School-Based Factors Influencing Implementation Of Safety Standards In Public Secondary Schools In Matungulu Sub-County, Machakos County - Kenya

ABSTRACT

Despite existence of safety policies in secondary schools in Kenya, student mortality

rates attributed to physical accidents in the country are estimated to be on the rise

from 3% to 7% annually. This study investigated school-based factors influencing

implementation of safety standards in public secondary schools in Matungulu Sub-

County, Machakos County. Guided by Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Theory, this study investigated the extent to which: safety awareness among teachers

and students; availability of financial resources; students’ enrolment and school

management practices influence implementation of safety standards in public

secondary schools in Matungulu Sub-County. Descriptive survey research design was

used to collect data from a target population of 35 public secondary schools in

Matungulu Sub-County. The target population for this study comprised of 35 school

heads, 389 teachers and 2608 form three students. The study adopted purposive,

stratified and simple random sampling techniques where a sample size of 11 school

heads, 44 teachers and 264 students was drawn from the 35 public secondary schools.

Questionnaire and observation checklist were used to collect data. Validity of research

instruments was ascertained through piloting by a research expert from school of

education while, reliability of the research instruments was determined using the testre-

test method. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as

mean scores, percentages, frequency distribution tables and standard deviations and

presented in tables, charts and narratives. Further, correlation and regression analysis

methods were used to determine the statistical effect of individual predictor variable

on the dependent variable. Qualitative data obtained from open-ended questions was

analyzed thematically and presented using descriptive statistics. Overall the study

revealed that there is a statistical significant relationship between school-based factors

and implementation of safety standards. This is because the p-value as measured

between each school-based factor and implementation of safety standards in schools,

was less than (≤).05, the acceptable significance level. This study concludes that

despite existence of safety manuals and policies in secondary schools in schools, lack

of awareness, inadequate funds, increased number of student enrolment and

negligence of school management on safety measures were major hindrances to

implementation of safety standards. This study recommends among others that, for

effective implementation of safety standards in public secondary schools in

Matungulu Sub-County, the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Education

should allocate funds to facilitate training of teachers and students on safety measures

and purchase of safety equipment such as fire extinguishers. Further, the Ministry

should set safety policies to regulate student number constraints based on

infrastructural facilities. The findings of this study are considered to be of value to

school management, policy makers, researches and scholars when making decisions

related to safety in school.