Exploring Learner Behavior within School Context: A Study of Disciplinary Committees in Selected Secondary Schools of Southern Zambia

This study aimed at establishing how disciplinary committees managed learner behaviour within the school context. The objectives of the study were to: establish how Disciplinary Committees dealt with acts of indiscipline; explore the perceptions of head teachers, deputy head teachers, senior teachers, class teachers and pupils on indiscipline; and identify strategies used by Disciplinary Committees in handling pupil indiscipline in selected secondary schools of Southern, Zambia. Purposive sampling procedure was used to select the head teachers, deputy head teachers, and class teachers, while random sampling procedure was employed to select pupils who participated in the study. The findings of the study revealed that punishment in form of manual work, suspension, and forced transfers were used. However, the penalty depended on the gravity of the case and this was done depending on the case done by the learners. With regard to the perceptions of the pupils and members of the disciplinary committees, it was found that most pupils knew where to report the cases of indiscipline in school.  They also perceived these committees as effective enough in combating pupil indiscipline in school. As regards the strategies used by disciplinary committees to overcome indiscipline in schools, it was found that sensitization of the learners proved to be the most effective way of improving pupil behavior in schools. Furthermore, incorporating guidance and counselling services was yet another important method which the schools employed. Based on the findings, the study recommended inter alia that regular marking of the school attendance register by teachers should be enhanced and students who absent themselves from school without permission from the school should be dealt with so as to serve as deterrent measure to others. Disciplinary committees in schools should also consider having meetings more frequently so that they can discuss new ways and means of fighting Indiscipline.