Principals' Effectiveness in the Implementation of Safety Guidelines on Physical Infrastructure in Public Secondary Schools in Makueni County, Kenya

Abstract

This study was motivated by the unrelenting incidents of secondary schools' unrest and arson in Kenya. The aftermath has been wanton destruction of schools' physical infrastructure with public secondary schools being most affected. As such, this study aimed at assessing the principals' effectiveness in the adherence to the safety guidelines on physical infrastructure in public secondary schools in Mbooni East Sub County, Makueni County, Kenya. The objectives with respect to the area under study were: To establish the level of principals' and teachers' awareness on the existence of the Safety Standards Manual for Schools and to find out the extent to which the principals had implemented the safety standards on the physical infrastructure in public secondary schools; The study was based on the ERG theory; failure to attend to students and staff relatedness and growth needs in a school may impact itself negatively through renewed agitation for existence needs such as food, uniform and safety concerns leading to school unrests and destruction of school's physical infrastructure. Descriptive survey design was employed. The study locale was Mbooni East Sub County in Makueni County, Kenya. The sample size was determined through stratified random sampling and purposive sampling. Based on a target population of all 47 principals and 360 teachers in 47 public secondary schools in Mbooni East Sub County, the respondents included a principal and three teachers from each of the ten public secondary schools sampled. Through delegation, teachers significantly assist the principals in policy implementation in schools, hence their inclusion. The research instruments used were questionnaires and observation check list. Data from the principals and teachers was collected using questionnaires. An observation check list was used to obtain observable data during school visits. A pilot study was done to ascertain the appropriateness of the research instruments. The resultant data was processed using descriptive statistics. SPSS version 20, helped in data analysis. Presentation of data was done through frequency tabulations and graphical representations. The study established that the level of awareness regarding the safety guidelines was quite low in most public secondary schools in Mbooni East, Makueni County. Consequently, principals had implemented the physical infrastructure safety guidelines in schools to only a small extent. The study concluded that all public secondary schools needed to be assessed for compliance with the established physical structures safety standards and regulations. The study recommended enactment of a policy framework that empowers and compels all school principals to comply with the Ministry of Education physical infrastructure safety guidelines to make school structures safe and learner friendly.