THE PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS OF PUNISHMENT ADMINISTERED ON STUDENTS BY SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

Thesis Overview

IntroductionIn Nigeria today, acts of delinquency and violence among secondary school students have become a major problem, which both the school system and the society at large are contending with. These problems appear in form of destruction of school and public properties, cheating in examinations, alcoholism, drug abuse and addiction, sexual offences, stealing, truancy, rudeness, fighting, bullying, verbal abuse, and defiance of constituted authorities, just to name a few. Consequently, effective disciplinary techniques are needed to curb such negative conducts and to maintain discipline in secondary schools. However, the major issue that parents and teachers should consider in relation to discipline is how the measures used can contribute to a high level of positive socialization and character development in children.Counselling ImplicationsThe aim of all forms of discipline of children must be to develop good characters in the form of social conscience. The various disciplinary measures adopted by the schools are yet to achieve their aims. Often, secondary school students are involved in cases of violence and delinquencies, which are reported by the media. These disciplinary measures are deficient either because they are not appropriate or in the techniques of their application and administration. Therefore, this study involves an evaluation of the perception of secondary school teachers on the effectiveness of physical punishment as a disciplinary measure in selected secondary schools in Ile-Ife, Osun State.Counselling ImplicationsStatement of the ProblemThere is no consensus of opinions about the effects of physical punishments on students. While a school of thought views it as harmful and negative, another sees it as corrective and positive. However, at various times different forms of physical punishment have been adopted in secondary schools as disciplinary measures and yet, the deserved ends are not usually achieved. Even the efforts of the families, the government and some stakeholders in the education industry towards controlling the negative and anti-social acts involved by secondary school students have not yielded positive results.