Influence of Principals’ Management Practices on Adherence to Safety Standards in Public Secondary Schools in Nandi North Sub-county, Kenya

Abstract

This study was to investigate the influence of principals’ management practices on adherence to safety standards in public secondary schools in Nandi North Sub-county, Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives: to establish the influence of availability of safety infrastructure and equipment on adherence to safety standards, to find out the influence of teachers’ training on adherence to safety standards, to determine the influence of principals’ involvement of stakeholders on adherence to safety standards, and to establish the influence of principal’s involvement of teachers on adherence to safety standards in public secondary schools in Nandi North Sub-county, Kenya. The study was based on the systems theory. The study also relied on the descriptive survey research design method. The research used two-stage cluster sampling method to generate the sample for the study. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from principals and school Heads of Departments. The SQASSO was interviewed to get in-depth information so as to triangulate the data collected. A checklist was used to collect quantitative data. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentages and frequencies. Also, the Statistical package for social science (SPSS version 25) was used to compute correlation coefficients. To find the relationship between the variables the study employed correlation analysis. Based on the first objective, the relationship between availability of safety infrastructure and equipment and adherence to safety standards, it was found to be statistically significant by principals (M=3.91, r=0.0.545,r2=0.297; p<0.05), HOD(M=3.29, r=0.628,r2=0.394; p<0.05) Based on the second objective of the study which was to establish the relationship between teachers’ training and adherence to safety standards, it was found to be statistically significant by principals (M=3.65, r=0.498, r2=0.248; p<0.05), HODs (M=3.77, r=0.736, r2=0.541; p>0.05) Based on the third objective of the study which was to establish the relationship between principals’ involvement of stakeholders and adherence to safety standards, it was found to be statistically significant by principals(M=3.82, r=0.589, r2=0.346; p<0.05), HODs (M=3.78, r=0.632, r2=0.399, p<0.05) Based on the fourth objective of the study, which was to establish the relationship between principal’s involvement of teachers and adherence to safety standards, it was found to be statistically significant by principals (M=4.02, r=0.314, r2=0.09 p<0.05), HODs(M=4.93; r=0.467, r2=0.218 p<0.05). From the study findings it was concluded that: adequate and properly constructed school structures enhances school safety, training of teachers enhances the observance of school safety practices by both the teachers and leaners. Principal’s involvement of stakeholders is crucial in enhancing school safety, and that principals play a critical role in ensuring school safety. It was recommended that schools should construct more health facilities to enhance school safety. It was also recommended that MoE should come up with a policy on enhancing school health facilities.