Influence of mental harassment ban on student discipline in secondary schools in Kenya: A case study of Ugenya, Gem and Siaya Sub-Counties

Abstract

The Kenya government banned Mental Harassment in schools as stipulated in The Basic Education Act, 2013. This was as a result of the recommendations of the Task Force on Student Discipline and Unrests in Secondary Schools, which revealed that Mental Harassment was one of the major contributors to indiscipline among students. Despite the ban, the level of indiscipline in schools had remained a major concern in Ugenya, Gem and Siaya sub-counties, where cases of indiscipline for the years 2010 – 2015 were 514 (51%) higher than those experienced in Siaya County, 694 (44%) and national, 51,600 (42.7%) for the same period. It is important to note that mental harassment is one of the strategies still used in managing students despite the ban and the fact that it was found wanting and counterproductive at a time when discipline cases among students had hit the ceiling; in the early part of this 21st Century. The high level of indiscipline had been characterized by students’ threats against school authorities, arson, vandalism, physical attack on teachers, unrests, strikes, complaints of high-handedness, drug abuse, sexual harassment and terrorist threats. All these infractions were mainly targeted at teachers, school administrators and school prefects. Mental harassment as a strategy of managing student discipline involves: reprimanding, use of abusive and belittling language, sarcasm, sexual harassment, name calling, shouting, verbal warnings, insults, detention, withdrawal of privileges, scolding and unwarranted criticisms that inflict psychological pain or leads to psychological torture. Mental harassment is mainly used to curb infractions …