Forms of Communication in Schools: a Study of Public Secondary Schools in Nairobi County

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess forms of communication in Nairobi secondary schools. Two step flow of information theory and organizational information theory were used to explain the relationship between the study variables. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: to determine the forms of communication used in secondary schools in Nairobi County, to establish the communication tools used in secondary schools in Nairobi County and to assess the communication roles of students’ council in secondary schools in Nairobi County. The study was carried out in public secondary schools in Nairobi County. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The target population was members of the students’ council, teachers and deputy principals. A total of 130 respondents (constituting 10 deputy principals, 40 teachers and 80 members of the students’ council) were targeted by the study out of which 118 responded (constituting 8 deputy principals, 36 teachers and 74 members of the students’ council) giving a response rate of 91%. Questionnaires were used to collect data from teachers and members of the students’ council while interview schedules were used to collect data from deputy principals. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis technique were used to analyze the data. Quantitative data collected was analyzed, presented and interpreted using both descriptive statistics while thematic analysis techniques was used to analyze qualitative data. The study found that the following forms of communication are used in schools: school parliaments or barazas, assembly hall announcements, members of the students’ council and reporting to relevant authorities. Communication tools used in secondary schools in Nairobi County include: notice boards, suggestion boxes and end of year reports, school calendars, minutes, internal memos, students’ notice boards and message box. The study also found that one of the roles of the members of the students’ council is to communicate the students’ needs to the relevant authorities. Some of the needs communicated include: complaints on quantity of food given to students, missing of lessons by some teachers, absenteeism, harsh punishment, list of areas students want to be improved in the school, changes in the school routine and welfare of the members of the students’ council. It was finally found that members of the students council participate in decision making in schools in the following ways: students welfare, students discipline, coming up with school rules and regulations, type of punishment to breakers of school rules and regulations, type of diet, school half term dates, educational trips, student welfare and student leaders training