Browsing by Author "Alex, Mercy"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Management of health and safety in controlling school-based hazards in Ubungo municipality secondary schools.
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2018) Alex, Mercy
    Management of health and safety in schools is vital in controlling school-based hazards. The study examined the management of health and safety in government secondary schools; Established health and safety hazards in school environment; and Assessed measures schools undertake to address health and safety problems in schools. The study employed a qualitative research approach in studying health and safety issues in Ubungo Municipality in Dar es Salaam region. The study generated information from a sample of 57 respondents comprising, one District Secondary Education Officer, four school heads, four health and safety representatives, 24 teachers and 24 students, selected using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Both primary and secondary methods of data collection namely, interviews, focus group discussions, observation and documentary reviews were used to collect data. The data collected through interview and focus group discussions were analyzed using a Miles, Huberman and Saldana (2013) framework for qualitative data analysis. The data which was collected through observation, documentary reviews and pictorial evidence were subjected to content analysis and visual content analysis. The study came up with three key findings: Health and safety in schools under review were poorly managed as there was little awareness, inadequate provision of funds and hardly provided training especially for teachers which limited the effective management of health and safety in schools; there were persistence of coughs and flue, back pain and stress, problems of students collapsing, headache, stomachache, diarrhoea and UTI, inadequate sanitation and washing facilities discouraged girls from attending schools regularly especially during their menstrual periods also violence and bullying made the school community feel unsafe during and after school hours ; risk assessment were conducted regularly but there was delay in dealing with risks identified, each school under review, had its own way for taking measures to solve health and safety problems. The study established that, effective management of health and safety in schools can translate into a healthy and safe school, a catalyst for the realisation of quality education outcomes. The study recommends that the government should ensure effective implementation of the Health and Safety Policy in schools. Moreover, the government and other stakeholders should also provide enough funds for the management of health and safety in schools. Health and safety training and programmes need to be provided for both teachers and students to promote a health and a safe culture in schools. The MoEST, security forces and parents should also co-operate to eliminate student-related violence and bullying to make schools a safe place for teaching and learning. Moreover, government and the school managements should conduct risk assessment regularly and take appropriate measures to eliminate any risk at the source.