Assessment of the level of implementation of safety standards guidelines in public secondary schools in Ngong division, Kajiado District, Kenya
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Date
2014-08-26
Authors
Muigai, Grace Wanjiru
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Abstract
There have been increased reported incidences of fires and other fatal accidents within
the school environment. These incidences have left a number of lives lost and property
worth million of shillings destroyed in Kenyan secondary schools. Many questions
pertaining to the reasons for the increase in these incidences have been raised. It is
therefore important to ensure that school safety standard guidelines are strictly followed.
The Kenyan government has attempted to address the threat of school safety by issuing
safety standard guidelines to schools. What was not clear is the status of implementation
of the guidelines. This study assessed the current status of implementation of the MoEST
guidelines on safety standards in secondary schools in Ngong Division in Kajiado
District. The researcher expected that the status of implementation of the MoEST
guidelines on safety in pubic secondary schools depended on knowledge of the guidelines
among institutions headteachers, teacher and students, attitude toward various aspects of
the safety guidelines,' and resource constraints experienced in implementing the
guidelines. The study used a survey design, targeting all the 16 public secondary schools
in Ngong Division of Kajiado District. Random sampling was used to select 10 schools,
from which 10 headteachers, 40 teachers, and 200 students will participate in the study.
Four tools study were used for data collection: a questionnaire for headteachers, a
questionnaire for teachers, a questionnaire for students, and an observation schedule. A
pilot study was conducted in two schools to help in improving validity and reliability of
the questionnaires. Descriptive statistics including percentages and frequency counts
were used to analyze the quantitative data obtained. Qualitative data was analyzed by
arranging responses according to the research questions and objectives. The study
established that status of knowledge of the MoEST safety guidelines among the
institutional headteachers, teachers and students was poor. This is explained by the fact
that all headteachers and teachers had not attended any course, seminar or workshop on
school safety, only a few had a copy of the safety standards manual, a few of them were
aware of all safety precautions that schools should take to avert accidents and disasters.
Most of the students were also not aware of the schools safety guidelines. Some of the
strategies by the government to curtail school safety disasters are said not to be practical
and therefore the government should ensure that the guidelines are realistic so as to
enhance safety in schools" The government should also ensure that the safety standards
guidelines manuals are available in all public schools in order to curb school disasters
that are associated with safety. Training related to school safety was not offered. For
effective implementation of the safety standards guidelines in public secondary schools,
there should be involvement of the government, school administrators, students, parents
and the community at large.
Description
Department of Education Foundation, The LB 2864.5 M8 2010