Contribution of principals to infrastructure requirements compliance in disaster management preparedness in schools in kenya: a study across public secondary schools in kakamega county

Safety of students in schools is a matter of concern globally. In Kenya, students have lost their lives in the past decades due to arson, accidents, and food poisoning in spite of existence of Safety Standards Manual for schools of 2008. In Kakamega County Secondary Schools, there were 65 deaths, 205 cases of food poisoning; 112 cases of injury occasioned by gang rape, 103 floods, 107 landslides, 50 fire outbreaks, 102 lightening, 15 cyclones and 10 accidents in school buses from the year 2008 to 2018. Principals have a responsibility of ensuring safety of students in schools. The objective of the study was to examine contribution of principals to infrastructure requirements compliance in disaster management preparedness in public secondary schools in Kakamega County. A conceptual framework showing relationship between the independent variable, (contribution of principals) and the dependent variable, (disaster management preparedness) were used to guide the study. The findings of the study revealed that principals’ contribution to disaster management preparedness with regard to compliance in infrastructure requirements was 72.1%. It involved creation of appropriate class size, ensuring inspection and ventilation of buildings, provision of fire exists and extinguishers, construction of buildings in consultation and approval by public works department. The study concluded that principals’ contribution to disaster management preparedness in schools was high and significant. The findings are of help to educational planners and managers as they inform formulation of policy and strategies for preparedness in management of disasters in schools.