How did the Good School Toolkit reduce the risk of past week physical violence from teachers to students? Qualitative findings on pathways of change in schools in Luwero, Uganda

Abstract

Violence against children is a serious violation of children's rights with significant impacts on current and future health and well-being. The Good School Toolkit (GST) is designed to prevent violence against children in primary schools through changing schools' operational cultures. Conducted in the Luwero District in Uganda between 2012 and 2014, findings from previous research indicate that the Toolkit reduced the odds of past week physical violence from school staff (OR = 0.40, 95%CI 0.26–0.64, p < 0.001), corresponding to a 42% reduction in risk of past week physical violence. This nested qualitative study involved 133 interviews with students, teachers, school administration, and parents, and two focus group discussion with teachers. Interviews were conducted using semi-structured tools and analysed using thematic analysis complemented by constant comparison and deviant case analysis techniques. Within a context of normative acceptance of corporal punishment this qualitative paper reports suggestive pathways related to teacher-student relationships through which reductions in violence operated. First, improved student-teacher relationships resulted in improved student voice and less fear of teachers. Second, the intervention helped schools to clarify and encourage desired behaviour amongst students through rewards and praise. Third, many teachers valued positive discipline and alternative discipline methods, including peer-to-peer discipline, as important pathways to reduced use of violence. These shifts were reflected in changes in the views, use, and context of beating. Although the GST is effective for reducing physical violence from teachers to students, violence persisted, though at significantly reduced levels, in all schools with reductions varying across schools and individuals. Much of the success of the Toolkit derives from the support it provides for fostering better student-teacher relationships and alternative discipline options. Such innovation could usefully be incorporated in teacher training syllabi to equip teachers with knowledge and skills to maintain discipline without the use of fear or physical punishment.

Implementation of the Good School Toolkit in Uganda: a quantitative process evaluation of a successful violence prevention program

“…In terms of exposure to specific Toolkit processes, participation in ‘active groups’, ‘classroom rules’, and Toolkit ‘materials’ were each independently associated with reduced violence, whereas awareness of ‘Tools’ alone was not. However, qualitatively we found that tools such as the ‘wall of fame’ were perceived positively by students and staff suggesting these are important in promoting reward and praise in schools [ 12 ]. In summary, all Toolkit processes seem to be important to bring about change, a finding that supports the idea that multiple and repeated engagement with Toolkit ideas contributes to intervention effectiveness.…”

“…Students with mental health difficulties might also have difficulty concentrating and might display behaviours that could be seen as disruptive or challenging to teachers who may not have the tools or techniques to deal with children exhibiting these difficulties [ 31 , 32 ]. This is particularly true in a context with limited teaching resources and large classroom sizes [ 12 , 33 ] and suggests that positive discipline alternatives to physical punishment may not be well applied or may not be sufficient to prevent violence in some circumstances. Such circumstances may challenge teachers who are still transitioning to non-violent approaches to maintain discipline in their school.…”

“…Here we present a quantitative process evaluation of the Good School Toolkit intervention in Uganda that focuses on the Toolkit implementation and explaining variations in effectiveness across schools. In associated papers we present the study protocol [ 11 ], main study results [ 4 ], qualitative findings on pathways of change [ 12 ] and an economic evaluation of the Good School Toolkit [ 13 ].…”

Psychosocial Support and Emergency Education: An Explorative Study of Perceptions among Adult Stakeholders in Sudan and South Sudan

“…Violence in the home and classroom, whether called discipline or abuse, is a widespread problem and has serious consequences. Experiences from Uganda concerning the Good School Toolkit appear to have reduced the risk of violence by teachers on students [50,51], and this may be a useful approach in Sudan and South Sudan. Several studies suggest that parenting programs have the potential to both prevent and reduce the risk of child maltreatment.…”

Effects of a violence prevention intervention in schools and surrounding communities: Secondary analysis of a cluster randomised-controlled trial in Uganda

“…To fill this gap in the knowledge base, the Good Schools Study was carried out from January 2012 through September 2014 in 42 primary schools in Luwero District, Uganda. The study was designed to assess the impact of the Good School Toolkit on children’s experiences of violence, incorporating four evaluation components: a cluster-randomised controlled trial ( Devries, Knight, et al, 2015 ), a qualitative study ( Kyegombe et al, 2017 ), an economic evaluation ( Greco et al, 2016 ), and a process evaluation ( Knight et al, 2016 ). The trial found the Toolkit to have resulted in a 42% reduction in risk of past-week physical violence from school staff (OR: 0.40; 95%CI: 0.26 to 0.64, p < 0.001) over an 18-month intervention period, as reported by students ( Devries, Knight, et al, 2015 ).…”