Cultural significance of elderly guidance in shaping learner discipline management: A case of two secondary schools in Nigeria.

Abstract

: Learner indiscipline is a problem in schools worldwide, including Nigeria, which has caused uproar in school management. The problem of indiscipline in Nigerian secondary schools is examined through the lens of the Ubuntu, which is considered appropriate as it allows for an indigenous approach to addressing learner indiscipline. The study adopts an interpretive paradigm within a qualitative framework, focusing on the role of elderly advice in learner discipline management in selected secondary schools in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria. A case study research design was employed to gain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon and management of learner discipline in two different secondary schools. The research involves six heads of department as participants, offering an in-depth exploration of their perspectives and experiences related to the guidance provided by elders in shaping disciplinary practices. The collected data is analysed using thematic analysis. The study reveals the cultural significance of teacher-elderly guidance on learner discipline, the impacts of such guidance on discipline strategies, and the challenges and opportunities in integrating teacher-elderly guidance into education. This study contributes to scholarship by contextualising the significance of teacher-elderly guidance as a unique way of managing learner discipline in secondary schools