Implementing Rules and Regulations for Enhancing Students’ Character in Selected Secondary Schools Owned by the Catholic Diocese of Morogoro: Challenges and Way Forward

Abstract

Data from Europe, Africa, and Tanzania points out that school rules play a major role in guiding students’ values. Clear and constantly enforced rules in Europe help people be cooperative and respectful. There are insufficient resources in Africa, the classrooms are packed, and the students are of diverse cultural backgrounds. The aim of the study was to find out how the school rules and regulations assist the students to learn good values such as respect, honesty, and responsibility in the private catholic secondary schools in the Morogoro Municipality in Tanzania. This study followed the Social Learning Theory developed by Albert Bandura, where he elaborated that human beings learn how to behave by watching others and through rewards or punishment. The survey involved interviews and administration of questionnaires in which 95 individuals were sampled and comprised of the teachers, students, and parents in four of the schools that had been picked. On purpose, parents were selected; students and teachers were picked randomly. The findings were that a majority of the people believed that school rules are significant in developing good behaviour among students. Teachers as well as students were reported to say that the rules were clearly explained and were easily understood. The teachers also reported that their leaders were good at the schools and that there were appropriate mechanisms in the schools to handle bad behaviour. According to parents, they assisted their children in obeying the domains of rules at home. The research indicates that schools ought to incorporate more counselling services, assist the pupils on how to cope with peer pressure, and involve the students more in coming up with the rules. Besides, educational institutions ought to ensure that rules are applied fairly to everyone. This can assist the students to become more respectful and responsible human beings.