Best ways to curb crime in schools

Apr 15, 2015

SO, what causes some students to continuously adopt a rebellious streak at school? There are certainly many factors ranging from boredom, lack of interest for studies

By Bright Balinaine and Vivian Agaba

 

WHAT had earlier on started as a normal candidates’ send-off party at St. Edward’s went out of hand.

 

This was a few minutes to 10:00pm,  a few years ago, when students became rowdy following closure of the night’s dance session. Girls had been instructed to return to their dormitories and the boys were expected to vacate the dance hall and also resume their normal school routine that night. 

 

That did not go well with the boys, who shut down the schools’ power line, took the reins of the school’s operation and caused havoc. Some of the boys, that night raided the girls’ wing and slept with some of their girlfriends. A mess, it was.

 

But all, this comes to the issue of discipline in schools; which is gradually deteriorating. Strikes are nowadays the order of the day in some of the schools, alcoholism, hooliganism, theft and escaping from school, being some of the most rampant cases recorded in schools.

 

So, what causes some students to continuously adopt a rebellious streak at school? There are certainly many factors ranging from boredom, lack of interest for studies, negative peer influence to social and psychological issues.

 

In such cases, methods of punishment would hardly deter the students who hold school in very low esteem.  If anything, for some of them, a punishment is a badge of honour, to be worn with pride, to prove to others that they have what it takes to defy the school rules while a rustication could be interpreted as simply a break from school.

 

What should be done, to curb violence in schools?

Unwanted stuffs like drugs, cigarettes, alcohol and mobile phones always find their way into the school premises and few weeks into the term, their residues are loitering all over the compound and one wonders where they passed.

 

Richard Tenywa, a teacher at Jinja Progressive S.S says students bring in illegal items hidden amongst other acceptable drinks and foods like bread and quencher, and yet teachers who less suspect students to use such channels will not mind checking thoroughly well.

 

“It is paramount for teachers and parents to tighten a noose and thoroughly check students’ suitcases to sort out any unwanted items that would be imported into dormitories in disguise of acceptable ones,” he adds

 

Citing an example of a pupil who brought a pornographic movie at school after seeing her parents watch it, John Martin Owino, that headmaster of Namirembe primary school says today, sexual behaviors are rampant in schools.

 

Due to immoral media programs, students are exposed to pornography in absence of their parents who barely have time to monitor and regulate what learners watch.

 

“Parents should monitor the kind of media or TV programs their children watch to ensure they are not watching pornographic movies which will influence them into finding sexual partners which in itself has consequences,” says Owino

 

The head teacher for Busoga High Charles Kezia says some, media content are educative and students can learn several lessons from them. However, they should be monitored in order to help students benefit from them other than watching pornographic films.

 

“We technological advancement and social networking websites, students are getting more access to all kinds of information, which needs to be restricted,” Kaziba adds

 

Punishing undisciplined teachers

Though many crimes are committed by learners, some teachers through media reports have been involved in sexual abuse of own students and how can such a crime be handled?  

 

Emily Mwaka, a teacher at Our Lady of Good Counsel says it is totally unethical for a teacher to date or even sexually abuse a student.

 

“A teacher is like a parent to a learner. How can a parent date or sexually abuse his or her own child?  Any teacher who sleeps or attempts to sleep with students, should be severely be punished and expelled,” Mwaka explains.

 

Dodging lessons

As a student if you have ever dodged any lesson, stayed in the dormitory for whatever reasons you had, the worst moment was when you got netted.

 

There are others when they do not want to study, will pretend to be sick and spend some good days in the sick-bay while others will ask for permission to go home for treatment even when they are not even sick.

 

Sylivia Busingye also a parent says school administrators should carry out impromptu roll calls in classes and dormitories and whoever found to have dodged class should be punished or suspended.

 

Punishing drug abusers, smokers and alcoholics

Apart from drug abuse, some students are actively involved in smoking, alcohol consumption and escaping from school. These three evils have for long rocked schools leaving some students addicted.

 

Control strikes

These are menaces in schools and may at time lead to vandalism and destruction of school property. Schools should have platforms on which students are able to raise their grievances and this in turn will help prevent unnecessary strikes.

 

“Teachers in conjunction with parents should create a platform that allows students address their grievances and challenges thus leaving no room for strikes,” says Kawooya.

 

Moureen Bakoye, literature teacher at Mityana secondary school says communication among parents, teachers and students plays a magic role. 

 

While the three ends have to be proactive and honest in order to address the problem and avoid blaming anyone, Bakoye adds that if parents forge a bond with the children’s teachers, they can present a unified front to the student.

 

Parental involvement

Parents make a difference in student achievement and behavior modeling, according to several studies.

 

This is not to say that all parental involvement will be positive or have a measurable effect on student behavior. Nonetheless, this is an area which many successful schools claim makes a huge difference.

 

Vicent Butelaba, the head teacher of Luzinga Secondary School, says creating and enforcing of School wide discipline plan involving all stakeholders can help to mitigate crime and indiscipline in schools.

 

Fair reputation and expectation

“While there are sometimes justifying circumstances that require administrators to make adjustments for individual students, overall students who misbehave should be treated similarly,” says Kalela Alex, head of disciplinary committee royal high school, Iganga

 

On the other hand, schools must institute high expectations for behavior achievements as a whole.

 

Michael Rutter researched the effect of high expectations at school and reported his findings in the book titled Fifteen Hundred Hours. He argues that schools that foster high self-esteem and that promote social and scholastic success reduce the likelihood of emotional and behavioral disturbance.

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