Investigation into the state of disaster preparedness in schools in Kenya

Abstract

Disasters of various kinds have been witnessed in learning institutions in Kenya for many years. Indeed, disasters disrupt the education process and undermine quality of education. This study investigated preparedness of learning institutions in fighting instances of fire outbreaks. It was based on a survey conducted in 12 Counties in Kenya and targeted all learners in primary and secondary schools, teachers, school administrators, Boards of Management/School Management Committees, Chiefs, Sponsors and education officials. Descriptive survey research design was used. The research instruments used in collecting data were questionnaires and interview guides. Piloting of the instruments was done and validated for reliability in three Counties selected randomly. The pilot Counties were not part of the main study. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Education is hampered in learning institutions because the personnel were not sufficiently prepared to handle disasters or emergency situations, as 61% of the respondents had not attended drill demonstrations on disaster management. Only 39% of the respondents had been exposed to demonstrations on disaster management. The study makes recommendations at both the policy and programmatic levels. It is expected that these findings will provide insightful reference that policy makers, education officials, school administrators, teachers and stakeholders can rely on in regard to disaster preparedness and management in learning institutions. Strategies to contain disasters are crucial in helping ensure quality education in schools.