Chepngeno, Dorine2026-02-252026-02-252025-11https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/32574A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Comparative Education), Kenyatta University, November 2025. Supervisors 1. Dr. Wawire Violet, Lecturer-Department of Educational Foundations, Kenyatta University 2. Dr. Peter Mugo Gathara, Lecturer- Department of Educational Foundations, Kenyatta University.School safety plays an important role in creating a good learning environment. Governments worldwide have come up with policies and programs to improve school safety. The study sought to investigate whether secondary schools in Bureti Sub-County, Kericho County, Kenya, have followed the practices of risk management within the school setting according to the school safety standards manual for schools in Kenya. The study was guided by the following precise objectives: To identify trends in the awareness level of school safety policies among stakeholders, to examine school sociocultural environmental safety practices and adherence to national school safety policy requirements; to check physical infrastructural safety status adherence to national school safety policy requirements; and its effectiveness in the learning process as well as to investigate challenges confronting schools in their attempts to implement the school safety policy in secondary schools in Bureti Sub County, Kenya. Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of Needs theory (1943) and Ludwig von Bertalanffy's General Systems Theory (1968) were applied in this study. Descriptive survey design was employed in this study and 61 secondary schools, 61 principals, 470 teachers, 6 county education officers and 1800 learners were targeted. Out of all these, 7 secondary schools, 7 principals, 20 teachers, 1 education officer and 180 learners were sampled. Stratified random sampling was convenient in identifying the secondary schools (private and public), purposive sampling in the selection of the principals in the selected schools and a sub-county education officer and a simple random sampling in sampling teachers and learners from each stratum. The data was collected using questionnaires (teachers and learners), interview guides (principals and the education officer) and a physical environment observation checklist. Quantitative data was represented using descriptive statistics in terms of frequencies, percentages, and numbers whereas qualitative data was examined through content analysis presented as narratives, verbatim quotes, and photographs. Reliability was ensured using the test-retest method, and validity was achieved through expert review of research instruments. Key findings revealed significant gaps in the implementation of safety practices. While awareness of the national school safety policy was generally high among stakeholders, most had not directly accessed the document. There was partial alignment of sociocultural safety practices with policy requirements, and although schools were generally considered socially safe for learners and staff, physical infrastructure fell short of required standards. Many schools lacked proper emergency exits, adequate dormitory spacing, firefighting equipment, and secure school boundaries. A major barrier identified was limited financial resources, which constrained schools' ability to fully implement safety standards. The study recommended that schools develop sustainable, internal income-generating activities to reduce over-reliance on external funding to improve on the safety status of their schools. Moreover, the government should increase direct funding for safety improvements in schools, including infrastructure, training, and disaster preparedness. These findings are relevant for policymakers, education stakeholders, and school leaders both locally and internationally. A safe and secure school environment not only ensures students and instructors but also promotes increased enrollment, improved retention, and graduation success; critical corners in quality education achievement.enThesis