dc.description.abstract |
Compliance of safety policy is paramount in schools, however, insecurity for learners
still exist in schools within the North Rift region arising from non-adherence of the
safety policy. This study aimed to analyze safety policy compliance on learners' safety
in primary boarding schools in the north rift region, Kenya. The objectives which guided
the study were: to analyze safety standard measures put in place to ensure the safety of
learners, to assess the stakeholders' level of awareness on learner safety, to examine the
role of management in implementing safety policy to ensure the safety of learners, to
establish the incidences of insecurity as a result of noncompliance to safety policy, and
to explore challenges faced by administration in implementing safety policy in public
and private primary boarding schools in the North Rift Region. The study adopted the
Domino Safety theory by Heinrich. The study employed a convergent mixed methods
design. The target population was 161 Public and Private Primary Boarding Schools in
the North Rift Region. The target population were 813, comprising 161 head teachers,
322 teachers, 161 BOM chairpersons, 1610 pupil representatives and 8 QASO. The
sample size for this study was 685 respondents comprising 48 schools where 48 head
teachers, 96 teachers and 8 QASO Officers, 48 BOM chairpersons and 483 pupil
representatives. The study stratified schools from the 8 counties in the North Rift
Region. The study then selected the public and private primary boarding schools
proportionately from each stratum. The research further selected head teachers,
teachers, pupils, BOM representatives and QASO Officers proportionately. The study
utilized questionnaires, interview schedules, focus group discussions and observation
checklists as the main data collection instruments. Data were both quantitative and
qualitative. Qualitative data were analyzed using the thematic method. The results
revealed the positive linear effect of safety standard measures put in place on the safety
of learners (β1=.225, p=0.043). It was further established that stakeholders' level of
awareness had a positive and significant effect on the safety of learners (β2=.307,
p=0.011). It was further established that the role of management in implementing safety
policy had a positive and significant effect on the safety of learners (β3=.251, p=0. 024).
Finally, incidences of insecurity were found to have had a negative and significant effect
on the safety of learners (β4=-.229, p=0.009). The study findings from interviews
revealed that there were safety standard measures put in place to ensure the safety of
learners; however, all had not been well implemented. The study concluded that most
schools had not fully implemented safety standard policies. It was evident that most
stakeholders were not involved in decision-making regarding the safety policy
compliance. Among other recommendations, the study recommends that the schools
should ensure all stakeholders are engaged in learners' safety. |
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