INFLUENCE OF SCHOOL SUPPORT MEASURES ON IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE EDUCATION IN PUBLIC DAY SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN WEST POKOT COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

In the face of growing social and environmental challenges, issues on sustainability and how these problems are addressed are critical to organizations and institutions. Peace education is about empowering and equipping students with knowledge, skills and attitudes in relation to positive social change and to help them find new solutions to challenges. West Pokot County is a highly volatile region and is characterized by regular conflict between its inhabitants and communities in neighbouring Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Turkana counties and northern Uganda region. The purpose of this study was to investigate school support measures on provision of peace education in public secondary schools in West Pokot County, Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives; to determine how school plans and policies affect provision of peace education, to assess the role of school staff capacity building in promoting peace education, to identify school co curricular activities that accelerate attainment of peace education in public secondary schools and to examine the school-community partnerships that promote peace education in public secondary schools in West Pokot county. Literature review indicates that when education is equitably available, of good quality, relevant and conflict sensitive, it can help promote peace and provide safe environments. However, when its delivery is characterized by exclusion and inequity, it can exacerbate conflict. This study investigated the influence of schools’ support measures and its effect on provision of peace education. The study adopted a pragmatist research paradigm and a descriptive survey research design. The descriptive research design enabled an accurate description and assessment of knowledge related to school support measures in an effort to promote peace education. A sample size of 30% of principals and teachers constituted 24 and 198 respectively from a total population of 81 principals and 661 teachers in the County. Based on Yamane formula for sample size calculation, 385 students were sampled from a total of 10,035 students in West Pokot County. The schools were selected using stratified random sampling technique while purposive sampling was used to select the principals who participated in the study. Simple random sampling was used to select students and teachers. Data was collected using questionnaires for teachers’ respondents, interviews for principals and focus group discussions, for student respondents. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi square test while qualitative data was analyzed thematically based on the emerging themes. The study established that; schools had put in place measures within their plans and regulations to promote the implementation of peace education in the county, that teachers generally had the capacity to handle conflicts in the student community thus promoting the implementation of peace education, school co-curricular activities promoted peace education and that school community networks had aided the peace process in the county. It is recommended that there should be enhancement of: parental involvement in the formulation of school plans and regulations, teacher professional development in the context of peace education, co-curricular activities with the theme of peace education as well as collaborative efforts between schools and communities within the county. In conclusion schools have put in place support measures within their plans and regulations, teacher capacity building efforts, co-curricular activities and school community partnerships that promote peace and coexistence.