An Investigation of Safety Precautions in Primary School Environment in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This research investigated the availability of safety precautions and the problems associated with safety in schools using some selected primary schools in Bayelsa State, Nigeria as case study. Consent letters and methodology of selection of participants were sent to schools to solicit willingness to be involved in the study. The population of the study comprises of 631 primary school teachers teaching in the 62 primary schools in a Local Education Authority in Bayelsa State. 210 out of the 631 teachers were randomly selected using the staff nominal roll and selecting every 5^th name. The design of the study was a descriptive survey design. Four research questions were posited for the study ranging from security measures, conditions of school buildings, sources of water supply and its availability and the likely safety problems in the participating schools. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire developed by the researcher and validated by experts in measurement and evaluation. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient of 0.78 was realized using test retest method of testing reliability. The findings revealed that there are no security measures in place in the participating primary schools. Most of the school buildings are dilapidated and the classrooms furniture are death traps. The finding of this study shows a gross neglect of safety in the school. Also, there are no regular visitations by the ministry of education to schools to ascertain the nature of safety precautions in the schools. It was therefore recommended that safety measures should be put in place for staff and pupils safety. Such safety measures should be in the form of installation of surveillance cameras in strategic places, provision of firefighting equipments, engaging professional security personnel among others.

Keywords: Safety, precaution, primary school, Nigeria, school environment