Implementing Positive Discipline in Schools: Educator Challenges and Evidence-Based Recommendations for Systemic Reform

Corporal punishment in Sri Lankan schools remains prohibited under national education policy, while a 2025 Penal Code (Amendment) Bill proposed an express statutory offence of corporal punishment against persons under 18; nevertheless, a persistent gap remains between policy prohibition and everyday disciplinary practice. Although prior research has documented the harms associated with punitive discipline, less is known about the practical, institutional, and sociocultural barriers that constrain teachers' adoption of positive alternatives. This study therefore aimed to identify the challenges teachers face when implementing non-punitive disciplinary approaches and to formulate evidence-based recommendations for a systemic positive discipline framework. A concurrent mixed-methods design was employed with 100 teachers and 200 students from ten government schools in the Sri Jayewardenepura Education Zone. Quantitative data from structured questionnaires were analysed using descriptive statistics, including priority-weighted mean scores and cross-category comparisons, while qualitative data from in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were analysed thematically. The findings show that barriers operate at multiple, mutually reinforcing levels. Large class sizes (83.7%) and time constraints (79.6%) were the most prominent school-level constraints; inadequate teacher training (77.6%) was the leading professional barrier; parental expectations of punitive discipline (73.5%) represented a substantial sociocultural obstacle; and the absence of national implementation guidelines (69.4%) was the principal systemic deficit. Five qualitative themes were identified: time and resource scarcity, the knowledge-practice gap, cultural and generational resistance, absence of systemic support, and the emotional cost of implementation. The latter highlights teacher exhaustion and professional isolation as a comparatively underexamined dimension of disciplinary reform. The study concludes that sustainable change requires coordinated action across teacher education, school leadership, parent engagement, resource allocation, monitoring, and national policy. A multi-stakeholder restorative discipline framework, supported by practical professional development and institutional accountability, is recommended.

positive discipline; implementation challenges; teacher emotional burnout; education policy; child rights

1. Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice-Hall. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Dreikurs, R. (1968). Psychology in the classroom: A manual for teachers (2nd ed.). Harper & Row. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Glasser, W. (1998). Choice theory: A new psychology of personal freedom. HarperCollins. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Government of Sri Lanka. (2025). Penal Code (Amendment) Bill. Department of Government Printing. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Gregory, A., & Evans, K. R. (2020). The starts and stumbles of restorative justice in education: Where do we go from here? National Education Policy Center. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Jayasinghe, J. A. N. (2021). A study of strategies used by teachers to develop emotional management skills among middle adolescent students [Unpublished master's dissertation]. National Institute of Education. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Lee, A., & Gage, N. A. (2020). Updating and expanding systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the effects of school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports. Psychology in the Schools, 57(5), 783–804. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22336 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Menikdiwela, K. R. (2020). Student misbehavior: An exploratory study based on Sri Lankan secondary school teachers' perceptions. Journal of Education and Practice, 11(17), 103–113. https://doi.org/10.7176/JEP/11-17-12 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. National Child Protection Authority. (2017). A study on child disciplinary methods practiced in schools in Sri Lanka. National Child Protection Authority. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Sanjeevanie, W. A. P., & Randeniya, E. (2026). Punitive practices, attitudes, and positive alternatives: An empirical study of school discipline in Sri Lanka. Contemporary Issues in Humanities and Social Sciences: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Deep Science Publishing. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/407139428_Punitive_Practices_Attitudes_and_Positive_Alternatives_An_Empirical_Study_of_School_Discipline_in_Sri_Lanka [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Skinner, B. F. (1938). The behavior of organisms: An experimental analysis. Appleton-Century-Crofts. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Zehr, H. (2015). The little book of restorative justice (Rev. and updated ed.). Good Books. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Zoysa, P., Senarath, U., & de Silva, H. (2021). Disciplining in Sri Lankan schools: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(11–12), NP5727–NP5752. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260518800313 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study