Abstract:
This study aimed to assess the role of school disciplinary committees in addressing alcohol and substance abuse among students. The primary focus was on managing disciplinary issues in secondary schools. The research had three main objectives: to evaluate the committees’ perception of alcohol and substance abuse as a form of indiscipline, to analyze the factors contributing to alcohol and drug abuse among students, and to examine the strategies employed by the disciplinary committees to curb these issues. The study was conducted in four selected community day secondary schools in Machinga district, under the South East Education Division (SEED).
A qualitative approach was used, involving interviews and document review. Guided by an interpretive research paradigm, the study targeted school disciplinary committee members and students. The researcher randomly chose clusters, from which the four schools were selected. Within the school discipline committees, three members were chosen at random, including the deputy who is by default the chair, and two other staff members. For example, if the committee had eight members, the deputy was automatically the chair, with the remaining two members having a probability of 1/7 and 1/6, respectively. For the students, one focus group was formed by selecting one head boy and one head girl from each school to participate in a discussion at a convenient venue.
The researcher adopted a case study design to allow for an in-depth examination of how alcohol and substance abuse is managed within the specific school context. The findings revealed that many teachers lacked a comprehensive understanding of these issues. While they had some knowledge, they struggled to connect key concepts related to alcohol and substance abuse. Various factors, including peer pressure, family dynamics, community norms, media influence, easy access to substances, student depression, poverty, lack of awareness, cultural influences, school-related stress, and insufficient parental guidance, were identified as contributing to substance abuse among students.
Preventive strategies employed by the school disciplinary committees included collaboration between teachers and parents, punitive measures for guilty students, civic education on the dangers of substance abuse, and enforcing strict school rules and regulations. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education provide regular training for teachers and school staff on recognizing and managing substance abuse, and establish systems to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of prevention and intervention strategies.
