Teachers Involvement of Parents in Controlling Students’ Misbehaviours in Public Secondary Schools: A Case Study of Chemba District Council, Dodoma-Tanzania

Abstract

This article investigates how teachers utilize parental involvement as an alternative disciplinary measure in public secondary schools in Chemba District, Tanzania. Utilizing a qualitative case study design, data were collected from 48 purposively selected participants (teachers, administrators, parents and students) through focus group discussion, in-depth interviews, and document reviews. The findings revealed that parent-teacher collaboration is overwhelmingly crisis-driven, strictly reserved for severe offenses due to the logistical and economic constraints of agro-pastoralist families. Furthermore, intense cultural friction exists; parents frequently reject non-violent dialogue, actively demanding corporal punishment during school meetings instead. Despite these barriers, the study found that when schools successfully facilitate empathetic, constructive dialogue between parents and students, the behavioural improvements are profound and permanent. The article concludes that for parental engagement to effectively replace physical punishment, schools must shift from reactive disciplinary tribunals to proactive communication, supported by extensive community sensitization on modern child protection.