Don Bosco’s Educational Pedagogy and the Maintenance of Student Discipline in Secondary Schools in Tanzania

Abstract

This study examined the role of Don Bosco’s educational pedagogy in maintaining student discipline in Tanzanian secondary schools, emphasizing the reasoning processes that guide student behavior. Guided by a pragmatic worldview, the research employed a mixed-methods approach with a concurrent triangulation design (QUAN + QUAL) to collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously. The study was conducted in four purposively selected Don Bosco secondary schools in Moshi, Dodoma, Shinyanga, and Iringa, representing both early and recent implementations of the Preventive System across diverse socio-cultural contexts. The sample comprised 399 participants, including heads of schools, academic and discipline teachers, students, and parents. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically.Findings reveal that Don Bosco’s pedagogy fosters discipline through preventive strategies, promotion of respect, fairness, moral and ethical guidance, learning from mistakes, and positive student-teacher relationships. Both teachers and students perceive the pedagogy as effective in reducing behavioral infractions and promoting self-regulated, responsible, and ethical conduct. Variations in teacher consistency and the application of empathetic measures indicate that effectiveness depends on uniform implementation and teacher preparedness. A statistically significant relationship was observed between the application of the Preventive System and reduced indiscipline (Pearson χ² = 16.496, p = 0.00), confirming its influence on student behavior. The study recommends continuous teacher professional development, reinforcement of preventive and reflective practices, and integration of moral guidance to sustain long-term discipline and holistic student development. These findings provide insights into applying value-based pedagogical approaches for behavior management in Tanzanian secondary schools.