Guidance and Counseling Practices and Student Discipline in Malawian Secondary Schools: A Comparative Case Study of Selected Community Day Secondary Schools in Kasungu District
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajet.v5i4.8240Keywords:
Community Day Secondary Schools, Guidance and Counselling (G&C), Malawi, School Climate, Secondary Education Self-Efficacy, Socio-Ecological Model, Student DisciplineAbstract
Student indiscipline remains a persistent challenge undermining academic achievement, school climate, teacher morale, and learner well-being in many Malawian secondary schools. Despite the introduction of guidance and counseling (G&C) services, disciplinary problems such as absenteeism, bullying, substance abuse, aggression, disrespect toward authority, and examination malpractice continue to escalate. The research gap lies in the lack of proper disciplinary measures by school authorities, compromised monitoring systems by management and lack of management to student disciplinary coordinating activities as well as the lack of proper reinforcement of school policies and outlined regulations. This qualitative comparative case study examined the influence of G&C practices on student discipline in two selected Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSSs) in Kasungu District, Malawi. Drawing on Self-Efficacy Theory, Bandura (1977), Incentive Theory, Hull (1943); Ningjian (2024), and the Socio-Ecological Model, Bronfenbrenner (1979), the study employed semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and non-participant observation to generate data from 30 purposively selected participants, comprising 12 students, 8 teachers, 2 head teachers, 4 PTA representatives, and 4 Mother Group members. Thematic content analysis was used to identify patterns across participant categories. Findings revealed that G&C services remain largely informal, reactive, and inconsistently implemented, with limited stakeholder coordination and minimal professional training for teacher-counselors. Participants reported significant awareness gaps, confidentiality concerns, and a lack of specialist counseling professionals. Nevertheless, schools with stronger counseling systems reported improved learner engagement, reduced disciplinary incidents, and better school climates. The study recommends institutionalizing structured, timetabled G&C programs; building counselor capacity; strengthening stakeholder engagement; and integrating incentive-based, restorative discipline approaches that align with Malawi’s rights-based policy framework.
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