ROLE OF SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND BOARD OF MANAGEMENT ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STRIKES IN KENYA
Abstract
Purpose of the Study: This paper assessed the role of school principals and board of management on school strikes in Kenyan Secondary Schools. Specifically, to determine the causes of strikes among Secondary Schools in Kenya, to examine the role of School Principals in causing and preventing strikes in Secondary Schools as well as to establish the oversight role of school boards regarding payment of damage fees during strikes as well as other factors in the running of the school.
Methodology: The research was anchored on the conflict theory as well as the expectancy theory. The descriptive research design and the explanatory research design were used in the paper. The targeted population consisted of 18 teachers, 60 students and 60 parents. The study applied a census method and as such all 138 respondents would form the sample.
Results: The study found that student unrest and strikes are mainly as a result of student grievances that have been left unaddressed over a period of time leading to frustrations that manifests in the form of violence, bullying, boycotts and disobedience by students. Such grievances include poor food, poor boarding facilities such as beddings, congestions in the dormitories, strict rules that sometimes does not include room for entertainment and co-curricular activities.
Conclusions: The study concluded that schools do not have well defined and functional communication systems between the students and the administration. The study further concluded that school boards are not as actively involved in school affairs as they perhaps should be as seen by the complaints of stakeholders such as students and parents.
Recommendations: The study recommends that schools engage students in making choices that affect the running of the school and hence the day to day activities of the students. Additionally, the study recommends that the school board of management becomes more active in the affairs of the school regarding communication between students and the administration. Finally, the study recommends that school boards be more proactive to represent the interest of all stakeholders in the school ecosystem.
Keywords: School, Principals, Board of Management, Strike, Student Unrest
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