| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of the study was to investigate institutional factors influencing adherence of safety standard guidelines in secondary schools in Buuri District, Kenya. It was guided by the following research objectives; to determine the extent to which availability of financial resources by board of management, disciplinary measures employed by the board of managements on students who vandalize school facilities, principals’ sensitization to students on safety guidelines and the number of enrolled students influence on adherence to safety standard guidelines in public secondary schools. The study was based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory (1943). It adopted a descriptive survey design. The research targeted 35 public secondary schools in Buuri District, Meru County. Stratified sampling was used to sample schools in the three divisions that make up Buuri District. The principals, Board members representatives and two students participated in the study. Therefore, the study sample population comprised of 11 principals, 11 BOM members and 22 students sample population. Questionnaire tools were constructed to collect the data from principals and BOM members, and student leaders and first aiders. Test- retest method was used to test the reliability of the tools. The data collected was analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. From the study findings majority of the principals (81.8%) and board of management (88.9%) avail financial resources to cater for safety needs in schools, though the funds are usually not adequate. However, in most schools (45.4%) they are allocated with ten to thirty thousand shillings for safety needs that is usually not enough to cater for all safety guidelines requirements. Thus, they mobilize financial resources to cater for safety needs by planning financial allocation for the funds at hand. Undisciplined students engage in unrest in schools and damage school property in the process. Vandalized of school property is either repay back, or learners are suspend from school. However, principals hold demonstration forums to educate students on safety guidelines so as to sensitize learners on safety standards. However, school’s security is lowered during students’ unrest was likely to be found in school due to the high enrolment of students. Hence, schools need to beef up security and safety measures to ensure that schools have better learning environment. Based on the study findings, the researcher made the following recommendations; government should allocate more funds to schools so as to enable the school management cater for safety requirements in schools and safety guideline rules should be display on strategic points in school. Thus the researcher suggests that; a study to be carried out to find out societal factors that influence adherence of safety standards in schools. | en_US |
