punished for not doing what they are told to do. Obedience in learners will make them have fear for defiant behaviours.

Fear in the context of a learner’s response to disciplinary strategies means a feeling of anxiety or worry about being punished or reprimanded, which can cause a learner to avoid certain behaviours or feel nervous about making mistakes. Holden (2002) opines that punishment-based disciplinary measures may only help to deter inappropriate behaviours in so far as they provoke fear in learners. These components are characters which learners develop in response to the disciplinary strategies that are used by educators and school administrators within the school environment.

However, it has been observed that these disciplinary strategies do not seem to produce the desired effects on most pupils in public primary schools. It appears most learners enjoy being sent out of the classroom, leading to them committing more acts of indiscipline while on punishment. In many cases, some teachers seem to swing into using abusive words on the course of administering oral reprimand, which often results in the pupil developing low self-esteem.

The use of expulsion as a disciplinary tool by some teachers and schools seems to make pupils feel unwanted, which can result in unsalvageable mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Furthermore, it is likely that learners who are suspended oftentimes fail to advance academically or graduate and are more likely to engage in risky behaviours.

Additionally, teacher-pupil collaboration as well as pupils' obedience to their teachers appear to be simulated because they are inspired by fear for being punished. The mutual respect that should have existed between teachers and pupils seems to have been replaced with aggression by both parties towards one another. As a result of this, some teachers seem to be cruel when using a disciplinary measure such as corporal punishment. As a result, these issues are now major challenges for primary school teachers and pupils during their educational journey.

There are numerous negative effects which corporal punishment as a form of discipline leaves on the learners. For example, corporal punishment such as flogging can negatively impact students’ emotional stability, causing them to become withdrawn and disconnected from the learning process. Pupils who witnessed or have been made victims of such abuse may likely develop low self-esteem, magnified guilt feelings, and various anxiety symptoms which can affect the psychosocial and educational development of these pupils.

Apart from the lasting pains and bruises that it often leaves on the victims, corporal punishment instils fear in learners and makes them to develop a tough skin as they eventually become accustomed to it.

Many schools appear to have taken the practice too far by injuring, disabling and even killing some pupils. For example, (Olupohunda, 2013) reports that in 2012, a secondary school teacher in Awka, Anambra State, was reported to have flogged a female student to death on the grounds that the student refused to do her assignment. Similarly in Osun State, a student was beaten to death by his teacher over the case of truancy.

In a recent report by The Punch Newspaper dated 26th October 2024, a student of a secondary school in the Imeko Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State died after a teacher beat him with 162 strokes of cane for breaking a dustbin. There have been significant evidences that corporal punishment is detrimental to a productive learning environment.

From the review so far carried out, scholars attribute that disciplinary strategies are necessary to develop pupils’ character in public schools in Northeast senatorial district. Consequently, this has created a gap and efforts are made to bridge it with relevant information. The question therefore is can this study titled “Disciplinary Strategies and Pupils’ Character Development in Public Primary Schools” be used to reverse the negative pattern in pupils’ character development?

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The concept of discipline strategies offers significant benefits in fostering positive character development among pupils. It is believed that when effective discipline strategies are implemented, they can greatly enhance pupils' behavior and moral growth. However, in the course of writing this research, it has been observed that many educators struggle with implementing these strategies effectively. Common shortcomings include lack of oral reprimand, suspension, detention, corporal punishment and expulsion. These issues may hinder the successful application of discipline strategies, ultimately affecting pupils' character development.

Such challenges often stem from a lack of essential attributes, including oral reprimand, suspension, detention, corporal punishment and expulsion. This has become a significant concern for educational stakeholders, educators, pupils, and society at large. Despite numerous efforts by researchers to address these issues, the problem persists.

From the review so far, it has been observed that scholars attribute the challenges in pupils' character development to the absence of key traits like oral reprimand, suspension, detention, corporal punishment and expulsion, which are essential for effective disciplinary practices. This has created a gap in knowledge and practice, which the study titled “Discipline Strategies and Pupils' Character Development” aims to address. The question, therefore is can this study provide solutions to reverse the negative trends?

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to examine the effects of Discipline Strategies on Pupils' Character Development of primary school pupils in English language in Northeast Senatorial District, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to:

1. To examine the extent to which oral reprimand relates to pupils' character development in English.

2. To examine the extent to which suspension relates pupils' character development in English.

3. To examine the extent to which detention relates to pupils' character development in English.

4. To examine the extent to which corporal punishment relates to pupils' character development in English.

5. To examine the extent to which expulsion relates to pupils' character development in English.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study on discipline strategies and pupils' character development will benefit various groups, including faculties of education, colleges of education, teachers, and pupils at all levels, and society as a whole. The study's outcomes could prompt a review of the curriculum to incorporate programs or reforms aimed at strengthening discipline strategies and their implementation in schools. Faculties of education, colleges of education, and other teacher-training institutions may consider introducing innovative and creative approaches that empower educators to effectively nurture positive character traits in pupils.

Educational institutions will be encouraged to prioritize training and professional development for teachers, fostering supportive environments that enhance their ability to implement discipline strategies effectively. This can contribute to pupils’ moral and behavioral growth, creating a foundation for well-rounded individuals.

Furthermore, examining the relationship between discipline strategies and pupils' character development may inspire discussions and reforms in education. It can motivate educators to reflect on their current practices, adopt improved methods, and ensure they are equipped to guide pupils towards positive character building.

Finally, this study will serve as a valuable resource for researchers and a reference for educational policymakers, administrators, and planners. By understanding the factors that influence effective discipline and character development, stakeholders will be better positioned to create an educational system that promotes holistic development and prepares pupils for success in an interconnected and values-driven world.