Factors influencing compliance with disaster risk reduction guidelines in public primary schools in Kiambaa Division, Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate factors influencing compliance with disaster risk reduction guidelines in public primary schools in Kiambaa Division, Kiambu County, Kenya. The study aimed to achieve this by assessing the extent to which school size, structural condition of physical infrastructure, availability of financial resources and community participation influenced compliance with disaster risk reduction guidelines. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory was reviewed. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population was 23 headteachers and 372 teachersfrom 23 public primary schools in Kiambaa Division. The study sampled 21 headteachers. To get a total of 189 teachers, nine teachers were picked randomly from each of the 21 public primary schools in the Division. Questionnaires for the headteachers and teachers and an observation schedule were used to collect information on factors influencing compliance with disaster risk reduction guidelines.Descriptive statistics including percentages and frequency counts were used to analyse the quantitative data obtained. Data was presented in form of tables, graphs and pi-charts. The study found out that no school in Kiambaa Division had fully complied with disaster risk reduction guidelines as confirmed by all the headteachers and all the teachers. All the respondents confirmed that there was congestion in their schools which posed a challenge to compliance with disaster risk reduction guidelines. The physical infrastructure in 85.7% of the schools was in fair condition. The doors open outwards and there was enough lighting. However, windows were grilled as witnessed in all the schools which poses a safety threat in case of a disaster. Professionals like architects, quantity surveyors, contractors, Ministry of Public works and Ministry of Health were not involved in the construction and maintenance of school physical infrastructure as recommended in the Safety and Standards Manual for Schools (2008) by the Ministry of Education. Schools in the study had financial difficulties. The government does not provide money for disaster risk reduction in primary schools as confirmed by all the headteachers. Majority of the headteachers (81.0%) and a majority of the teachers (81.0%) were of the opinion that lack of financial resources affected compliance with disaster risk reduction guidelines. There was poor rapport between the schools and the community as confirmed by 52.7% of the teachers. The study concluded that school size, lack of financial resources and poor school-community relationship are a threat to children’s safety in schools. The study recommended expansion of the existing school facilities to ease congestion. School administrators should raise the level of awareness of disaster risk reduction issues among the teachers. Healthy working relationship with the community should be fostered so as to be able to involve the community in disaster risk reduction programmes.The Ministry of Education should enforce school safety programmes by ensuring all schools institute school safety sub-committees to implement safety policies.