PART A
Observations
Students wandering and roaming around: Most students see it fit to loiter
when teachers are absent. They see free periods as time to do as they please
and take no regard to the school rules. Free periods are supposed to be a time
to study in class, yet they take advantage and wander off to forbidden places
around the school. During time for lessons, one can spot a significant number
of students not in their classes usually in a group.
Not responding to the bell: Usually when the bell rings students wait for a
teacher or prefect to come and tell them to get into class, as if they did not
hear it. Sometimes prefects may actually fail to get students into class, as they
would refuse to comply with their orders. It usually takes a number of prefects
or a teacher to handle one class.
Not attending lessons: Students are not attending lessons. A class of 30
students usually has only 20 students in a lesson and sometimes EVEN 15
STUDENTS. That’s half the class absent. Students see it fit to just exit any lesson
as they please. Only a few are always present, the rest choose to not attend
any lesson the dislike.
Signs of disrespect: Students lack respect for prefects, visitors and even staff
members. The do not greet their seniors or even teachers. Whenever a teacher
or prefect walks into a classroom the just simply stare waiting for them to greet
them first. Boys do not take off their hats when under a roof and much less
when greeting teachers.
Some not in proper school uniform: Some student attend school in incorrect
school uniform. Be it something as small as coloured socks, to others
completely altering the school dress code. Girls may also get into the habit of
coming to school in short skirts to get male attention. Other may add additional
material to their uniform and make indecent alterations.
Late Entry: Most of the first period will have only a few students, this is
because most would not have arrived. Some have genuine reasons for late
entry, but most would just want to be late. This greatly pulls back the progress
of the class. Students are deciding to start school when they please.
Open love affairs: Student are having love affairs, from the Form Ones to the
upper streams. It has now become a common thing to be in relationship and
one is regarded as ‘weird’ if not in one. These affairs may take place in class or
during break time. You will observe students paired up male and female. This
hinders school work and takes a student’s attention away. It can be seen that
students are putting great value in these short-term relationships.
Questionnaire To Student
1) What do you say about the behaviour of students at our school?
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2) Would you encourage the behaviour of your classmates?
Yes No
3) What can you say about the current teacher-to-student relationship at our
school?
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4) Do you think the current behaviour of our learners will help them achieve
significant goals in life?
Yes No
5) What would you suggest be done to put an end to this indiscipline?
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Questionnaire To Student
1) What do you say about the behaviour of students at our school?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Would you encourage the behaviour of your classmates?
Yes No
3) What can you say about the current teacher-to-student relationship at our
school?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Do you think the current behaviour of our learners will help them achieve
significant goals in life?
Yes No
5) What would you suggest be done to put an end to this indiscipline?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questionnaire To Teacher
1) What do you say about the behaviour of students at our school?
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2) Do the students show the adequate respect a learner should have?
Yes No
3) What can you say about the current teacher-to-student relationship at our
school?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Do you think the current behaviour of our learners will help them achieve
significant goals in life?
Yes No
5) What would you suggest be done to put an end to this indiscipline?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questionnaire To Community Member
1) What do you say about the behaviour of students at our school?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Do the students show the adequate respect a learner should have?
Yes No
3) What can you say about the current teacher-to-student relationship at our
school?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Do you think the current behaviour of our learners will help them achieve
significant goals in life?
Yes No
5) What would you suggest be done to put an end to this indiscipline?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Solutions
Guiding and Counselling sessions to students: These will help the learner
understand what is right and what is wrong and shade some light on
consequences of things like relationships. Guidance and Counselling sessions
will help the student in choosing the right path in life especially those with no
parental guidance. These can be conducted by the class teacher.
Employing security personnel in school to assist at point of exit and entry: In
so doing this will ensure that students do not go in and out of the school as
they please. This will also help with those that choose to enter the school late
as after a certain time no one will be allowed to enter or exit the school yard.
Parental Involvement: It is important for parents to be regularly involved in
their child’s day-to-day life. Teachers should be able to communicate with
parents and let them know their child’s behaviour at school. Usually it is
important for parents to give their children guidance to ensure there good
behaviour at school and other places. Parents should be able to properly
discipline their children.
Expelling those caught off side: Anyone caught on the wrong side should be
expelled. Once a student has been caught showing bad behaviour a suitable
punishment should be assigned depending on the weight of the situation. For
minor cases simple suspension is advised, but for much bigger cases there is
need for expelling students. No form of bad behaviour should go unnoticed.
Encouraging learners to attend church services: Church services will help
learners in acting right, even at school. Church plays an important role in
character development. It is a good idea to place a short service once every
week. This will help students to grow mentally and spiritually, reducing bad
behaviour. These services will teach children how to live a life in God and teach
them about crucial attributes such as respect, humility and kindness
Selecting an effective prefect body: When selecting prefect, those with a
strong sense of leadership should be chosen. For an effective prefect body one
should have a good image not only to the teachers but should appeal to fellow
learners. A prefect should be someone people are willing to follow, someone
who is likeable yet respected. No one is willing to follow a person they do not
like or respect. Prefects should be people the learners can look up to and be
their role models. A prefect should be able to work under pressure and handle
the heat.
Christ Ministries High School
16943 Bishop Gaul Ave South
Belvedere
Harare
25 March 2023
The Head
Christ Ministries High School
16943 Bishop Gaul Ave South
Belvedere
Harare
Dear Sir/Madam
RE: Indiscipline among the current learners at our school
I write this letter in deep concern about the way students have been behaving
and suggesting ways to put an end to this.
First and foremost, students are wandering and roaming around. Most
students see it fit to loiter when teachers are absent. They see free periods as
time to do as they please and take no regard to the school rules. Free periods
are supposed to be a time to study in class, yet they take advantage and
wander off to forbidden places around the school. During time for lessons, one
can spot a significant number of students not in their classes usually in a group.
Students are not responding to the bell. Usually when the bell rings students
wait for a teacher or prefect to come and tell them to get into class, as if they
did not hear it. Sometimes prefects may actually fail to get students into class,
as they would refuse to comply with their orders. It usually takes a number of
prefects or a teacher to handle one class.
These can be stopped by selecting an effective prefect body. When selecting
prefect, those with a strong sense of leadership should be chosen. For an
effective prefect-body one should have a good image not only to the teachers
but should appeal to fellow learners. A prefect should be someone people are
willing to follow, someone who is likeable yet respected. No one is willing to
follow a person they do not like or respect. Prefects should be people the
learners can look up to and be their role models. A prefect should be able to
work under pressure and handle the heat.
Another concerning thing is the increase in open love affairs. Student are
having love affairs, from the Form Ones to the upper streams. It has now
become a common thing to be in relationship and one is regarded as ‘weird’ if
not in one. These affairs may take place in class or during break time. You will
observe students paired up male and female. This hinders school work and
takes a student’s attention away. It can be seen that students are putting great
value in these short-term relationships.
Guiding and counselling sessions to students are needed. These will help the
learner understand what is right and what is wrong and shade some light on
consequences of things like relationships. Guidance and Counselling sessions
will help the student in choosing the right path in life especially those with no
parental guidance. These can be conducted by the class teacher.
Late Entry is also to be concerning. Most of the first period will have only a few
students, this is because most would not have arrived. Some have genuine
reasons for late entry, but most would just want to be late. This greatly pulls
back the progress of the class. Students are deciding to start school when they
please.
Employing security personnel in school to assist at point of exit and entry will
end this problem. In so doing this will ensure that students do not go in and
out of the school as they please. This will also help with those that choose to
enter the school late as after a certain time no one will be allowed to enter or
exit the school yard.
I hope this helps end indiscipline and help improve the behaviour of learners
Yours faithfully
Tinotenda Mukosera
