Effect of Teacher Support on Students' Discipline in Public Secondary School in Tharaka-Nithi County
Loading...
Date
2025-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
EdinBurg Peer-Reviewed Journals and Books Publishers
Abstract
Student indiscipline remains a persistent challenge in many public secondary schools in
Tharaka-Nithi County, undermining academic progress, disrupting learning environments, and
increasing the financial burden associated with repairing damaged school property. While
multiple factors contribute to student behaviour, teacher support has increasingly been
recognized as a critical determinant of learners’ discipline and overall school adjustment. This
study examined the effect of teacher support on students’ discipline in public secondary schools
in Tharaka-Nithi County. Guided by Invitational Theory, which emphasizes the role of
supportive interpersonal relationships in shaping positive student outcomes, the study adopted
a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. The target population comprised students,
teachers, and principals from public secondary schools in the county, from which a sample was
selected using stratified, systematic, and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected
using questionnaires for students and teachers and interview schedules for principals. The
reliability coefficients for student and teacher questionnaires were 0.831 and 0.731,
respectively, indicating high internal consistency. Quantitative data were analyzed using
descriptive statistics and simple linear regression, while qualitative data were analyzed
thematically. The findings revealed that teacher support had a statistically significant effect on
students’ discipline, indicating that learners who perceive their teachers as caring,
approachable, fair, and academically supportive are more likely to exhibit positive behaviour
and comply with school rules. The study concludes that strengthened teacher–student
relationships play a vital role in fostering disciplined learning environments. It recommends
that schools invest in teacher mentorship programmes, continuous professional development
on positive discipline strategies, and policies that promote supportive and empathetic teacher–
student interactions to enhance discipline in public secondary schools
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Citation
Kiiru, W. I., Muchanje, P. N., & Ndiritu, J. (2025).Effect of Teacher Support on Students' Discipline in Public Secondary School in Tharaka-Nithi County. Journal of Education,5(5), 21-33.