Educationist calls for consultative approach to discipline in schools

A senior educationist has urged schools in Kenya to adopt more inclusive and consultative approaches to discipline, saying learners should be guided to understand school rules and their purpose rather than simply being expected to obey instructions without explanation.

Leonard King’oo, Deputy Principal for Primary and Junior School at Moi Educational Centre, said discipline in modern learning institutions should be built on communication, participation, and shared responsibility between teachers, learners, and parents. He stressed that involving learners in rule-making processes helps reduce conflict, improve behaviour, and strengthen accountability in schools.

Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Tuesday, King’oo said education systems need to move away from rigid instruction models and instead embrace participatory structures where learners are actively engaged in shaping school expectations alongside teachers and parents.

He noted that at Moi Educational Centre, the school has adopted structured systems that promote learner participation in leadership and communication processes, a model he said has helped strengthen discipline and reduce misunderstandings within the institution.

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According to him, school rules must be consistently communicated and reinforced through regular platforms such as assemblies, class discussions, and pastoral programmes to ensure learners fully understand expected behaviour.

He explained that repetition plays a key role in shaping discipline among students, especially when it comes to social conduct and resisting peer pressure.

“we also have to repeat some of the rules that we think touch on their conduct, and especially on how they relate with each other, how they can be able to fight peer pressure, how they can then be able to observe the rules and coexist,” he outlined, stressing the importance of repetition and clarity in shaping behaviour.

King’oo further said that discipline becomes more effective when learners understand the reasons behind rules, particularly those linked to safety, behaviour, and social interaction within schools.

He added that students should be made aware of possible consequences in advance to prevent confusion or confrontation when disciplinary measures are enforced.

“When students have not understood why you are saying I do not want you in this place at this time, then conflict exists,” noting that clarity helps prevent misunderstandings and improves compliance.

He also emphasized that parental involvement remains a key pillar in maintaining discipline, saying families must be engaged early so that school expectations are clearly understood at home as well.

According to him, shared responsibility between parents and schools ensures consistency in guiding learners and strengthens overall discipline outcomes.

He explained that at the beginning of each academic cycle, learners are introduced to school rules and encouraged to go through them with their parents before signing agreements outlining expected conduct.

King’oo said discipline should not be treated as a one-time directive but as a continuous process reinforced through weekly assemblies and structured school programmes, noting that learners require regular guidance as they grow.

He rejected approaches that rely only on issuing instructions without explanation, saying such methods often create tension and resistance among learners.

King’oo’s remarks come at a time when Kenya’s education sector continues to face repeated cases of student unrest, indiscipline, and tragic incidents that have raised concern among stakeholders.

In recent years, schools have recorded protests, strikes, and cases of destruction of property linked to student grievances, alongside rising safety concerns in boarding institutions.

One of the most recent incidents occurred on May 28, 2026, at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, where a dormitory fire killed 16 students and injured 79 others.

Investigators later confirmed it was suspected arson, with several students arrested in connection to the blaze . The incident triggered national outrage and mass closures of schools amid fears of spreading unrest.

The tragedy echoed earlier disasters, including the 2024 fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri that killed 21 students, and the 2001 Kyanguli Secondary School arson attack in Machakos, which left 67 students dead, one of the deadliest school fires in Kenya’s history.

Education officials have also reported dozens of school fire incidents within a single year, alongside repeated cases of student strikes, walkouts, and destruction of property linked to grievances over discipline and living conditions.

Stakeholders have pointed to overcrowded dormitories, weak supervision, and unresolved student complaints as some of the factors contributing to instability in boarding schools.

The recurring disruptions have forced emergency closures and safety reviews in several institutions, as authorities seek to restore order and rebuild trust in the education system.

King’oo maintained that discipline must be rooted in engagement, communication, and shared responsibility, saying schools should work closely with parents and learners to build environments where rules are understood, accepted, and consistently applied.