Prevalence of Bullying Behavior on Academic Performance among Students in Integrated Public Secondary Schools in Kitui County, Kenya

Cases of bullying have been on the rise in public secondary schools in Kenya. Many experience bullying and many other forms of violence on a day-to-day basis within school. Most students in public secondary schools in Kitui County have either been bullied or have known someone who has been bullied. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the prevalence of bullying behavior on academic performance among students in integrated public secondary schools in Kitui County, Kenya. The study was based on Social Identity Theory. This study employed a descriptive research design. This study was carried out in Kitui Central District. The target population was 1302 respondents comprising of 31 principals and 31 Guidance and counselling teachers and 1294 form three students. Stratified random sampling method was used and then simple random sampling method was used to select respondents from various strata. The sample size was 92 respondents comprising of 14 principals, 14 Guidance and counselling teachers and 64 form three students. The data collection tools were questionnaires for the teachers, students and interviews for the principals. Content validity was carried out to ensure that the instruments are valid and the test re-test technique was used to estimate the reliability of the instruments. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation and presented using frequency distribution tables, pie charts and bar graphs for effective communication to the users. Qualitative data was analysed using content analysis technique and presented in narrative form. The study established that a high rate of bullying behavior among students which emenated from monogamous family, being from a broken home vulnerability in the community and some students feeling stronger than others, verbal bullying and indirect bullying were the most types of bullying behavior and students that bullying still happen in their school and every student had been bullied. However, a number of the students indicated that some of these cases are not reported to the school administration. The study concluded that school bullying exists in all schools regardless of them being governmental or private ones. The study also concluded that school bullying affect student’s academic achievement either victims or the bullies. The study recommends that school management and teachers have to take different measures for the purpose of reducing the bullying volume. Moreover, teachers should coordinate with bullied students.