Influence of financial resources on the implementation of school safety standards in boarding schools in Kenya: A case study of rangwe sub-county

Kenyan schools have continued to experience insecurity for many years. The most remarkable one is the Kyanguli High School fire tragedy case in which 67 students perished in the year 2001. This led to formulation of safety standards manual for schools in Kenya in 2008. Despite the existence of school safety standards since 2008, cases of student’s tragedies in schools as a result of insecurity have continued to be reported more so in boarding schools. For instance, in Rangwe Sub-county, Kenya between 2012 and 2018, eight students lost their lives in a Girls Boarding Primary School while, properties of unknown value were burnt down when fierce fires gutted down dormitories at a girl’s secondary school and a boy’s secondary school. In another instance, a 17-year-old student was arrested after he was found with a gun in school at a boy’s secondary school. The purpose of the study was to establish the influence of financial resources on implementation of school safety standards in boarding schools in Rangwe sub-county. The study established that financial resources accounted for 33% of the variation in the implementation of safety standards in boarding schools in Rangwe Sub-county. This means that financial resources enhanced the implementation of school safety standards in boarding school in Rangwe sub-county. The study concluded that financial resources influenced the implementation of safety standards in boarding schools in Rangwe Sub-county. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that school Boards of Management should allocate sufficient funds for implementation of safety standards in schools. The study is significant to educational managers by enhancing their understanding of factors which shape the implementation of safety standards in boarding schools. It also forms baseline information for future research in related areas.