Challenges Faced by School Heads in Handling Learners Discipline in Primary Schools: A Case Study Of 5 Schools in Khami District And 1 Mzilikazi District.

Abstract

This study sought to find out challenges faced by the school heads in handling learners' discipline in primary schools. A case study was supposed to be carried out in 5 primary schools in Khami District and 1primary School in Mzilikazi District. Only 5 schools participated in the study. The aim of this study was to examine challenges faced by the school heads in dealing with cases of indiscipline such as bullying, sexual involvement/ relationships and alcohol and drug abuse in khami District and Mzilikazi District with the aim of developing effective school disciplinary management. This qualitative study was set in the explanatory case study. The research tools compromise of semi structured and unstructured interviews and document review. The theoretical frameworks that inform this study are Dreikurs social Discipline model, Curwin and Mendler s model and Ivan Palvon theory. Cases of indiscipline in Zimbabwean schools, strategies used by the school heads to in curb indiscipline and stakeholders intervention in disciplinary matters were reviewed as foregrounds and literature to support the study. The findings of the study revealed that revealed that school heads have experienced disciplinary cases such as bullying and alcohol and drug substances in their schools and they paraphrase that relationships normally happen in out-going students of grade7 but no tangible cases were found on that. Counseling, Parental involvement are the effective disciplinary measures used by the school heads to mitigate mischievous behaviors among learners Punishment among disciplinary measures has been less effective in some cases. Some recommendations based on findings are that, parents should be encouraged to attend general meetings; new forms of punishment should be introduced by the school heads and school heads have to process every month cases of discipline.