Publication: Effectiveness of the implementation of safety guidelines in Public boarding secondary schools in Murang’a county
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2013-06
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Mount Kenya University
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Abstract
School safety is vital and a basic necessity in learning institutions. However schools continue
to experience disturbances leading to loss of lives and destruction to property worth millions of
shillings despite the government policy on school safety guidelines. The affected schools take
long to recover the destroyed property and public trust and decline in academic performance.
Parents are reluctant in sending their children to the affected schools as they fear for their safety.
While most schools in the country have implemented the safety guidelines, their effectiveness
have not been adequately investigated and well understood and hence the continued loss of lives
and destruction to property. This research, therefore intended to investigate the level of
implementation of the safety guidelines and their effectiveness in saving human life and
eradicating destruction of property in boarding secondary schools in Murang’a County. The
study sampled schools using the stratified sampling techniques using the criteria of boarding
status (boys, girls, or mixed boarding).Simple random sampling technique was further used to
choose respondents from each school status. This yielded 14 schools and their head teachers,
70 teachers (5 from each school), 640 students (40 from each school), and 14 support staff (1
from each school) yielding a total of 738 respondents. Data was collected using the
questionnaire for head teachers, teachers and students while an interview was conducted on
support staff. Spot check observation technique was employed on safety equipments and
facilities. Data collected was both quantitative and qualitative. Descriptive statistics was used
to analyze quantitative data while qualitative analysis was done by use of responses from the
respondents. Data presentation was done by use of frequency tables and bar graphs. The study
found out that there were no adequate facilities to take care of students with physical disabilities.
The study also revealed that the students, teachers and support staff are aware of the locations
of safety equipments in the school. The study showed that most of the teachers and the students
have basic training on how to handle safety equipments. The government has not fully funded
the implementation of safety guidelines in schools. The study established that student
population and the number of bed space ratio are fair. The ratio of the class size and the number
of students per class was poor. The study concludes that there are no adequate facilities to take
care of students with physical disabilities in schools. The students, teachers and support staff
were aware of the locations of safety equipments in the school though did not know how to
fully use them. The study concludes that most teachers and students did not have adequate
training on how to handle safety equipments. The government has not fully funded the
implementation of safety guidelines in schools. The study concludes that the school land
boundaries were not well secured. The size of the school land is not adequate enough to
accommodate all school activities. The study recommends schools to put in place adequate
facilities to take care of students with physical disabilities. The study recommends students,
teachers and support staff to be made aware of the locations of safety equipments in the school.
Teachers, students and support staff should frequently be trained to handle safety equipments
in the school. Response to school disturbance by all the stake holders should be quick and
immediate. The study recommends the principals to ensure that school land boundaries are well
secured. Full implementation of school safety guidelines and training of all stakeholders in
response to school disturbances will definitely enhance the effectiveness of safety guidelines in
schools.
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Educational Planning, Management and Administration