Causes and Remedies of Student Misbehavior: A Study on Classroom Management in Secondary Schools in Asmara

This study investigated the causes of student misbehavior and developed targeted interventions in three Asmara secondary schools using a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews of 26 teachers and 118 students. While students generally adhered to classroom rules such as avoiding sleeping in class misbehavior primarily stemmed from mobile phone disruption (58% of teachers) and emotional immaturity (42% of students), with alcohol and smoking rates remaining low. Key contributors included financial strain (31% of students), media influence (51.7%), and peer pressure (51.7%), findings consistent with Bandura’s social learning theory. Surprisingly, insufficient supervision (24.6% of teachers) and weak parental control exacerbated these issues. To address these challenges, the study recommends integrating Eritrea’s Thirty Golden Rules with proactive strategies: designating tech-free zones to reduce mobile disruption, training teachers in positive behavior support frameworks, and revising the Golden Rules to include age-appropriate restorative consequences for enhanced enforceability. Systemic solutions require triangular collaboration among educators, parents, and students to tackle systemic factors like poverty and media exposure. For instances, parent-teacher committees could align authoritative parenting with school policies, while teacher development programs should prioritize non-punitive discipline, such as constructive feedback and conflict resolution, over exclusionary measures. Sustainable behavioral change demands broader reforms, including social-emotional learning curricula and policies aligned with global best practices in classroom management. By bridging cultural aspirations with evidence-based strategies, Eritrea’s education system can transform the Thirty Golden Rules into dynamic, actionable benchmarks that promote equity, accountability, and inclusive learning environments where rules serve both as moral guidelines and practical tools for prevention and collaboration.