Bullying in public mixed day secondary schools in Nairobi province

Abstract

Bullying in Public Mixed Day Secondary Schools in Nairobi Province, is a research study on various variables related to bullying. The study investigated on the causes of bullying, characteristics of bullies, locale, effects and remedies of bullying. The literature reviewed covers both ·Iocal and international past researches on this topic. The similarities and differences in the approaches used in developed and developing countries are related to those found in the study. The study limited itself to the public mixed Day secondary schools in Nairobi. Up to 200 students, 10 principals and 10 HODs, Guidance and Counselling from 10 public mixed day secondary schools participated in this study. The samples were drawn using systematic and simple random sampling techniques. Research instruments used were: questionnaires for students and HODS and an interview guide for the principals. To ensure reliability and validity, a pilot study was carried out. The study revealed that bullying is rife in public mixed day secondary schools. The causes for this phenomenon are varied. Among them were: lack of professionalism in handling bullies, negative influence from student's home background, lack of communication between teachers and students, clear cut policies on bullying and adequate teaching/learning resources. The locale of bullying was also investigated and reasons given as to why some areas are more conducive to bullying than others. In presenting the results in Chapter Four, the researcher gave the absolute number of respondents in brackets after the percentages. The study concluded that concerted efforts are required to exhaustively deal with .bullying in all schools. The recommendations given in the study include how to curb bullying in educational institutions such as holding barazas for the school community where students freely air their views. The study has also recommended that a national baseline study be carried out to establish the appropriate strategies that could be adopted when dealing with cases of bullying.