PATTERNS OF DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS FOR STUDENT TRUANCY: A QUALITATIVE INQUIRY IN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN TIMOR-LESTE
Abstract
This study aims to analyze the patterns of disciplinary sanctions applied to student truancy behavior in Public High Schools in Dili City, Timor-Leste. Using a descriptive qualitative method, data was collected through in-depth interviews with eight informants, consisting of six students and two teachers. The novelty of this research lies in the identification of non-conventional physical and financial sanctions still implemented within the Dili education system to create a deterrent effect. The results reveal three categories of sanction patterns: physical-environmental sanctions (sanitation cleaning), academic-financial sanctions (monetary fines and suspensions), and severe administrative sanctions (parental summons and expulsion). The findings indicate that the applied sanction mechanisms tend to be punitive-reactive, with effectiveness often hindered by weak information synchronization between the school and parents. This study concludes that there is a need for a transformation in disciplinary management, shifting from a physical punishment approach toward strengthening counseling guidance and intensive communication with guardians.
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