Influence of peer mentorship programmes on disruptive behaviours among students in secondary schools in informal setups of Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Education in schools in informal setups in Kenya is faced with unique challenges when compared to those in formal setups, which may affect students’ learning and behaviours. Notably, there are increased cases of students’ misbehaviours in secondary schools. The purpose of this study is to examine the use of peer mentorship programmes to address disruptive behaviours among students in secondary schools. The study conceived that the informal setups predisposed learners to risky behaviours, which are easily imported into schools as reported by literature on Nairobi’s slums and Brazil’s favelas. The objectives of this study are to: investigate the status of peer mentorship in the selected secondary schools; establish the influence of peer mentorship on disruptive behaviours; determine mentorship policy gaps on disruptive behaviours; and determine the effect of Guidance and Counselling programmes on disruptive behaviours. The study was guided by the Self-Determination theory. The study generated data from 9 schools, among 368 students and 16 Guidance and Counselling Heads of Departments (HODs), selected using stratified and random sampling respectively, from a target population of 10,449 students and 73 public secondary schools. Research instruments were piloted and data was collected using questionnaires, Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews. The study adopted pragmatic paradigm, used mixed method research approach, and the convergent parallel research design was used where data was collected using questionnaires, interview schedules and focus group discussions. Quantitative data was analysed by descriptive and inferential statistics, qualitative data was thematically analysed through selective coding. The study findings showed that peer mentorship programmes informally exist with limited time allocation and the HODs had full teaching load leaving them no time to properly coordinate peer mentorship activities. The peer mentorship and guidance and counselling programmes accounted for 59.2% and 54.8% variation in disruptive behaviours among learners respectively and significantly influenced student behaviours. From the findings, peer mentorship programmes (β=0.598, p=0.000) as well as Guidance and Counselling programmes (β=0.651, p=0.000) had significant influence on disruptive behaviours with p value<0.05. Peer mentorship and counselling programmes hence exist, albeit rudimentary, and help in shaping students’ behaviours and thus, had positive influence on disruptive behaviour. The study concluded that there is need to continuously update and disseminate government mentorship policy to all secondary schools’ education stakeholders to fast-track its implementation. This is key in instilling discipline, making education institutions manageable, and improving learning outcomes for schools in close proximity to slums and elsewhere in Kenya. The study recommends that peer mentorship be structured and engrained into the school system as a strategy for behaviour modification.