Global Journal of Management and Business Research, A: Administration and Management, Volume 22 Issue 4

students in Kenyan secondary schools have many problems. There are students with problems of alcoholism, drug abuse, sex perversion, reading disabilities, students born out of wedlock and students who lack parental love and care according to Rono, (2019). A report to the British council on “drug - abuse – problem – solving approach for Nyamira secondary schools’ teacher counsellors” held in Nyamira Technical High School in 2002 revealed that drug abuse was a problem in most learning institutions. The workshop deemed it necessary to train teacher-counsellors who were to take more time with girls and boys on guidance and counselling matters. Many schools in Nyamira County in the recent years have been reported as having many cases of indiscipline that were blamed on lack of adequate provision of guidance and counselling services to students. For example, according to Mugiro, O. (2021 p.21). Alarming Unrest in Schools- the Standard Newspaper, p.16, Kibonyora High School was closed after three dormitories were burnt and most of the school buildings’ windows were smashed by students who were demanding that they should be allowed to eat meat throughout a week. Akira, J. (2021, September 18) Standard Newspaper, p.21 also reported that Gekando Secondary school students destroyed school property worth thousands of shillings because majority of them had been sent home for fees by the principal. Besides, Opala, K. (2021, May 31) the Daily Nation Newspaper, P.19 reported that Nyabanswa boarding school students had access to drugs despite the fact that they were confined within the compound during the school term. Drugs for example, bhang, are smuggled into the school compound and hidden without the notice of the school administration. Towards the end of September, as reported by Opala, K. (2021, September 30) the Daily Nation Newspaper, P.22, Nyansongo Boys High School students frog-marched their principal and raped his wife in his presence on allegations that they lacked freedom of expression in the school. Strikes and fights in schools suggest that students have social, psychological and educational problems which can effectively be alleviated by adequate provision of guidance and counselling services. There is need for students to be listened to, be understood well and then be guided out of their straining circumstances. Moreover, unrest in schools in the country is a pointer to the fact that there is something grossly wrong with the administration of most schools. Discipline promotes individual growth and development, it creates a free conducive atmosphere for interaction, makes learners have confidence in decision making and generally it has a great bearing to the learners’ performance in their national examinations as noted by Norwhich, (2020). This observation therefore shows that discipline, which can be brought about by principals’ positive attitudes on provision of guidance and counselling services, is the backbone of all activities carried out in schools. Schools are expected to produce adults who can be responsible citizens capable of making major decisions on problems affecting their lives and who can contribute largely to their communities’ development. It is worthwhile to note that, in Nyamira County, there were rampant cases of school drop-outs, truancy and alcoholism as was observed by Mukura (2014). This calls for guidance and counselling services in the schools to help individuals be more useful to themselves and their societies. This can only be realised if principals develop positive attitudes towards it. Various studies have been done on administrative tasks and administrative problems facing secondary school principals. Most of these studies, for example, Ogenga (2018), Migora (2019), among others, looked at the challenges faced by school administrators and recommended guidance and counselling as the most preferred method of alleviating problems arising from students. It is therefore based on these recommendations that this study was carried out. V. O bjectives of the S tudy The study sought to achieve the following objectives; Principals’ Attitudes on Guidance and Counselling Services and Maintenance of Discipline in Secondary Schools of Nyamira County, Kenya 17 Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XXII Issue IV Version I Year 2022 ( ) A © 2022 Global Journals 1. Assess the attitudes of principals’ towards provision of guidance and counselling and maintenance of discipline in their schools. 2. Establish whether principals’ gender and age, have any effect on their attitudes towards provision of guidance and counselling services and on maintenance of discipline in school. 3. Explore the extent to which principals’ academic qualification affect their attitudes towards provision of guidance and counselling services and on maintenance of discipline in schools. 4. Establish whether principals’ training, teaching and administrative experiences have any effects on their attitudes towards provision of guidance and counselling services and on maintenance of discipline in schools. VI. H ypotheses of the S tudy The following null hypotheses were formulated for this study: H o 1: There is no significant relationship between principals’ attitudes towards Guidance and Counselling services and maintenance of discipline in their schools. H o 2: There is no significant relationship between principals’ attitudes towards provision of Guidance and Counselling services, maintenance of discipline and their gender, age, teaching experience, and his or her administrative experience.