Title: Striking the Balance: Defining the Optimal Degree of Discipline for Academic Excellence in Ugandan Secondary Schools
Authors: Ahumuza Audrey, Musiimenta Nancy
Volume: 9
Issue: 9
Pages: 151-158
Publication Date: 2025/09/28
Abstract:
Background: The Ugandan secondary education system faces significant challenges in balancing disciplinary practices with academic achievement, particularly following the 2016 prohibition of corporal punishment and the persistent gap between policy intentions and classroom implementation. Problem: Despite legal restrictions, 75% of students report experiencing physical punishment, while 70% of schools admit to using corporal punishment, creating an educational environment where optimal academic performance remains compromised by unclear disciplinary frameworks and inconsistent implementation of effective discipline policies. Objective: This study aimed to determine the optimal degree of discipline that enhances academic excellence in Ugandan secondary schools by examining the relationship between various disciplinary approaches and student academic performance outcomes. Methods: A mixed-methods design was employed across 45 randomly selected secondary schools involving 1,350 students, 135 teachers, and 45 head teachers. Quantitative data were analyzed using univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses, including causal inference models, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis to capture nuanced perspectives on disciplinary experiences and their relationship to academic achievement. Key Findings: Support-oriented schools achieved significantly higher UCE scores (M=8.9) compared to punitive-dominant institutions (M=6.2), with supportive disciplinary practices emerging as the strongest predictor of academic excellence (?=0.35, p<0.001). The study revealed that 82.5% of participants emphasized relationship-centered discipline as fundamental to academic success, while corporal punishment demonstrated significant negative correlations with all positive academic and behavioral outcomes. Conclusion: The optimal degree of discipline for academic excellence in Ugandan secondary schools was characterized by relationship-centered, supportive approaches that maintained clear expectations while providing individualized guidance and positive reinforcement, requiring a fundamental shift from punishment-based to guidance-oriented disciplinary frameworks. Key Recommendation: Based on the main objective's findings, the Ministry of Education and Sports should implement comprehensive positive disciplinary frameworks that emphasize relationship-building, guidance, and individualized approaches, supported by mandatory teacher training programs and systematic elimination of punitive practices with evidence-based alternative support structures.