Factors leading to deviant behaviours among pupils in selected high schools of Kabwe District

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that led to deviant behaviour in selected High Schools of Kabwe District. The study used a descriptive survey as a research design to effectively collect both qualitative and quantitative data from the respondents. The target population comprised of all pupils, teachers and administrators in all the four Kabwe District High Schools that were purposely selected. The study targeted Grade 12 pupils. The study sample comprised 100 pupils (50 boys and 50 girls) 40 teachers and 4 Head teachers. The participants were teachers who had long teaching experience as well as those with less experience who were randomly selected from the mainstream classrooms of the selected high schools. The study used a probability sampling procedure using a stratified random sampling technique. This procedure was employed in order to obtain a representative sample. The following schools were sampled Mukobeko, Stephen Luwisha, Kabwe, High ridge, Kalonga, Chindwin, Bwacha, Jasmine, Caritas, Angelina Tembo, Raphael Kombe and out of all only Mukobeko, Kabwe, Kalonga and Bwacha high schools were purposely selected in that they had recorded a high number of behavioural incidences going by the initial information that I had gathered from the key informants during my sampling. From each of the four high schools 25 grade twelve pupils were randomly selected with the help of the Guidance and Counseling teachers who directed me to the available classes to avoid disrupting lessons. The findings showed that there were numerous cases of deviant behaviours that were prevalent in the selected High schools. The factors that led to these behaviours among the pupils were delinquent acts by the pupils, social background, home background, nature of the school environment and biological factors. Arising from the findings, this study has made a number of recommendations designed to curb deviant behaviours among the pupils in the high schools. Some of which are; xiv There is greater need for school authorities to increase the rapport between parents, teachers and other organizations interested in the welfare of pupils. They need to work in unity. 1. There is greater need for school authorities to call regular parent-teacher conferences, unlike the common singular P.T. A general meeting held once per year and whose agenda is mainly un ushering and ushering in of new members of executives. The said conferences should ensure that specific plans of action concerning disciplinary matters are formulated and executed for the good of the school. 2. The coalition organizations for the abolishment of corporal punishment must be cordially invited to come and lay their agendas instead of championing pupils cause by a single agenda at the expense of the holistic approach of modeling the development of children. 3. School authorities should ensure that, pupils that portray greater deviance should be banned from writing Examinations Council of Zambia set examinations for two years. 4. School authorities should introduce some kind of reward system every term to the pupils that portray exemplary behavior. Such pupils should be rewarded heftily to reinforce their behaviour. A deliberate category for instance called the most recent improved pupil should be introduced specifically for the deviant and most troublesome pupils. 5. School authorities should ensure that trouble shooters are given a lot of responsibilities in the school. They should be appointed as prefects or monitors to reinforce positive behaviour.