Influence of armed conflict on pupils’ performance in kenya certificate of primary education in Mandera north sub-county, Kenya

Abstract

According to the UNESCO Global Monitoring Report 2011,violent conflict is one of the greatest development challenges facing the international community (UNESCO,2011). Beyond the immediate human suffering it causes, it is a source of poverty, inequality and economic stagnation. Children and education systems are often on the front line of armed conflict.The purpose of the study was to establish the influence of armed conflict on pupils‟ performance of KCPE in Mandera North Sub-County. The study was guided by the four objectives:- to establish the effects of displacement of families during conflict on pupils performance, establish the effects of teacher student ratio during conflict on pupils performance, determine how destruction of school infrastructure in the area of conflict affects the pupils performance and to examine the effects of destruction of source of livelihood on pupils performance.The study adopted a descriptive survey design since the study aimed at capturing respondents‟ opinions, attitudes, beliefs and knowledge based on the impact of perennial armed conflict on schools in Mandera North Sub-County. The sampled population for the study comprised of 8 head teachers and 112 pupils in primary schools in Mandera North Sub-County were randomly selected to participate in the study comprising 30 percent and given questionnaires to fill. Questionnaires were used for this study because they are much more efficient in that they permit collection of data from a much larger sample. Analysis of data started with editing to identify errors made by the respondents such as spelling and any un-responded to items. Quantitative data derived from the demographic section and the closed questions were analyzed using descriptive statistics, using percentages and frequencies to enable meaningful description of the distribution.The study found out that displaced children lacked support provided by educational structures as indicated by majority (62.5%) of head teachers. The study also found out that displaced children in the schools were given urgent need assistance and protection as indicated by majority (62.5%) of head teachers. Majority (75.0%) of head teachers‟ agreed that displacement results from the disruption of economic and social life of the pupils. Findings on the effects of teacher displacement during conflict on pupils‟ KCPE performance revealed that displacement of teachers during conflict had an effect on pupils‟ performance of KCPE as indicated by 100.0% of head teachers. Majority (75.0%) of headteachers agreed that fear of physical attacks was likely to hinder the teachers‟ ability to handle children in school and that the quality of education suffers due to shortages of teachers during conflicts. Majority (87.5%) of headteachers agreed that fear of sexual violence during conflict was likely to hinder the teachers' ability to handle children in school. Findings on the effects of destruction of sources of livelihood on provision of quality education found out that during conflict household lose their sources of income as indicated by majority (62.5%) of head teachers. Based on the study findings, the study concluded that displaced children lacked support provided by educational structures, displaced children faced greater poverty and that displaced children lack support provided by educational structures, displaced children travelled great distances towards schools and they were the most frequent victims of violence, disease, malnutrition and death. The performance of pupils suffers due to shortages of infrastructure during conflicts and that conflict destroys schools and educational infrastructure