Influence Of Somali Clans’ Conflict On Teachers’ Retention In Public Primary Schools In Banisa Subcounty, Mandera County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of Somali clans’ conflict on teachers’ retention in public primary schools in Banisa Sub-county. The study was guided by four objectives: - to determine the influence of clans’ displacement on teachers’ retention, establish the influence of destructions of school facilities on teachers’ retention, determine the influence of trauma on teachers’ retention and to establish the influence of teachers’ loss of livelihood on teachers’ retention. Descriptive survey design was adopted by the study since it aimed at capturing respondents’ opinions, attitudes, beliefs and knowledge based on the impact of clans’ conflicts on schools in Banisa Sub-county. The sampled population for the study comprised of 31 head teachers and 96 teachers in public primary schools in Banisa Sub-county. Random selection was used to select these participants. Nonprobability sampling namely purposive sampling was used to select 30 community leaders who were interviewed. Questionnaires were the main tool for data collection among head teachers and teachers while an interview schedule was used to collect data from community leaders. Analysis of the data started with data cleaning, coding and entry into SPSS software. Qualitative data derived was analyzed using thematic analysis while descriptive statistics with the use of percentages and frequencies was used on quantitative data to enable meaningful description of the distribution. The study established that teachers lacked support from the host communities during conflicts as indicated by 51.6 percent of head teachers. 45.8 percent of teachers strongly agreed that teachers faced threats and physical attack from host communities during conflicts. Findings on the influence of destruction of school facilities on teachers’ retention revealed that majority of head teachers agreed that teachers’ retention was affected due to shortages of infrastructure during conflicts, 45.2 percent agreed that conflicts destroy school properties. The study also established that trauma affected teachers’ retention in schools during conflicts as indicated by 51.6 percent of teachers who stated that many teachers were affected psychologically following clan conflicts. Findings on the effects of loss of livelihood on teachers’ retention during conflict suggested that teacher earnings from other sources dropped during conflict as indicated by 62.5 percent of teachers. Based on the study findings, the study concluded that teachers lacked support from host communities during conflict. Teachers felt insecure to continue teaching while physical displacement during conflict denied teachers access to school. Conflict led to disruption of learning activities, due to destruction of school properties, many teachers were affected psychologically and were fearful of another attack of clan conflicts. The retention of teachers in schools was affected by loss of livelihoods as most teachers lost their properties during conflicts and hence sought for transfers to safer zones. The study recommended that the government should provide security to schools so that schools are not affected by clan conflicts. The study further suggested that other variables such as political influences pertaining to clan conflict be interrogated to establish how they influence teachers’ retention