GREAT ZIMBABWE UNIVERSITY

Factors contributing to learner continuous indiscipline behaviours

at four senior primary schools in Rundu Circuit, Kavango East
Region
RESEARCH PROPOSAL PRESENTATION

BY

FRANS NYUMBU MUKONDA

MASTERS OF EDUCATION PSYCHOLOGY
The presentation is in three parts

A) THE INTRODUCTION
B) LITERATURE REVIEW
C) RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
 Background of the study
O The global perspective
O Schools today have to deal with the problem of weapons, recruitment into
criminal groups rivet drugs and substance abuse, trafficking and youth
radicalisation.

O Examples includes countries like the USA which has been said to experience
a higher rate of school crimes compared to Britain and Canada as well as an
increase in the use of weapons over the decade (Flannery, 2021; Burton, etal
2021). A study in West Virginia in the United States of America (USA)
revealed that about 29.6% of 160,480 students (from grade 3 to 11) had one
or more referrals for inappropriate behaviors (Zhang, 2023). In France,
school indiscipline became a real plague. In the United Kingdom, according
to data from the University of Exeter, one out of every four students between
the ages 11 and 16 used to carry knives to school.
 The regional perspective
O In Africa, researchers have pointed out the seriousness of indiscipline in schools
in various countries. The countries include Ghana (Dapaah, etal 2023; Abonyi, &
Salifu, 2023), South Africa (Wolhuter, & Van der Walt, 2020; Gcelu, etal 2020),
Botswana (Makwinja, 2017).), Nigeria (Odebode, 2019; Umesi& Ikechukwu,
2023; Onwuamaeze, etal 2024), and Tanzania (Andrea, 2023; Massawe, etal
2023). Students’ indiscipline seemed to be ubiquitous in the 21st century in
Nigerian secondary schools. Umezinwa and Elendu for instance, observed that
indiscipline among learners in Nigeria was high and experienced at all levels
including primary schools. ). In Kenya, lack of discipline in schools has been one
of the challenges facing schools (Mariapragasam, etal 2024). The Kenya National
Examinations Council (KNEC) revealed that between 90% and 100% of teachers
in primary schools in Kenya encountered disciplinary problems among their
pupils (Ouma, 2023). Kenya has had indiscipline cases in form of arson, sexual
assault, rape, theft, sneaking out of schools, fighting, absenteeism, vandalism,
drug abuse, truancy, lateness, bullying among others (Lagat, etal 2023).
 The local perspective
O According to Nghipandulwa, (2023) indiscipline among learners at
many high schools in Namibia is one of the biggest “push factors”
that drive teachers away from the teaching profession. This fact does
not only apply to learners at secondary schools, but it is a national
problem that affects learners in primary schools as well.
O Since 1991, incidents of indiscipline have been increasing according
to reports from various educational regions in Namibia
(Nghipandulwa, 2023; Ayiawung, etal 2023). The growing incidents
of indiscipline at the school prompted the researcher to conduct this
research, as an effort to identify the causal agents and find ways on
how to mitigate the incidences of indiscipline at the school. It is the
scope of this study to identify the views of teachers and parents
regarding factors that contribute to learners’ continuous indiscipline
at four senior primary schools in Rundu Circuit, Kavango East
Region.
 Statement of the problem
O Indiscipline is one of the phenomena that is a major concern in Namibia, which is
posing a great challenge to the management of schools and learners’ school
performances. The introduction of teacher councillors in Namibian schools made
great hope of developing and nurturing responsible well-mannered learners, but
the statistics shown by the following table reveal the types of indiscipline
behaviours for the past five year (2019-2023) at the for four primary schools. The
learner’s indiscipline has raised red flag in managing the schools. The cases of
indiscipline learners at the four primary schools in Rundu Circuit are intensifying,
contrary to the expectations of the Educational Act of 2020, (Act No. 3 of 2020)
which make provisions that the school board with the concurrence of the parents,
learners and teachers, must draft and adopt a code of conduct aimed at establishing
a disciplined, purposeful, healthy, caring and supportive school environment,
dedicated to the improvement and maintenance of the quality of the teaching and
learning process.. The following statistics illustrate rise of cases of mischief.
Statement of the problem (cont)
O When students lack discipline, teaching and learning suffer
(Ayiawung, etal 2023; Burton, etal 2021; Onyango, 2018; Abonyi, &
Salifu, 2023), resulting in poor performance and dropouts. Some
consequences for the classroom environment and indiscipline have
been identified as a critical factor in teachers' work satisfaction on
learners' misbehavior, which is quite common in teachers' workplaces,
causing teachers to be under occupational stress, particularly young
and beginning teachers. These indiscipline behaviors are premeditated
to cause maximum destruction in classrooms. If these problems are
left unattended learners are likely to underperform and some of them
can be dismissed from school, which is not a good case at all.
Research objectives and questions

1.3 Main Research Objective

To investigate factors contributing to learner continuous indiscipline behaviours at
four primary schools in Rundu Circuit, Kavango East Region.

1.4 Specific Research

Objectives
1.4.1 To identify behaviors that constitutes learner indiscipline in selected schools in
Rundu Circuit, Kavango East Region.
 Research objectives

1.4.2 To determine the perception of teachers and parents regarding

factors contributing continuous in disciplinary behaviours of learners in
selected primary schools in Rundu Circuit, Kavango East Region.

1.4.3 To evaluate the strategies that can be used to mitigate factors

contributing to learner continuous indiscipline behaviors at four primary
schools in Rundu Circuit, Kavango East Region
 Research questions
O 1.5.1 What are the behaviors that constitute learner indiscipline in
selected schools in Rundu Circuit, Kavango East Region?
O 1.5.2 What are the perception of teachers and parents regarding
factors contributing continuous in disciplinary behaviors of learners in
selected primary schools in Rundu Circuit, Kavango East Region?
O 1.5.3 what strategies that can be used to mitigate factors contributing
to learner continuous indiscipline behaviors at four primary schools in
Rundu Circuit, Kavango East Region?
The significance of the study
O The findings of this study might help the schools to identify the root
causes of indiscipline among the learners.
O The results of the study may also help the Ministry of Education Arts
and Culture, policy makers to review the existing code of conduct for
learners and other relevant discipline policies.
O Equally, the school management and parents might be guided by
identified causal agents of indiscipline among learners, and this may
help to facilitate the instillation of discipline among learners.
O Furthermore, the findings of this study might be valuable to teachers
and parents to help learners to understand their responsibilities in
terms of restoration of discipline among learners at schools,
notwithstanding the finding of this study might of vital to the learners
themselves as it may eliminate some unnecessary behaviors
 Limitation of the study
O 1.7.1 Resistance to divulge some information:
O 1.7.2 Time constraints:
 Delimitations
O The study’s focus is only on the factors contributing to continuous
learners’ indiscipline in selected four primary schools in Rundu
circuit, Kavango East Region only.
 Assumptions
In carrying out this research, the researcher assumes that:

- The respondents will give truthful data during data collection

- This research results from the selected schools will be the same results
obtained if the research is to be done at other schools in Kavango East
Region.

- Indiscipline makes students to fail their exams

- Well-disciplined students they perform better than undisciplined

students in school
 Literature review
O Theoretical Framework
The study will be based on Ajzen's (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior.
This theory suggests that behaviour is dependent on an individual’s
intention towards performance which is determined by one’s attitude and
subjective norms beliefs about what other people think the person should
do or general social pressure. Character is also determined by an
individual’s perceived behavioural control, defined as an individual’s
perceptions of their ability or feeling of self-efficacy to behave.
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

O Research paradigm
O This study is premised within social constructivism to help the
research understand the factors contributing to continuous indiscipline
behavior of learners in selected four primary schools of Rundu
Circuit, Kavango East Region. Social constructivism would help me,
the researcher, examine the origins of these indiscipline behaviors of
learners within the school environment. As a social constructivist, the
social environment is important to me as it shapes human individuals’
thoughts, feelings, and behaviour
 RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY(cont)
O 3.2 Research Approach
OQualitative research

Oqualitative research approach enables the researcher to explore

the origins of indiscipline behaviours and construct knowledge which
can be useful in mitigating the negative impacts of indiscipline
behaviour within the school environment.
 RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY( cont)
O 3.3 The Research design
O . The study adopted a case study research design. The case study
design was chosen as it allows the research to study in detail to the
factors contributing to learner continuous indiscipline behaviours at
four senior primary schools in Rundu Circuit, Kavango East Region.
Focusing on a single case affords the study an opportunity to
thoroughly investigate the factors underpinning continuous
indiscipline among learners at the schools.
 Population and sampling
O Target population
O The target population for this study consists of the parents, teachers
and learners per school at four selected Primary School in Rundu
circuit, Kavango East Region.
Population and sampling (cont)
O Sample
The sample of this study will constitute of the four parents, twelve
teachers and twenty four learners of the four primary school.
Population and sampling (cont)
O Sampling procedure
O The study will use purposive sampling in selecting the sample.

O Sampe size.

O A sample of 40 participants will be selected

 Data Collection instruments
O Interviews
O Open ended interview schedule for Principals and teachers will be
used to get information on the experiences, knowledge, feelings,
opinions and views on learner’s indiscipline in selected four senior
primary Schools.
 Data collection procedure
O Before the interviews will be conducted and the semi-structured
questions will be administered to the participants, the researcher
requests permission from the principal of the schools. After pilot
testing and revision of the research instruments, personal interviews
will be administered among principals, teachers and learners. The
researcher explains to the participants on how the interviews will be
conducted. Interviews will be conducted on the days that will be
convenient for the participants. Furthermore, consent will be obtained
from the participants before personal interviews will be conducted.
 Research Ethics
O The issue of the ethics of practice in research is widely discussed
(Gay, Mills and Airasian, 2019). Likando as cited by Jarvis (2017)
argues for the universal good of respecting persons as an overriding
moral principle that should guide all educational practice including
research. After gaining access to the territory of research, the
researcher explains the purpose of the study to the respondents.
Respondents will be assured that the information that is obtained
from them will not be used for any other purpose except for
understanding the teachers’ and learners’ views regarding factors
contributing to learners’ continuous indiscipline at the four senior
primary schools
 Research Ethic(cont)
O Respondents will also be assured that their identity will not be
exposed to anybody. The researcher will inform the respondents about
the study and obtains consent to ensure that participation in the
research is voluntary. All research respondents will be informed that
they have the right to remain anonymous and confidentiality of both
the respondents and the data will be protected at all times (Johnson
and Christensen, 2014).
 Data Analysis
O The data collected through interviews will be analyzed using content
analysis since it will be a qualitative study. This process enables the
researcher to organize data into themes and categories from which
meaning of participants’ views regarding discipline problems in the
selected four primary schools will be determined. According to Best
and Kahn (2016, p.270) data analysis is a process that entails three
sequential stages. The first step involves organizing of information
into a database. Once the data has been organized, the researcher
moves to the second step which involves synthesis, evaluation and
integration of data.
 Data Analysis(cont)
O The final and most crucial phase is interpretation in the form of
drawing deductions and conclusions where the researcher explains the
findings, attached significance to particular results and placed patterns
into an analytic frame work
 Trustworthiness
Credibility
O Credibility in this study will be addressed by strictly following all the steps
of the research process. In addition after analysing the results will be taken
to the participants for validation.
Dependability
O A dependability audit trail will be conducted to ensure that all processes
were followed. Verbatim quotes will also be used to illustrate direct words
spoken by the participants.
Transferability
O A transferability audit trail will be conducted to ensure that all the
processes of the research were strictly adhered to. In addition thick
(detailed) descriptions of analysis and findings will be presented.
Confirmability
O In this study confirmability will be addressed through participant validation
and quoting the participants verbatim. Participants will confirm whether the
results reflect the data they contributed.
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