Teachers Involvement of Parents in Controlling Students’ Misbehaviours in Public Secondary Schools: A Case Study of Chemba District Council, Dodoma-Tanzania

This article investigates how teachers utilize parental involvement as an alternative disciplinary measure in public secondary schools in Chemba District, Tanzania. Utilizing a qualitative case study design, data were collected from 48 purposively selected participants (teachers, administrators, parents and students) through focus group discussion, in-depth interviews, and document reviews. The findings revealed that parent-teacher collaboration is overwhelmingly crisis-driven, strictly reserved for severe offenses due to the logistical and economic constraints of agro-pastoralist families. Furthermore, intense cultural friction exists; parents frequently reject non-violent dialogue, actively demanding corporal punishment during school meetings instead. Despite these barriers, the study found that when schools successfully facilitate empathetic, constructive dialogue between parents and students, the behavioural improvements are profound and permanent. The article concludes that for parental engagement to effectively replace physical punishment, schools must shift from reactive disciplinary tribunals to proactive communication, supported by extensive community sensitization on modern child protection.

Parental Involvement, Students Misbehaviours, Public Secondary Schools, Agro-Pastoralist Families, Behavioural Improvements

1. Atta, G., & Mensah, J. (2023). Parental involvement and disciplinary practices in African secondary schools. Journal of Educational Management. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Gershoff, E. T., Purtell, K. M., & Holas, I. (2024). Longitudinal associations between corporal punishment and school engagement in East African secondary schools. International Journal of Educational Research, 122, 102–115. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Heekes, S. L., Kruger, C. B., Lester, S. N., & Ward, C. L. (2022). A systematic review of corporal punishment in schools: Global prevalence and correlates. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 23(1), 52–72. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838020933865 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Ishabisa, J. (2025). Effects of corporal punishments on students' learning: A case of selected secondary schools in Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Sociology, 11(2), 50–66. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Kambuga, Y. (2017). School discipline in Dodoma Municipality. Dodoma: University of Dodoma. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Korstjens, I., & Moser, A. (2018). Series: Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 4: Trustworthiness and publishing. European Journal of General Practice, 24(1), 120–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/13814788.2017.1375092 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Mabula, D., & Ligembe, N. (2022). Roles of parents in students' discipline management at community day secondary schools in Misungwi District, Mwanza Region-Tanzania. International Journal of Innovative Research and Advanced Studies, 6(3), 36–40. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Mbanga, B. G., Piliyesi, E., & Anyona, J. (2020). Parental involvement and students' discipline in public day secondary schools at Ilala District in Tanzania. Journal of Popular Education in Africa, 4(7), 139–156. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Mushi, Z. J., Malekela, A. A., & Bhalalusesa, E. (2022). Corporal punishment practices and their implications on students' academic performance in public secondary schools in Tanzania. Papers in Education and Development, 40(1), 1–18. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Mwema, J., & Kibodia, H. (2023). The role of guidance and counseling in managing student behavior in Dar es Salaam secondary schools. Journal of Education and Practice, 14(5), 112–124. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Nikolopoulou, K. (2022). What is purposive sampling | Definition and examples. Scribbr. Available from: www.scribbr.com [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Parker-Shandal, C. A. H. (2022). Restorative justice in the classroom: Liberating students' voices through relational pedagogy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-11918-6 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Quansah, J. Y. D., Kudadze, S., & Agoke, W. (2022). The ban on corporal punishment in a senior high school in Ghana: The perspicacity of teachers at Northern School of Business. Children & Society, 00, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.1261 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Sabornie, E. J., & Espelage, D. L. (Eds.). (2023). Handbook of classroom management (3rd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003275312 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Shabina, S., Amit, T. K., Eram, P., Pranav, k., & Deeksha, G. (2024). Focus Group Discussion: An Emerging Qualitative Tool for Educational Research. International Journal of Research and Review, 11(9), 302-308. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20240932 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. Macmillan. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Yin, R. K. (2021). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• The Indirect Effect of Liquidity and Activity on Company Value with Profitability as an Intervening Variable
• Effect of Financial Skills, Knowledge, and Attitude on The Financial Behaviour of Clergy
• A Decade of Review: Trends in Budget Execution and Financial Performance of Development Projects in Tanzania (2014/15-2023/24)
• The Influence of Pre-Project Planning on the Budget Absorption Rate of Public Funded Infrastructure Projects in Kenya a Comparative Case Study of Narok, Migori, and Kisii County Government Projects
• Assessment of Factors Influencing Digital Transformation in Hotels’ Facility Management in Abuja Metropolis, Nigeria