Various views around the globe have been given about the factors that contribute to learner misbehaviour in schools. Researchers have conducted extensive studies on the phenomenon of learner discipline where many causes which have led to its occurrence in schools locally, nationally and internationally have been properly documented (Mbatha, 2018). To deal effectively with the problem of learners’ discipline in school, reasons why the behaviour occurs must be understood clearly (Thompson, 2018). When analysing these problems, different categories will be indicated to make it possible to understand them better from their causes. In Namibia, for example, documented factors of learner discipline are alcohol abuse; teachers as poor role models; politics; and negative influences by the mass media (Mushaandja, 2016). In this research, the following are discussed as the factors contributing to learner discipline problems in secondary school:
Figure 2.7: Contributing factors to learner discipline
2.15.1 Family Factors
The problem of lack of parental involvement and parental supervision may also be the source of learner misbehaviour in secondary schools in Namibia (Nzuve, 2018). It is believed that different circumstances in families have greater influence over the learners’ behaviour other than what takes place in the school. Felix (2017) is of the view that a well-balanced, healthy family life and good parents are the most important teachers and the cornerstone of teaching and education in schools and in adult life. Brunette (2018) states that within the intimate living space of the parents’ home, the foundations are laid for the child’s future psychological, physical, emotional and social life. Lack of discipline among learners according to Timothy (2015) is the mirror of what is taking place in the society in which they live. This view is supported by the research of Ozigi (2018) who found parents as people who contribute to learner’s indiscipline as poor examples. Personal experience has shown that poor achieving learners may be the result of poverty at home, absent parents or empty stomachs, and not necessarily because of misbehaviour. We
Contributing factors Media influence Influence of friends School environment Influence of gender and race Family factors Socio- economic and political factors Curriculum relevance
should therefore encourage parents to provide an ideal home for their children to the best of their ability.
2.15.2 Socioeconomic and Political Factors
The school environment is either positively or negatively impacted by the society (Brunette, 2017) and the school as a social system is also affected by what goes on in the society and vice versa. In the same vein, Ndamani (2018) suggests that the problem of indiscipline amid learners is mainly an indication of the morals, attitudes and deeds of their community. The presidential committee report on learners in Namibian secondary schools (2011) strongly supported the view that learners discipline problems are impacted by the eroded societal values. Many sociologists and teachers maintain that moral values are essential for the operation of human society. Brunette (2017) stated that with shared values, teachers and learners would be unlikely to cooperate and work together. Moral values are, for Brunette (2017), the foundation of the social order, and society is perpetuated through its educational institutions. For example, discipline is the morality of the classroom/school, and without it the school/class is like a mob. Masabo, Muchopa and Kuoth (2017) saw values as the first contributing factor for unrest as well as indiscipline in our education institutions. Yusuph (2017) mentioned unhappy parents, poor supervision, and fear for the future and mob psychology as social factors which negatively or positively influence learner discipline.
Regarding the learner behaviour in Namibian schools, Mushaandja (2016) stated that the political situation was to blame. This view is supported by Okinda (2015) who found the period between 1990 and 2005 as characterised by learner strikes in secondary schools which lead to injuries, deaths and vandalism of school facilities. Furthermore, indiscipline is seen by Koki (2015) as problematic within numerous learning institutions and could be recognised to have negative internal and exterior influences that cause learners to have a lack of sense of purpose and direction. In addition, he further indicated that teenagers have been exposed to immorality, pornography and violence in their communities and on the media. This view is confirmed by Hausiku (2015) who revealed that learners are exposed to negative role models in their community. The abuse of drugs, sexual harassment or bullying are identified by Lilemba (2015) as various negative acts that learners imitate and
learn from the society around them which may negatively impact upon behaviour at school. Yusuph (2017) affirmed and identified parents’ economic status as a factor that may affect children’s behaviour in schools; for example, girls engage in sex work to get money to buy food for the family.
2.15.3 The Relevance of the Curriculum
The curriculum’s relevance to the learners’ needs also influences discipline of the school. Hausiku (2015) is of the view that when the curriculum offers subjects which are irrelevant to many learners, such learners will lose interest. This can be a source of misbehaviour at school as children will indulge themselves in many types of misbehaviour. In support of the above, Baglin-Jones and Jones (2017) explained that if the curriculum is irrelevant, learners may regard various courses as having little or no bearing on their lives. For example, woodwork is not an examination subject in many schools and therefore it is regarded by learners as a less important subject. Misbehaviour can also stem from a curriculum that is not sufficient challenging or that is challenging for some learners, which is likely to cause frustration and bad conduct as a means of passing time and venting frustration (Mwamwenda, 2018).
2.15.4 The Influence of Friends
How learners speak, walk, eat, behave, learn, believe and even what they wear, is influenced by friends. It is suggested by Esire (2016) that the most important determinants of the adolescents’ self-image and behaviour is determined by the need to belong to and identify with friends which might shape a way of life within the learning institution which may result in organising a rebellious group. It is explained by Yusuph (2017) that, due to poor choices of friends, learners sometimes find themselves doing certain things which they are not even prepared to do just to satisfy their peers even if they know for sure that what they are doing is totally wrong; for example, theft, skipping classes, alcohol and drug abuse. This view is supported by the research of Magwa and Ngara (2014) who found that when the deviant learners interact without restriction with deviant friends, they will become even more deviant.
2.15.5 The Influence of Gender and Race
An essential factor worth looking into in terms of how it affects the degree of learner disciplinary problems is the gender of the learner (Nene, 2013). This is consistent with the observation of Jordan and Anil (2016) who saw urban American male adolescents as people who experience disproportionately higher rates of corrective discipline than girls, as well as suspensions and expulsions which can be attributed to environmental factors such as cultural conflicts and misunderstandings related to their own cultures and that of the school. The disparity between the genders was brought to the fore by Londa (2017) when she indicated that African Americans appear to have more disciplinary problems of a more severe nature than their peers in other nations. In this regard, Kirah (2018) explained the difference between how female learners and male learners challenge their teachers with regard to disciplinary matters by pointing out that male learners resort to physical measures and direct confrontation to overtly challenge teachers, while girls confront teachers by wearing earrings and make-up, disregarding the dress code and sexual flaunting. 2.15.6 The Influence of Media
Media are a major contributing factor to student behaviour in schools (Mushaandja, 2016). Semali and Vumilia (2016) and Yusuph (2017) believe that media such as television, newspaper, radio, and social media have been promoting sexuality and alcohol as evidence of a fashionable lifestyle and a successful life. The study further showed that in using social media, learners see and watch violence, pornography and acts of aggression which influences their behaviour negatively. These views are consistent with the observation of Beebeejaun-Mushum (2014) who found that media negatively influence the behaviour of learners in secondary schools. The claim is supported by Amutenya (2016) who pointed out that violence on television affect the actions of the learners, and reported that, for example, by the time they reach adulthood, children could have watched approximately 15 000 acts of violence on television. As per the researcher’s own experience, learners who spend hours watching television ‘soapies’ or action movies are reported to display problematic behaviour both at school and home. This view is supported by Ngwakabwenei (2015) who pointed out that some parents allow their children to watch any television programme without censorship; as a result, some children copy what they have
seen, such as sexual behaviour, violence and disobedience. The claim is supported by Woolfolk (2018) who confirmed that the teacherngsters nowadays watch many acts of violence around the world and copy these acts and use them on their friends and teachers in schools.
2.15.7 The School Environment
Disciplinary problems may arise because of the school environment. In this regard, every teacher must be committed to ensure that learning institutions provides secure and tidy surroundings in which proper instructions takes place daily. It is pointed out by Edinyang (2017) that learners who come from a permissive environment are believed to cause disciplinary problems in schools as they exhibit destructive behaviour and disrespect for both teachers as well as school property. Pancho (2016) revealed that teachers contribute to their indiscipline by being unprepared, being absent, lateness, drunkenness or sexual misconduct. Felix (2017) asserts that, if teachers come to class unprepared, learners will lose self-confidence and will doubt the capabilities of the teachers. Antonio (2017) agrees with Smith and Amushigamo (2016) who explained that, if the subject content is boring, the behaviour of learners will break down resulting in learner misbehaviour such as noise making, late coming and truancy. The views above are confirmed by Disgrace (2016) who states that some behaviours exhibited by teachers lead to learner misbehaviour in schools. It is therefore vital to note that the relationships that teachers establish with learners will impact classroom discipline. Charles (2017) explains that if learners are left unsupervised, this will cause chaos which can range from vandalism, noise making, and physical fighting which can sometimes cause injuries or the death of a learner. These views are affirmed by Hausiku (2015) who reported an incident where a learner at Rundu Secondary School went on the rampage, accusing some teachers of being habitual drunkards.
2.16 CHALLENGES TEACHERS FACE WHEN MAINTAINING LEARNER