Conflict management as a tool for restoring discipline in Kenyan Public Secondary schools

Abstract

Conflict is a part and parcel of human organization all over the world. Therefore, potential for confl ict exists because people have different needs, values, views and goals. In schools, internal conflicts oc cur because sometimes administrators, teachers and stud ents have different perceptions and attitudes towards certain issues. The study examines how conf lict management is used as a tool for restoring discipline in Kenyan secondary schools and it is gu ided by human needs theory. The study employed mixed methods approach which embraced both quantita tive and qualitative methods to collect data from secondary students, headteachers and teacher counse lors. This study has concluded that failure to trai n headteachers and teacher counselors on conflict res olution; management skills and a lack of clear communication among all the stakeholders constitute some of the causes of conflict in secondary schools. The study has recommended that conflict ma nagement and peace keeping skills should be incorporated into teacher education syllabuses.