Adherence to School Safety and Its Relationship to Students’ Performance in Machakos County, Kenya
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Date
2025-02
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
Safety in schools is a crucial component of the wellbeing and success of learners in
all educational institutions. Learners who do not perceive their school to be safe may
not concentrate well in studies for good performance. The aim of the research was to
examine the effect of school safety on the achievement of high school learners in
Machakos County, Kenya. Specifically, this research sought to: establish the safety
status of public secondary schools within Machakos County, examine how safety in
schools impinges on the learning process in high schools in Machakos County,
establish whether secondary school students’ perception of safety in school
correlates with their academic achievement, and find out the measures being taken to
improve safety in the schools. This research study employed a descriptive survey
research design. The targeted respondents were all the 84,800 students, 2,954
teachers, and 332 principals in the 332 public high schools in the County. The
research utilized stratified random sampling method to select 20 schools for the
study, with 10 schools comprising those that consistently perform well in KCSE
while 10 schools were drawn from those that consistently perform poorly. The
sample size was computed using a sample size determination formula, arriving at
400 students (0.5%), 40 teachers (1.4%) and 20 principals (6.0%), leading to 460
participants. Data was obtained using students’ questionnaires, teachers’
questionnaires, and principals’ interview schedules. To ensure reliability of the
instrument, test-retest method was utilised, and the questionnaires was deemed
reliable with an index of 0.781. Data was analysed per research objective, by use of
statistical analysis as well as descriptive approach. Qualitative data was analysed
thematically using content analysis. The study found that, while the respondents
generally perceive certain aspects of school safety positively, there are notable areas
of concern that warrant further attention and intervention to enhance overall safety
and well-being in secondary schools. Results indicated a moderate positive
correlation between students' perception of school safety and their academic
performance (r = 0.136, p < 0.05). Recommendations include enhancing safety
protocols, increasing stakeholder involvement, and investing in technology to
enhance school safety. The study findings could be useful to policymakers,
principals and tutors by identifying measures that may be utilised to improve school
safety for the wellbeing of students in schools.
Description
A Research Project Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Education (Educational Administration) in School of Education and Lifelong Learning of Kenyatta University February, 2025
Supervisor;
1. Irene N. Njogu