Abstract:
Various strategies of resolving students‟ conflicts in public secondary schools are
growing in Africa. However, little is known on the effectiveness of the mechanisms
that are used in conflict resolutions by the school boards in public secondary schools
using Ngara district council as a case study. The study adopted a case study design,
in which the quantitative research approach dominated over the qualitative ones, thus
giving rise to quant-qual research design. The study utilized a sample of 103 study
participants which comprised of 48 teaching staff and 48 school boards who were
surveyed using structured questionnaires; 6 heads of school who were interviewed
using interview schedules; as well as a District Secondary Education Officer who
was interviewed using interview schedules. The primary data were collected through
the use of questionnaires, interviews, and observation. Descriptive type of data
analysis was performed to measure the relationship between the type of strategies for
resolving conflicts and the effectiveness of the mechanisms in reducing students‟
conflicts in public secondary schools by using (SPSS) version 20.
The study revealed that the mechanisms used to resolve students‟ conflict by the
school boards members in public secondary schools were effective. However, to a
lesser extent this was not accepted by a relative small group of teachers who were of
the view that on some incidences the school boards side with students. The most
conflicts that rise in schools include: Students with teachers; students with the school
management; as well as students among themselves. It was also reported that the
sources of conflicts in schools includes lack of enough teachers, poor learning
environment, students‟ bad behavior and lack of enough funds. Several types of
conflict resolution mechanisms were used by school boards. Among others include:
Use of formal meetings with students; school closure; as well as use of coercion from
police forces. Also, the study revealed that a relative high proportion of the school
board members were knowledgeable on matters related to conflict resolution
mechanisms at secondary school level. As such, they were able to competently
engage in resolving conflicts within the school setting. The study ends up by
recommending that, indeed, there is a need for having an association of school
boards‟ members for all secondary schools at a national and regional level in order to
share lessons or experiences from various groups. Equally important, designing a
journal for school boards can offer necessary remedies towards addressing students‟
atrocities.
