Strategies Associated with the Management of School Violence in Secondary Schools in Anglophone Cameroon

Strategies Associated with the Management of School Violence in Secondary Schools in Anglophone Cameroon

Leberatus Alangeh, Patrick Kongnyuy, Beyoh Dieudone Nkepah

Department of Educational Leadership, The University of Bamenda, Cameroon

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.908000203

Received: 30 July 2025; Accepted: 04 August 2025; Published: 03 September 2025

ABSTRACT

The study sought to examine the strategies associated with the management of school violence in secondary schools in Anglophone Cameroon. Specifically, it examined the influence of disciplinary practices as well as school connectedness on the management of school violence in secondary schools in Anglophone Cameroon. A mixed method, concurrent explanatory design was adopted in carrying out the study. A sample of 364 secondary school teachers, drawn from 16 public secondary schools in Mezam and Fako Divisions of the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon were selected using the Krejcie and Morgan table of sample size determination, while from within the sample some teachers were further selected and interviewed.  A structured close-ended likert-scale questionnaire for teachers, interview guide for teachers and focus group discussions for students were used to collect data. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (in the form of frequencies, percentages, charts and tables) and inferential statistics (the two-way ANOVA and Regression analysis). Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. The analysis revealed a statistically significant but weak positive relationship between disciplinary practices and the management of school violence. With an R value of 0.228 and a p-value of .000, the findings indicate that structured disciplinary approaches moderately contribute to the mitigation of violence in schools. However, the relatively low R Square (0.052) suggests that while discipline matters, it explains only a small portion of the variance in managing violence, implying the need for complementary strategies. The findings also showed a stronger positive and significant relationship between school connectedness and the management of violence, with an R value of 0.303 and a p-value of .000. This suggests that students who feel more connected to their school community, through positive relationships with peers, teachers, and a supportive school climate, are less likely to engage in or be affected by violence. School connectedness accounted for 9.2% of the variance in violence management, making it a meaningful predictor and an area of focus for intervention. Conclusively, disciplinary Practices and school connectedness have a significant influence on the management of school violence in secondary schools in Anglophone Cameroon. The study recommends the Ministry of secondary education to organize training programs that emphasize the adoption of proactive and restorative disciplinary  strategies for educators in general and discipline masters in particular. By adopting such strategies, educators would serve as role models to students, which impact their morals and ensure a violence free academic environment. Teachers should also intensify efforts to build quality relationships with their students because these relationships enable students to easily open up to them in case of threats of violence both within schools as well as external threats.

Keywords: Anglophone Cameroon, management of school violence, Strategies, school connectedness, disciplinary practices.

INTRODUCTION

The fundamental purpose of education widely acclaimed is to prepare the youths into effectively functional members of the society. As UNICEF (2021) upholds, it is every child’s right to attend school without fear. This is because the school plays a central role in the socialization of a child and it is critical that schools offer a safe environment in which learning and growth can take place (Meyer, 2005). Mumthas et al. (2014) assert that Article 37(a) of the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child prohibits cruel or inhumane punishments for children. The Convention guarantees every child a high-quality education, promoting safe, inclusive communities, respect for human rights, and peaceful dispute resolution skills (UNESCO, 2023). As it is often said peace is crucial for development, but violence in educational institutions, including those in Cameroon, can negatively impact the achievement of educational goals. Khumalo (2019) reported that 246 million children and adolescents experience bullying or violence in schools annually, with data likely underestimated due to unreported or hidden incidents.

These acts of violence perpetrated either by students among themselves or against teachers, ranging from mild to serious incidents, impacts students, teachers, staff, and society, jeopardizing the environment’s tranquility and preventing students from reaching their full potential. Mayer et al. (2021) highlighted the severe consequences of teenage violence, emphasizing the need for school safety and strategies to prevent and respond to such incidents. Similarly, Meyer (2005) emphasized the importance of addressing aggressive behavior and criminality in schools as a country’s kids remain its greatest asset and natural resource for its future. Given the significant implications of violence on school outcomes and the society, educational stakeholders globally have adopted a myriad of strategies, including various disciplinary practices and calls to increase school connectedness amongst numerous others in a bit to manage this phenomenon, though the effectiveness of each is debatable.

Globally, school violence is an issue that affects all societies be they developed or underdeveloped. UNESCO (2023) reports that Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa have the highest rates of Violence in and Around Schools (VIAS), particularly in fragile or conflict-ridden nations. Associating Sub-Saharan Africa, Cameroon being part as famous in school violence raises questions about the strategies used by teachers and administrators to manage violence in schools since it is unavoidable.  Milligan et al., (2024) for instance holds the view that human communities will always experience violence because of its underlying psychology, although culture and other environmental variables can help to mitigate this. Human nature is characterized by violence, which has an evolutionary foundation derived from our biology and manifests psychologically through thought, behavior, and emotional expression. Given that violence is rooted in human biology, there is need for schools to seek measures to prevent it.

The Cameroon government in its drive to achieve its emergence vision by 2035 focuses on four main pillars: economic transformation, human capital development, economic employment promotion, and governance decentralization. And of these four pillars, human capital development is central to the 2035 development dream as it remains critical to the accomplishment of the other three (NDS30). This also clarifies why the education sector consumes a large amount of state resources and a sizable chunk of the federal budget (Fonkeng, 2005). This is due to government’s recognition of education as a crucial factor in fostering responsible and active citizenship (Titanji, 2017). However, this dream remains far-fetched if the school environment is not peaceful and stable to permit teachers acquire and impart the required skills that the youths need to move the country to the anticipated emergence by 2035.

As David (2023) observed, school violence has eaten deep into the education system especially the secondary education sub sector. According to Summers (2023) secondary school is the educational level that falls between primary and higher education. It includes middle and high schools and acts as a transitional ground for students entering the workforce or pursuing further education. This marks a crucial stage in the nation’s manpower development, necessitating that the school environment that should prepare the manpower should be as orderly as possible, with minimal incidence of violence.

School Violence is any deliberate act or condition, whether physical or nonphysical (verbal) that causes the victim of the act or condition to suffer either physically or psychologically while the victim is under the supervision of the school. Because they lead to conflicts and attacks on the victims, these violent acts in schools, both physical and nonphysical, have a negative impact on teaching and learning (Ncontsa, 2012). Children in the Cameroonian school system face violence from classmates, leading to sanctions and reminders of consequences. Despite preventative measures, violent behaviors persist, affecting positive relationships and social behavior, despite efforts to address this issue (Ngoran, 2016).

Article 37(a) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child which was ratified by the UN in 1989 states that no child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel or inhumane punishments. In the same line, law number 98/004 of 14th April 1998, guiding education in Cameroon prohibits corporal punishment, discrimination and the sales of drug, alcohol and other narcotics, but despite these, corporal punishment in schools continue to persist. Achieving high quality education is essential to ensuring that adults, children, and youth acquire the information and skills necessary to improve their lives and contribute to the creation of more just and peaceful societies (EFA global monitoring report, 2005). Therefore, in theory, Cameroon opposes all forms of violence. However, this is problematic because, according to data from a 2017 UNICEF country report for Cameroon, 87% of children between the ages of 2 and 14 experience various forms of violence, with physical aggression ranking highest (Sewoyehbaa et al, 2023; Nfon, 2022; Tangwe, 2021).

Literature indicates that an increase in the rate of violence in society can influence the rate of violence in school (Smith, 2004; UNESCO, 2023). Zulu (2003) as cited in Meyer (2005) opined that violence in schools is often perpetuated by learners but some is imported from outside, particularly gang activities, as schools are part of a larger community influenced by external events. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on Cameroon reports an ongoing armed conflict between the government and separatist groups, resulting in the internal displacement of 573.9 thousand people, primarily schoolchildren, and resulting in violence. This is on top of the fact that students and instructors have also been shot and killed at schools (Nchia et al., 2006). Hence for schools in conflict affected areas like the North West and South West regions to make significant impact on the life of the youths and minimize conflicts spreading from society to school, strategies for effective management of SV becomes imperative. Several studies in Cameroon have attempted to investigate the causes, consequences and mitigation strategies (Etta & Zinkeng, 2017; Ngoran, 2016), manifestation of violence in secondary schools, gender based violence, among others but little is done to examine alternative strategies applied in other contexts and that can be used to manage violence in schools especially in the context of crisis as currently experienced in the two English speaking regions of Cameroon. This study therefore seeks to investigate the influence of disciplinary practices and school connectedness, as alternative options that can be used to manage school violence by internal stakeholders in Secondary schools in Anglophone Cameroon facing security threats.

Heubel (2023) defines a strategy as an organization’s long term objectives and its approach to achieving them. Put otherwise, it illustrates the way to accomplish the stated goal. Joyce and Weil (2009) on their part used strategies to refer to plans or approaches designed to achieve a specific goal or objective. Management of school violence refers to the strategies, policies, and practices implemented to prevent, reduce and respond to violent behaviour in schools (Osher et al, 2010). In this study, management of school violence is used to refer to the strategies implemented in schools by educators to prevent, reduce and respond to student violent behaviour, some of which include disciplinary practices and school connectedness.

Disciplinary practices are the methods and strategies used by educators to prevent and address student misbehavior in order to create a safe, supportive, and productive learning environment (Bear, 2013). Emmer & Stough (2001) on their part defined disciplinary practices as the actions teachers and other school staff take to control student behavior, enforce rules, and keep the classroom and school in order. To Osher et al. (2010), disciplinary practices include the variety of proactive and reactive approaches that schools use to manage student behavior.  Discipline actions are taken by teachers or school organizations against students who break school rules. Some scholars believe discipline refers to punishments, while others emphasize it serves to establish boundaries and prevent unacceptable behaviors. Discipline provides direction and support for children to uphold human values and adhere to school policies (Lumadi, 2020).

School connectedness is the extent to which kids feel that their classmates respect, value, accept them as individuals, and encourage them in the school social setting. Scholars consider school connectedness, also known as school belonging, to be a complex construct that encompasses a person’s sense of participation in learning, belonging, and connection to peers and adults, even if the phrases are commonly used interchangeably (Perkins, 2021). Belief by students that adults and peers in the school care about their learning as well as about them as persons is a common definition of school connectedness, which is the feeling of belonging, support, and care that is fostered by a caring and supportive educational environment (Wilkins et al., 2023; American Psychology Association, 2014; CDC, 2009). Students’ sense of attachment and bonding to school is strengthened by positive connections that foster mutual respect and trust between instructors and students (Yang et al. 2021). To Raniti et al., (2022), the degree to which students engage with peers, teachers, and the educational process in the classroom is reflected in the connectedness of the school. It has drawn interest as a potentially modifiable protective factor for common mental health issues from both the health and education sectors. But it is uncertain how much school connectedness can do to stop young people from developing anxiety or depression or to help them remit. According to Bowles et al. (2018), school connectedness is the extent to which students view the people, places, and activities they encounter in a significant and meaningful way. This definition highlights the value of having good relationships with peers and adults in order to foster a supportive environment.

School connectedness refers to students’ perceptions that the faculty, staff, and administration at their school are concerned about their education and, more especially, their general well-being (Marsh et al., 2019). According to Volungis and Goodman (2017), school connectedness which is the quality of relationships between students and school personnel (e.g., administrators, teachers, and counselors) has drawn a lot of attention as a potential factor linked to school violence incidents. In fact, a federally funded threat assessment conducted by Fein et al. (2002), cited in Volungis and Goodman (2017) suggested that teacher-student relationships in schools are a critical area to be considered as an avenue to prevent school violence. A commonly accepted definition of school connectedness is the perception of being cared for by school personnel, positive relationships within the school climate, and feeling comfortable talking to an adult about a problem. According to Marsh et al. (2019), students who feel this connection to a school are more likely to adapt to the school’s social environment and behave less problematically in class and on school grounds. Over time, students who attend schools with a healthy school atmosphere are less likely to participate in negative behaviors including delinquency and violence (Hammar Chiriac et al., 2023).

Numerous terrible cases of school violence in Cameroon like the stabbing to deaths of Nyam Mohamed on Monday, November 17, 2020, at Kiki Sub-division by Nkemdi Kelvin and that of Mr. Njoni Tchakounte Maurice by a 15-year old kid in the Center region just to mention these few were also covered by newspaper tabloids. These and numerous more incidents continue to raise concerns and have intensified public discussions about the issue of school violence in Cameroonian secondary schools, and it would be beneficial if policymakers began to think creatively and unconventionally in order to address these issues (David, 2023). In the context of the on-going Anglophone crisis in Cameroon, public schools in numerous parts of the regions have been shut down and most students, some being victims or perpetrators of hostilities are displaced to the cities, especially regional headquarters, owing to their relative security to acquire education. This situation requires caution on the part of educators in handling such students. It was against this backdrop that the current study sought to verify the extent to which teachers’ use of disciplinary practices and school connectedness influences the management of school violence in the secondary education milieu in Anglophone Cameroon, operating in an unpredictable atmosphere.

Statement Of The Problem

The school environment is expected to be peaceful so as to able to address students’ academic, social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs, thereby fostering a safe, supportive, and engaged school environment (Rivera, 2025). This kind of environment is necessary to ensure the proper preparation of the countries’ youths for its development using policy measures. For instance 98/004 of 14 April 1998 Law of orientation for basic, secondary, technical and teacher training colleges guarantees a violent-free education environment for students, prohibiting corporal punishment, discrimination, and the sale of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. Discipline masters and counsellors are appointed to address disciplinary issues and maintain a serene school environment. Numerous ministerial decrees to address violence in Cameroon’s schools have been signed, but violence still permeates, resulting at times in loss of lives and property. Several factors such as media, family and peer dynamics, the wider culture and societal influence may play a role, but the strategies adopted by teachers in managing the phenomenon may have a greater impact, especially in the context of Anglophone Cameroon, facing a socio-political crisis in which the education sector is significantly impacted. Numerous works have suggested psychological strategies that can be put in place to minimize school violence (Ngoran, 2016; Etta & Zinkeng, 2017), but few have attempted to examine strategies that can be employed to manage school violence in the school milieu, especially in the context of a crisis like the Anglophone crisis which is the focus of this current study.

Generally, the increasing trend of school violence amongst students and even against teachers raises questions about the effectiveness of disciplinary practices adopted in managing violence in schools. The advantages of restorative justice over punitive justice are evident but as to whether they are considered is not known. Also, the increasing rate of student violence also raises concerns about the effectiveness of educators in fostering a sense of belonging and bonding between students and adults, all of which warrants investigation.

Objectives of the Study

The study seeks to

• Examine the influence of disciplinary practice on the management of violence in secondary schools in Anglophone Cameroon.
• Determine the influence of school connectedness on the management of violence in secondary schools in Anglophone Cameroon.

Research Questions

• How do disciplinary practices influence the management of violence in Secondary Schools in Anglophone Cameroon?
• What is the influence of school connectedness on the management of violence in Secondary Schools in Anglophone Cameroon?

Research Hypotheses

Ho₁: There is no significant influence between disciplinary policies and practices and the management of violence in secondary schools in Anglophone Cameroon.

Ha₁: There is a significant influence between disciplinary policies and practices and the management of violence in secondary schools in Anglophone Cameroon.

Ho₂: There exist no significant influence between school connectedness and the management of school violence in secondary schools in Anglophone Cameroon.

Ha₂: There exist a significant influence between school connectedness and the management of school violence in secondary schools in Anglophone Cameroon.

METHODOLOGY

The study was conducted in 16 selected Public secondary schools, eight in Mezam division in the North West Region and eight in Fako Division in the South West region, two of the Divisions that make up Anglophone Cameroon. The population of the study included secondary school teachers (classroom teachers and school administrators). These schools were chosen for the following reasons; accessibility of the area, time saving, for security purposes within the context of the socio-political unrest currently prevailing in Anglophone Cameroon, and more importantly because they host a significant number of internally displaced students that requires careful handling.

The North West Region has a population of 5468 teachers, while in the South West Region we have 8767 teachers, making a total of 14235 teachers for the two regions (Regional Delegations of the North West and South West Regions, 2025). For the two regions chosen, Mezan in the North West region has 2172 teachers, while Fako in the SouthWest region host 4502 teachers (Divisional Delegations of North West and South West Regions, 2025), giving a sample frame of 6674 teachers. From this population, a sample size of 364 was drawn in accordance with the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) as cited in Amin (2005).

The study employed both probability and non-probability sampling techniques. The schools, teacher and students who took part in interviews and focus group discussions were selected conveniently, while the simple random sampling technique was used to administer questionnaire to teachers. The sample was the representation of the total population and as much as possible, most characteristics of the population of the study were represented in the sample selected. The research instruments included a structured Likert-scale closed ended questionnaire and structured interview guides for teachers and students. These instruments were structured to seek information from both teachers and students on the strategies used by teachers to manage school violence in secondary schools in Mezam and Fako divisions in Anglophone Cameroon. The interview guide was used to get information from teachers on the strategies employed by teachers to manage students’ violence, while students were equally interviewed on the strategies that teachers use to discipline and relate with them. This was done to ensure a balanced argument. The quantitative instruments were gathered concurrently with the qualitative as a back-up for better understanding of the research problem.

Face and content validity of the instruments was ensured by the researchers who examined the constructed questionnaire items amongst themselves in line with the objectives and hypotheses of the study. A comparism of the study’s findings with the findings of similar or related studies was done to ascertain consistency in the data. This was done to further ensure the validity and reliability of the instruments used in gathering data for the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the responses and verify the hypotheses. To analyze quantitative data, the responses were coded, summarize and reported according to the specific research as provided by the respondents. It was analyzed using tables, ANOVA, and linear regression, using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25.0. Meanwhile qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Disciplinary Practices and the Management of Violence in Secondary Schools in Anglophone Cameroon

Table 1: Model Summary on Disciplinary Practices and the Management of Violence   

Table 2: ANOVA on Disciplinary Practices and the Management of Violence    

Table 2 reveal that F (1.362) = 19.767 with p = 0.000 (p < 0.05). This indicates that disciplinary practices have a significant influence on the management of violence in schools. Thus Ho1 was rejected, concluding that disciplinary practices significantly influence how violence is managed in secondary schools.

Table 3: Regression Coefficients on Disciplinary Practices and the Management of Violence    

The table for the regression coefficients shows that the regression equation is given by Management of School Violence = 16. 981 + 0.307 x Disciplinary Practices. The confidence interval (0.171 to 0.443) does not cross zero. This implies that for every one-unit increase in disciplinary practices, there is an associated 0.307 unit improvement in the management of school violence. Furthermore, the standardized coefficient (Beta) of 0.228 corroborates the earlier R-value, reaffirming that disciplinary practices have a modest, but significant, positive impact on violence management.

Interview results from most teachers in the schools under study revealed a significant shift from reactive to proactive and restorative disciplinary practices due in most parts to the ongoing crisis affecting the region. As a result of the crisis, most educators as a result of fear of being attacked by students using armed men that are their relatives resort to peaceful approaches, mostly proactive and restorative in managing student behavior issues and violence. A teacher stated “indiscipline amongst students is a serious problem, but you must act with caution to protect your own life. You can beat them in school because you are correcting but in the quarter you pay dearly” This however does not mean a complete shift as punitive disciplinary practices like beating, kneeling and even exclusionary practices are still applied in schools by some teachers, especially discipline masters, although cases of exclusion (in-school or out of school) follow a procedure, guided by school rules and regulations. Majority of the students interviewed through focus group discussions also confirmed to the fact that disciplinary practices used by most teachers are proactive, but that there are some teachers, in the minority who still apply punitive and reactive disciplinary measures, which they decry. A few students even lament on cases of discriminative discipline, as one student noted “imagine that a teacher enters the class when the class was noisy and he singled me out and gave me a solid slap” such reported case of disciplinary practices though few can provoke retaliation on the part of the student who reported the incident with a lot of anger.

The finding that disciplinary practices significantly influence the management of school violence is corroborated by recent empirical studies emphasizing the value of proactive and restorative approaches in volatile school settings. A study by Anyon et al. (2021) found that schools that adopted restorative disciplinary practices, such as peer mediation, restorative circles, and teacher-student dialogue, reported a significant decline in school violence and suspensions. These practices were particularly effective in building trust and reducing fear, a dynamic that resonates strongly with the Anglophone Cameroon context, where teachers must manage indiscipline without provoking backlash. Similarly, Gomwe and Makaye (2022) in their study across crisis-affected schools in Southern Africa reported that punitive disciplinary methods often escalated student aggression and resistance, while empathetic and preventive strategies were more successful in de-escalating tensions. Their findings mirror the observed shift in your study toward more cautious, proactive discipline by teachers concerned for their safety. Additionally, Mugisha et al. (2023), in a cross-national survey of schools in conflict zones in Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighted that the implementation of structured restorative discipline policies led to improvements in school safety, student-teacher relationships, and reduced violent incidents. These findings align with the perceptions of both teachers and students in your study, who acknowledged the growing use of non-punitive approaches, yet also emphasize the persistence of traditional punitive measures that can incite retaliatory violence. Thus, while disciplinary practices have a modest but significant positive impact on violence management, sustainable improvement requires training, policy reinforcement, and a cultural shift toward restorative discipline as a norm.

School Connectedness and the Management of School Violence in Secondary Schools in Anglophone Cameroon

Table 4: Model Summary on School Connectedness and the Management of Violence   

The model summary shows an overall value of 0.092 for the model and an adjusted R-square of 0.89, meaning that 9.2% of the variance in violence management can be explained by school connectedness.

Table 5: ANOVA on School Connectedness and the Management of Violence    

The ANOVA table shows that F (0.362) = 36.603 with p = 0.000 (p < 0.05).  This indicates that school connectedness significantly influences the management of school violence. As a result, the null hypothesis (Ho2) is rejected, and the alternative hypothesis (Ha2) is accepted. This implies that enhancing school connectedness contributes meaningfully to the control and reduction of school violence.

Table 6: Regression Coefficients on School Connectedness and the Management of Violence    

The coefficient table shows that the regression equation is given by Management of School Violence = 11.601 + 0.461 x School Connectedness. The 95% confidence interval for B (0.311 to 0.611) does not include zero, implying that for every one-unit increase in school connectedness, there is an associated 0.461 unit increase in effective violence management. This increase is significant as shown by the p-value of 0.000.

From the responses of the teachers interviewed and through observation, the relationship between teachers and students known as school connectedness in the schools sampled for this study is encouraging. This is manifested through open communication with students, support given to students on educational challenges and seeking advice other than academic from the adults. A teacher interviewed affirmed “I have cordial relationship with my students. I even receive gifts from parents for the manner in which I discipline the students. Students usually seek advice from me and some even plead with me to help them talk to their parents when they have misunderstanding at home”.  Students interviewed attest that most of their teachers provide them great support especially in the academic front but frowned at a few who show little commitment to their plight and are not very approachable. As a students quoted “most of our teachers teach and try to make us understand. They help us in interpreting examination questions and give us advice on how to study, but few of them don’t even care. Some are just wild which make us afraid to talk to them, but the majority are very helpful” These affirmations by most students is indicative that for the most part, teachers intentionally build the culture of school connectedness in an attempt to maintain a positive school climate, given the socio political context that characterize the atmosphere in Anglophone Cameroon.

The finding that school connectedness significantly enhances the management of school violence aligns with a growing body of empirical literature emphasizing the protective role of strong teacher-student relationships. According to Wang and Degol (2016), school connectedness, characterized by warmth, support, and open communication, plays a crucial role in reducing students’ engagement in violent and risky behaviors, as students who feel cared for by adults at school are more likely to adhere to school rules and resolve conflicts peacefully. Similarly, Loukas et al. (2013) found that students with high levels of connectedness to teachers reported lower levels of aggressive behavior and were more likely to report incidents of violence, thereby fostering a safer school environment. In conflict-affected contexts like Anglophone Cameroon, the significance of such relationships is even more pronounced. For example, research by Nwankwo et al. (2021) in Nigerian secondary schools found that in socio-politically unstable regions, emotionally supportive teacher-student relationships function as a buffer against school-based violence by promoting trust, emotional regulation, and student engagement. These studies corroborate the current finding that increased school connectedness, evident through teacher support, respectful communication, and guidance, significantly contributes to more effective school violence management, especially in crisis-prone educational settings.

IMPLICATIONS OF FINDINGS

The ANOVA table for hypothesis 1 reveal that F (1.362) = 19.767 with p = 0.000 (p < 0.05). This indicates that disciplinary practices have a significant influence on the management of violence in schools. Thus Ho1 was rejected, concluding that disciplinary practices significantly influence how violence is managed in secondary schools. This implies that if educators exploit proactive and restorative disciplinary practices appropriately, this can result in safer school environment with limited violence. Therefore it is a call for educators to pay attention to the disciplinary approaches used, especially in this era of increasing calls for the protection of children’ rights.

The ANOVA table for hypothesis two shows that F (0.362) = 36.603 with p = 0.000 (p < 0.05).  This indicates that school connectedness significantly influences the management of school violence. As a result, the null hypothesis (Ho2) was rejected, and the alternative hypothesis (Ha2) is accepted. This implies that enhancing school connectedness contributes meaningfully to the control and reduction of school violence. The implication is that if teachers make a conscious effort to build quality relationship with students (school connectedness) in secondary schools, the incidence of violence would be greatly minimized. Hence the findings indicates that if education stakeholders, especially teachers serve as role models to students and cultivate professionally positive relationships with them as well as involve them in decision making, this can nurture and sustain a friendly school environment.

The study therefore emphasizes the importance of disciplinary practices and school connectedness in managing school violence. It calls for educators to adopt proactive and restorative disciplinary practices, fostering positive relationships with students and involving them in decision-making. These approaches can lead to safer school environments with minimal incidents of violence. The study aims to ignite debates on the strategies used to manage violence in secondary schools.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STUDY

On the basis of the findings of this study, the following recommendations were made to the policy makers (government) and educators.

The ministry of secondary education should organize training programs that emphasize the adoption of proactive and restorative disciplinary  strategies for educators in general and discipline masters in particular. By adopting such strategies, educators would serve as role models to students, which impact their morals and ensure a violence free acdemic environtment. Given the prevailing atmosphere of schools in the regions under study, it is probable that a lot of students have been exposed to violence in one way or the other, and therefore responding to their misbehavior with punitive and zero tolerance disciplinary strategies may produce fatal incidence in schools. The government through the ministry of secondary education should therefore adopt specific policies that encourage the use of proactive and restorative disciplinary practices and school connectedness in managing student behavior issues in secondary schools. This can be done by instituting programs that empasize the importance of such disciplinary approaches in teacher training colleges.

Educators should be keen in analysing the different approaches used in managing student behavior issues and violence over time. This would permit them to understant the strategies that yield better results and improve their skills towards implementing such strategies. This can be done by keeping records of student disciplinary issues and that approachers used over time in order to evaluate those that are most effective.

CONCLUSION

This study which aimed at examining the strategies associated with the management of school violence in secondary schools in Anglophone Cameroon, guided by the aforementioned objectives revealed that disciplinary practices and school connectedness significantly influence the management of school violence in public secondary schools in Anglophone Cameroon.  These findings hitherto outlined bears evident testimony that the objectives of the research were successfully met and the research questions addressed comprehensively. The study provided sufficient empirical and theoretical evidence to substantiate the validity of these findings, empowering the researchers to formulate recommendations that are firmly rooted in the findings obtained, taking into consideration both their magnitudes and signs. Against this backdrop, the study opined that it is imperative for all educational institutions in Anglophone Cameroon to amongst other strategies incorporate the strategies proposed in this study into a holistic framework to enhance better management of not only violence among students or students and teachers in schools but also to limit external attacks on schools, given that educational institutions are targets in the on-going crisis. Paying attention to such measures improves both students and educators perceptions on school safety, the moral development of students and guarantee academic outcomes, leading to the production of quality labour force required for the attainment of the nation’s vision of emergence by 2035.

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