CHAPTER ONE

PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Rationale

The merit/demerit system is a school-wide discipline plan that should be focused

on behavior and is not connected to academics. Any staff member can issue merits

and demerits. Every student has an opportunity to earn merits over time. To earn

merits, students must exhibit positive behaviors on a consistent basis. Edwards

(2016)

Some school implements “Merit and Demerit Disciplinary System” to handle

disciplinary issues among the students. Each student has 100 behavior points at the

beginning of an academic year. For a merit, he/she gain behavior points while for a

demerit, corresponding points is deducted from his behavior points.

Furthermore, North East Luzon Adventist College (NELAC) established this

policy this Academic Year 2019-2020. This policy was designed to help students

enhance the development of an individual’s growth towards maturing and self-

discipline.

State of the Problem

Behavior of the students at North East Luzon Adventist College seems to be

displeasing, for some students causes irritation, dissatisfaction, or annoyance to the

people they encounter, especially the teachers whom they disrespect.

Specifically, this study sought to answer the following questions:

1. What was students’ life before the onset of Merit and Demerit policy?
2. How does this policy help students enhance the growth towards maturing and

self-discipline?

3. What can this policy do?

4. What are the positive and negative experiences of students with Merit and

Demerit Policy?

Significance of Study

The findings of this study will redound to the benefit of the various sectors which

are as follows:

The Students: The direct recipients of the output of this research are the students

which fall under the implementation of the policy, this will act as a basis or guide on

what to do in case they face the said policy.

The Teachers: This study will help the teachers relieve some of their worries,

knowing students will be more disciplined and dignified in their daily school life.

The Parents: The findings will also relieve them of their worries knowing their

children are in good hand and are being led in the right path of discipline leading to

them building up trust in their children.

Researchers: The result will act as a reference for future researchers in case someone

researches the same study.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to see how students behave while being under the

Merit and Demerit Policy, at the same time, see how parents and teachers react

towards their children who are under this policy.

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 This Study may help future students know how to discipline themselves, and to

know what to act in case the implementation of the merit demerit policy.

Scope and Delimitations

This study will be limited only to the students and teachers from one of the

Private schools in the Province of Isabela, Philippines. Since the target of the study is

to assist students in making good choices, thus, producing well-behaved students. Our

ultimate goal is to see the development of students here at Northeast Luzon Adventist

College (NELAC).

Theoretical Framework

Abstract

In this study we examined authoritative discipline theory, which posits that 2

complementary aspects of school climate-structure and support-are important for

adolescents' safety in school. Using a statewide sample of over 7,300 ninth-grade

students and 2,900 teachers randomly selected from 290 high schools, we showed,

using hierarchical linear modeling, that consistent enforcement of school discipline

(structure) and availability of caring adults (support) were associated with school

safety. Structure and support were associated with less bullying and victimization

after we controlled for size of school enrollment and the proportion of ethnic minority

and low-income students. These findings suggest that discipline practices should not

be polarized into a " get tough" versus " give support" debate because both structure

and support contribute to school safety for adolescent (Anne Gregory et al., 2001).

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Conceptual Framework

Life before
Merit and
Demerit Policy

Negative Positive Views

Possible
Results

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 CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW RELATE LITERATURE

This chapter presents the materials that are related to the chosen study which

could enlighten the readers on the phenomenon about Merit and Demerit Policy once

it is implemented in school.

Life before the Onset of Merit and Demerit Policy

Lack common sense as may apply to harmless items, doesn’t improve school safety
and Expose children to legal charges for minor offenses (Morin, 2019).

Positive Views

It makes students honest and trustworthy. It makes the person predictable and
removes the hindrances of uncertainly from minds of others who work with him. It
makes students disciplined and makes them true to their word (Arun, 2019).

Negative Views

It needs one to be resilient to stand up and move again if one is bogged down by his
weakness. Cut of relationships with some of your environment may try to impose on
you which might be stressful (Arun, 2019).

Possible Results

Aim to keep students safer, Reduces Favoritism and prepares students for the real
world (Morin, 2019).

Merit Demerit Disciplinary Policy has Negative and Positive effects on the students
who is under this policy. It can be stressful but it is life changing. You’ll learn how to
discipline yourselves and know how to better face the future.

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 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter deals with the methods and procedures used by the researchers in

this study to answer the specific problems investigated. The research design, the

population, the instrument and the steps that were followed in carrying out the

research are presented in the following pages.

Research Design

This qualitative research is focused on Merit Demerit Disciplinary System on

NELA College. Phenomenology approach was used to this study since it focuses on

people’s conscious experience of their life-world, that is, their everyday life and

social interaction (Merriam, 2009, p. 25). Furthermore, its aim is to describe and

understand the essence of lived experiences of individuals who have experienced a

particular phenomenon (Litchman, 2013, p.83).

Population and Sampling Techniques

Convenience Sampling will be applied to this study in which the researchers will

be conducting it to 5-10 selected high school students of NELA College. The groups

of students who are involved in the stated policy were only chosen to undergo in-

depth and focused

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interviews. Respondents in the study are described in terms of their gender, year

level……….

To prevent partiality of information, careful analysis with facts supplied by

available sources like journals, magazines/newspaper articles, internet and

unpublished theses will be done objectively in this research.

Instrumentation and Data Collection

The study will be conducted by conducting in-depth and focused interview to the

selected students at NELA College who undergoes Merit Demerit Policy. The

interview questions used are a collection of all ideas learned by the researchers based

on the analysis on different studies done (locally, nationwide and worldwide). It

served basically as the data-gathering instrument for the study on the main problem

which is the behavior of the students. The interview questions were scrutinized by

Randy G. Ubal, MAEd, the facilitator of Practical Research 1 in HUMSS A and B 11

at NELAC.

In obtaining permission, the researchers made a request letter to conduct their

study at the administrators. Data for this study was conducted and collected in

different days. The data set was obtained from respondents in the said research locale,

during the month of January 2020. The purpose of the study was explained to the

respondents and they were encouraged to give truthful answers. Responses of

respondents were coded electronically using NVivo (QSR International, 2018) which

is used in analyzing qualitative data research.

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Ethical Considerations

Bryman and Bell (2007), present the following most important principles related

to ethical considerations in research which were applied to this study:

 The researchers were not subjected to harm in any ways, whatsoever.

 Respect for the dignity of research participants was prioritized.

 Full consent was obtained from the participants prior to the study.

 The protection of the privacy of research participants was ensured.

 The adequate level of confidentiality of the research data was ensured.

 Anonymity of individuals participating in the research was ensured.

 Any deception or exaggeration about the aims and objectives of the research

was avoided.

 Affiliations in any forms, sources of funding, as well as any possible conflicts

of interests were declared.

 Any type of communication in relation to the research was done with honesty

and transparency.

 Any type of misleading information, as well as representation of primary data

findings in a biased way was avoided.