Effects of Classroom Management Strategies on Students’ Behavior Regulation in Boarding Secondary Schools in Rwanda: A Case of Muhanga District

This study aims to investigate the effect of classroom management strategies on students’ behavior regulation in boarding secondary schools in Rwanda, a case of Muhanga district. The study was guided by three specific objectives which are to determine the influence of establishing clear classroom rules on students’ engagement and academic performance in boarding secondary schools in Muhanga district, to determine the effect of proactive planning in teaching on behavior regulation in boarding secondary schools in Muhanga district, Rwanda, to assess the effect of gamified personal learning plans in teaching on students’ behavior regulation in boarding secondary schools in Muhanga district. The study was guided and supported by social learning theory. Survey with mixed- approaches was employed in this study. The target population in this research was 5750 respondents including 5290 boarding secondary school students, 414 teachers, 23 directors of discipline and 23 boarding school head teachers. Directors of discipline and head teachers were selected through purposive sampling while simple random sampling was used to select teachers and students. The study used questionnaires for teachers and students and interview guide for directors of discipline and head teachers in data collection due to their availability and daily responsibilities. Data analysis employed SPSS, version 22.0 and data were summarized into means, percentage, standard deviation, correlation coefficients and coefficients of regression. The findings highlighted the significant impact of clear classroom rules on students’ behavior, with 73.8% of students affirming their positive influence and a high mean score of 4.232. While 54.4% reported consistent enforcement, some inconsistencies remain. Teachers overwhelmingly agreed on the importance of these rules in reducing disruptions, achieving a perfect mean score of 5.000, though only 26.9% feel they communicate rules consistently. Proactive planning shows mixed results, with low scores for technology use in lessons (2.293) but more support for structured environments (3.404). Additionally, gamified personal learning plans (GPLPs) are positively perceived by students and teachers, with 53.8% believing they enhance focus and strong support for rewards in maintaining discipline.