Students Searches in Governmental Secondary Schools in The State of Kuwait: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The present study aimed to explore the perceptions of secondary school principals in the State of Kuwait regarding the practices and regulations related to student searches in schools. The researcher adopted a qualitative approach, employing a phenomenological design to elicit and interpret participants’ lived experiences through semi-structured personal interviews. The study sample consisted of (29) principals from public secondary schools across various educational districts in Kuwait. The findings revealed three main thematic groups that shaped participants’ perceptions of student searches in schools: (a) Principals’ philosophical orientation toward student searches; (b) The effectiveness of the procedures; and (c) their impacts and challenges. Each of these major themes encompassed three related subthemes. The study also presented several recommendations, the most notable of which are: (a) enhancing legal awareness among school leaders regarding student search regulations through the inclusion of specialized training programs within the promotion pathways to supervisory positions; (b) developing centralized regulations supported by legal provisions to govern the mechanisms and conditions of student searches in schools; and (c) updating the student behavior code in line with recent educational developments, while introducing community-based and volunteer-oriented disciplinary alternatives.