Nuclear family background and discipline of on-going secondary school learners in Luweero district, Uganda

Abstract

The study was about influence of nuclear family background on the discipline of secondary school learners in Luweero District, Uganda. Specific Objectives of the study; to establish the influence of parental marital status on the discipline of on-going secondary schools learners in Luweero District, to assess the effect of family financial situation on the discipline of on-going secondary schools learners in Luweero District and to determine the influence of family size on the discipline of on-going secondary schools learners in Luweero District. The researcher used a descriptive survey design. Data collected from the Luweero District education office shows that there are 24 secondary schools, 24 head teachers, 1440 parents representatives, 240 teachers, and 2880 students in senior two and senior four. The researcher conducted the study on 12 head teachers which represent 50 percent of all head teachers. The study used appropriate instrument for each method in Key Informant Interview, the researcher used interview guide and in questionnaire survey the researcher used questionnaire. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS and Excel to generate frequencies and percentages for easy interpretation, while qualitative data from interviews were categorized into themes and presented narratively. These methods were chosen for their simplicity and clarity to a broad audience. The study found that while 82.1%–92.7% of respondents believed two-parent families foster better discipline through supervision and stability, statistical analysis showed no significant relationship (R² = 0.000, p = 0.756). In contrast, 93.7% linked poverty to deviant behavior, with 94.9% noting that it drives students to labor, impacting discipline. Additionally, over 92% agreed that large family size reduces parental attention, contributing to emotional distress and indiscipline. The study concluded that Statistical analysis showed that parental marital status has no significant impact on learner discipline (r = 0.018, p = 0.756; R² = 0.000). Family financial situation had a weak but significant positive relationship (r = 0.158, p = 0.005; R² = 0.025), indicating modest influence. Family size showed a moderate, significant relationship with discipline (r = 0.305, p = 0.000; R² = 0.093), suggesting it meaningfully affects learner behavior. The study recommends increased parental engagement, counseling, and mentoring programs in schools to support learners, especially from non-intact or large families. It urges government, NGOs, and school administrators to address poverty-related discipline issues through financial support, school feeding, and basic needs provision. Additionally, parents are encouraged to adopt intentional parenting practices and maintain strong communication with schools.