Assessing intervention measures for anti-social behaviour : A case study of secondary school in Lobatse, Botswana.

Abstract

Intervention for students' antisocial behaviour is a challenging issue for teachers in secondary schools. Even though Government has implemented intervention measures in secondary schools to assist teachers in interveni.ng in curbing antisocial behaviour by students, the problems of student misconduct still prevail. The purpose of this study was to investigate intervention measures employed to curb antisocial bebaviour by students in a secondary school in Lobatse Botswana. The researcher was interested in the types of intervention measures employed by teachers in the school and the effectiveness of those implemented by Government, which are the pastoral care and the guidance and counseling programmes. The researcher was interested in assessing the impact of these intervention measures in assisting teachers to curb antisocial behaviour by the students. To accomplish this aim seven teachers were purposively sampled as they were the relevant people affected by the area of study. The research was conducted in the form of a case study. It was based on the qualitative approach in research. Multi methods of collecting data, such as interviews, document analysis and observation were used in order to ensure validity and reliability. Based on the respc.nses from the empirical research, as well as personal observation, the results of the study revealed that, teachers mainly apply punitive measures to curb antisocial behaviour by students. The intervention measures of pastoral care and guidance and counseling experience challenges in implementing their interventions, teachers seem to rely more on the pastoral programme than on guidance and counseling to. assist in issues of student's problem behaviour. Teachers indicated dissatisfaction with the input by the guidance and counseling programme. They complained about the inactiveness of the guidance department in assisting them to curb students' antisocial behaviour. The research recommends that, the guidance and counseling programmes be upgraded. Teachers require in-service training on the application of intervention measures that are more positive and have a long term impact on students' behaviour. Teachers need to withdraw from implementing punitive measures like punishment, to curb students' antisocial behaviour. Intervention measures such as punishment have been seen to have a negative impact on the students as punitive measures may cause the students to become rebellious and stubborn. Positive intervention measures have a lasting impact on students' characters and behaviour. Positive interventions help to instill character traits such as responsibility and accountability in students'. So teachers need to adhere to such intervention measures when curbing students' antisocial behaviour.