dc.description.abstract | The study examined disaster awareness and preparedness of secondary schools in Homa
Bay County. The study objectives were to identifying types of disasters found in
secondary schools, establishing levels of disaster awareness and preparedness,
establishing administrative strategies put in place by school managers to enhance disaster
awareness and preparedness and examining ways through which school facilities have
been modified to cope with school disasters. The study adopted a descriptive survey
design and targeted 52 principals, 420 secondary schools teachers and 6,000 students. 52
principals were purposively selected for the study, 84 teachers and 600 students were
sampled for the study. Data were collected using questionnaires and an observation
schedule. Quantitative data from closed-ended items were analysed using frequency
counts. Frequencies and percentages obtained were presented in tables and graphs which
were then internalized and described.
The findings of the study revealed that secondary schools in Homa Bay County are faced
with a variety of disasters with varying magnitudes most of which are floods-related as
stated by 85.4% of principals, Low extent of planning for disaster awareness attributed to
rare planning and attendance of workshops and seminars on disaster awareness given that
81.4% of teachers had never attended these workshops. It 'also established that crucial
disaster awareness information ma;e(ia1s such as school safety manuals were not
available in most schools (70.9%). If" was also found that most secondary students
(75.4%) were not conversant with road safety rules as some of them were flouting these
rules which might have exposed them to transport related disasters. The study further
revealed that very little efforts had beep. done by school administrations to enhance
disaster awareness and preparedness as none of the school had put in place early warning
mechanisms, Disaster awareness and preparedness guidelines. were not available in a
large number of schools (89.6%) and that most secondary schools (75.0%) did not even
have school safety sub-committees. Most school administrations (52.9%) also took roll
calls very often before students retire a to bed on a regular basis and that there were
regular patrols by the school security personnel to ensure safety in schools.
From the findings, most secondary schools in Homa Bay County were not adequately
prepared to deal with disasters as a result of floods, landslides, thunderstorm/lightening
related disasters, earthquake related disasters, disasters as a result of strong winds, fire
related disasters, and disasters arising from poisonous chemical emissions and severe
pollution. It was also established that most secondary schools had not modified their
school physical facilities in line with safety requirements given that most secondary
schools (43.8%) in the County had overcrowded-classrooms, (54.8%) having narrow
doors which may have made it hard for students t~ evacuate in case of an emergency and
a number of them (39.5%) had doors that opened inwards thus making it difficult to force
them open from inside in case of emergency,
The study recommends that every secondary school need to have a plan for development
of capacity for the staff and students-to be better prepared in responding to disaster,
School administrations and other stakeholders ought to provide necessary information
and materials support to schools to promote disaster preparedness, and school
administration need to protect investment in physical infrastructure and plan for
reinforcement or upgrading of existing structures to become more resistant and resilient
to the damaging effects of disaster. In view of the limitations and delimitations of the
study, the study suggested a study assessing the training needs of Ministry of Education
officials and principals regarding disaster awareness and preparedness in secondary
schools and similar study be carried out in other parts of the country given that disasters
can possibly occur in any school within the country. | en |