Assessment of Safety Status of Physical Infrastructure (Classrooms, Dormitories, Sanitation Facilities, Laboratories and Kitchen) in Public Secondary Schools in Nairobi West Region, Kenya

Abstract

Safety of learners is central to the provision of education in any country. Learning institutions in Kenya have continued to experience different disasters emanating from inappropriate school physical infrastructure among other factors (Mwangi, 2008). It is in this respect that this study assessed Safety Status of Physical Infrastructure in Public Secondary Schools in Nairobi West Region with an aim of giving recommendations regarding safety in schools. All (25) public secondary schools in the study area were stratified according to administrative districts, type and category. A representative sample of 15 schools, 240 students and 43 teachers was randomly selected. Fifteen head teachers and six Education officers were purposively included in the sample. For data collection, the study used both quantitative and qualitative approaches, where convergent parallel design was employed. Questionnaires were used to gather information from head teachers, teachers and students whereas Interview guide was used to collect data from District Education Officers (DEOs) and District Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (DQASOs). The study sought answers on safety of the following physical infrastructures; Classrooms, Dormitories, Sanitation facilities and Laboratories. Observation guide was used to complement other data collection instruments. The Study was guided by Invitational Theory of Practice (Purkey, 1999) which states that People, Places, Policies, Programs and Processes when adequately addressed make schools more safe and appealing. Data were analyzed using both descriptive statistics and narrative techniques. The study established that most schools had not fully implemented Ministry of Education Safety guidelines to ensure safety of physical infrastructure.

Keywords: Safety Status, Physical Infrastructure, Learners, Public Secondary Schools, Safety guidelines, Implementation.