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Communication has been recognised as one of the most important requirements in
communicating emergency and crisis situation to all stakeholders in schools. This is
because crisis situations can cause social and emotional distress to stakeholders within
the school at any time without warning and in such situations communication is
needed to ensure those affected are informed on what is happening or what needs to
happen. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine how communication is used
as a crisis preparedness strategy by secondary schools in Kapenguria Sub-County,
Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to: to explore the kind of crisis faced
by public secondary schools; establish communication practices available in public
secondary schools; establish the effect of communication practices on crisis
preparedness and suggests ways of improving communication practices on crisis
preparedness in public secondary schools in Kapenguria Sub County. The study was
anchored on situational crisis theory, attribution theory and stakeholder theory. The
study used a descriptive research design guided by pragmatism philosophical
approach. The area of study was Kapenguria Sub-County also known as Kapenguria
constituency. The unit of analysis was public secondary schools in the Sub-County.
The target population consisted of 36 principals, 368 teachers and 36 student council
chairs. A sample of 36 principals, 36 student leaders and 196 teachers were selected to
participate in the research through simple random sampling technique. The tools used
for collection of data were questionnaires (for teachers) and interview schedules (for
student leaders and principals). The instruments were piloted and tested for validity
and reliability prior to the main study. Data collected was analysed using qualitative
and quantitative form. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics with
coding and entry being facilitated by SPSS (version 26.0). Qualitative data from open
ended questions was analysed through thematic content analysis and presented in
narrations. The study found out that schools experienced various forms of crisis but
not to a larger extent as anticipated. The three common crisis that secondary schools
experienced consisted of; drugs and substance abuse by students, bullying and thefts.
On preparedness towards crisis management, it was found out that almost 75% of
schools were not prepared. The communication approach used in most schools was
top bottom with less than 25.0% being diagonal/horizontal. The study found out that
crisis communication guidelines were not used in many schools that were studied.
The active crisis communication preparedness found to be working was guidance and
counselling programmes. Nevertheless, majority of respondents said that crisis
communication preparedness was significant in ensuring information was shared to all
stakeholders and the damages occasioned by crisis breakout would be minimised. The
study concludes that communication has a significant effect on crisis preparedness in
public secondary schools in Kapenguria Sub-County. The study recommends that
schools stakeholders need to be trained on importance of communication in crisis
preparedness and management. Government should also provide additional support to
school to enable usage of various communication media to disseminate information.
The school management should ensure that the crisis communication and disaster
team are in place and active to respond to any emerging issues associated with crisis. |
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