Conflict management in nigeria primary schools Me and Chukwurah

Conflicts seem to be a continuous factor in leaning institutions these days and it is becoming a part of academic life. Schools frequently appear to be a field of disagreement and on occasion, they are perhaps a manifestation of problems in the community. For a school to be effective, individual members need to be able to work in a conflict free environment. The general objective of the study was to investigate on the influence of strategies adopted by school management in containing conflicts in public primary schools in Lamu County. Specifically, the study sought to establish the influence of competing strategy adopted by school management; the influence of collaboration strategy adopted by school management; the influence of avoiding strategy adopted by school management and the influence of compromising strategy adopted by school management in containing conflicts in public primary schools in Lamu County. The thesis was founded and based on the dual concern theory and max conflict theory. Target population for this study included 68 public primary schools of Lamu County and therefore targeted a population of 272 respondents comprising of the school's head teachers, Deputy Head teachers, senior teachers respectively and Chairmen of Boards of Management. The sample size was 80 respondents randomly selected from the 68 schools in both Lamu East and Lamu West Sub-Counties. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentages, means and standard deviations), and inferential statistics (t-test) using SPSS software version 23. The study adopted a survey design where both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to analyze data. Piloting of the study was done in 10 schools randomly selected which did not take part in the real research. Information about the number of schools is as recorded by the MoEST and the TSC County offices. This excludes the schools prone to frequent attacks by the Al-Shabab militia from both sub counties. Generally, it is hoped that findings of this research study will help improve the understanding of strategies to be adopted by school management in containing conflicts in public primary schools in Lamu County and their ultimate effects conflict resolutions. This study's findings will also help improve on the future management of conflicts by head teachers, deputies, senior teachers and board members in public primary schools in Lamu County. The study concluded that school administrations have been adversely affected by lack of knowledge of conflicts management as most administrators handled conflict by trial and error approach because there were no specific procedures and methods of managing conflicts. The study therefore recommended that no one strategy is enough in conflict management and containment hence the study recommends that the school management to consider the utilization of at least two strategies in order to contain conflict. A blend of two or more strategies in containing conflict will enhance effective conflict management in public primary schools in Lamu County. It further recommended that; it is from the source of conflict where the best strategy shall be employed in containing the nature of conflict. It is therefore necessary to identify causes of conflict in an institution and subsequently suggest the best strategy to put in place.

Journal of Education and Practice, 2019

Conflict is a reality of life and a human predicament, including the school environment. The good news is that conflict can be managed with good outcomes. This study was conducted to test the roles of dialogue and negotiation as strategies for educational conflict resolution in mission secondary schools in Okigwe Education Zone II of Imo State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey was the design. Four research questions were raised congruent with the purpose of the study. Correspondingly, four null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. A questionnaire titled "Strategies for Educational Conflict Resolution" (SECR) was used as the instrument for data collection. It was made up of 25 items modified in 4-point Likert scale, validated and tested for reliability. The population of the study consisted of twenty-five (25) schools with eight thousand and three hundred students (8,300) and three hundred and ten (310) teachers including principals. From this target population, twelve (12) schools were purposively selected for the study and two hundred and sixty-eight (268) students and teachers (including principals) were also purposively selected as sample size. Data collected were analyzed using mean scores while z-test statistics was employed in testing the hypotheses. The study found out that, there is no significant difference between the mean ratings of the responses of students and staff regarding conflicts in schools and the roles of dialogue and negotiations as strategies to combat them. Based on the findings it was recommended among others that schools should adopt policies that ensure the success of educational objectives in schools and at the same time strengthen conflict awareness and competence in its management.

This study is aimed at investigating the various strategies adopted by principals of secondary schools in Imo State in handling conflicts. Four research questions and three hypothesis guided the conduct of the study. Questionnaire was used to collect relevant data from three educational zones out of the six educational zones of the state. 720 teachers were randomly selected. T-test statistics was employed to test each hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that various levels of conflicts exist in secondary schools. They include, intra-personal, inter-personal, community related and inter-organizational conflicts. The most prevalent level of conflict are intra-personal, inter-personal and intra-unit/departmental. The study revealed that the conflict management strategies that are regularly used by principals are dialogue, communication and disciplinary committee. While those that are rarely used are avoidance and third party. School location influences principals choice of management strategies. On the other hand, gender has no significant difference in principals choice of conflict management strategies. In view of this, it was among others recommended that to reduce conflicts in schools, the ministry of education and the secondary education Management Board could train school principals in the acquisition and proper adoption of conflict management strategies. The suggested training could take the form of conferences, seminars and workshops on the subject matter from time to time.

Lambert Publishing company , 2016

This is chapter evaluates the nature and dynamics of conflict patterns and conflict resolution strategies among teachers in Nigeria. This study involves ten secondary schools in Port Harcourt, the capital of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The study is based on primary data collected from 505 junior and senior teaching at the selected schools. According to the accounts provided by respondents, competition over privileges, competition for recognition and a lack of mutual co-operation and respect dominated patterns of conflict. Results also suggest that conflict occurs most often in the areas of salary structure, transport allowance, and impress allowance. These conflicts do not appear affect the attitudes of senior teaching staff in terms of the performance of their responsibilities. Thus, the researcher holds that f both senior and junior staffs are aware of their patterns and areas of conflicts, they will strive to minimize them.

The study investigated conflict management strategies and secondary school teachers’ job effectiveness in Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State. Six null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted correlational and factorial research designs. Purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 222 teachers from a population of 352 secondary school teachers. Conflict Management Strategies Questionnaire (CMSQ) and Secondary School Teachers’ Job Effectiveness Questionnaire (SSTJEQ) were used respectively, as instruments for data collection. The hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance using Population t-test, Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression analyses. Findings revealed that, teachers’ job effectiveness level in Obubra Local Government Area is significantly high. Findings also revealed that arbitration, dialogue, and effective communication strategies respectively, had a significant relationship with secondary school teachers’ job effectiveness. Smoothing strategy had no significant relationship to secondary school teachers’ job effectiveness. The findings also revealed among others that; the four conflict management strategies (arbitration, dialogue, effective communication and smoothing) had a joint significant influence on secondary school teachers’ job effectiveness. Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that; secondary school principals should not rely totally on one conflict management strategy as the best for all situations, instead they should learn how to use various conflict management strategies, and apply them in any given conflict situation in their schools.

This article looks at resolution of conflict embarked upon by the school administration in the Senior High Schools in the Greater Accra Metropolis, Ghana. The article looks at resolution of conflict from a different perspective thus, discussing and analyzing the root cause and source of school conflict in the administration of schools. The researcher obtained information by the use of quantitative and qualitative techniques to bring to bear the variable under study. This study used descriptive research designs to enable the researcher to work efficiently. The sample for the study comprised the head teacher, representatives of Board of Governors, teachers, students and education officers to investigate the understanding, perception and impact of conflicts resolution mechanism in their respective schools. The research instrument included a questionnaire and an interview schedule, which were administered to respondents. The researcher used qualitative and quantitative research designs ...

Conflict management in the Senior High Schools has become a critical issue which needs to be looked at by propounding new models to complement or replace entirely the school disciplinary committee system that has become the order of the day. Causes of conflict in the school system vary and ranges from religious cause through misapplied policy, lack of technical know-how in conflict management to representation of school leaders in the day-to-day administration of the school. The paper looks at management of conflict from different perspectives by discussing and analyzing the root causes and sources of school conflicts in the administration of schools in Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana. The findings suggest that administration and management of Senior High School in the Central Region are disadvantaged by the increased rates of conflict situations and that also militate against the smooth running of school administration.

This study examined the influence of conflict management strategies on the administrative effectiveness of Principals in Public Secondary Schools in Uyo Education Zone, Akwa Ibom State. In carrying out this study, four hypotheses were formulated. The study adopted a survey research design. A total of 150 teachers were selected from a population of 607 using a simple random sampling technique. Conflict Management and Principals Administrative Effectiveness Questionnaire ("CMSPAEQ") was employed for data collection. The instrument was validated and appropriate corrections were accomplished. To establish the reliability of the instrument it was pretested using 20 teachers sampled from the area of study that did not take part in the actual study and a reliability coefficient of 0.80 was obtained. The dependent t-test analysis was used in testing the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed a significant influence of communication strategy, mediation strategy, dialogue strategy, and negotiation strategy on the administrative effectiveness of principals in public secondary schools in Uyo Education Zone, Akwa Ibom State. It is recommended among other things that Principals should improve their communication skills and provide communication channels for effective conflict resolution. They should be aware that lack of access to information breeds rumors and invariably results in crises.

This study investigated the extent of effectiveness of conflict management strategies used by secondary school principals' in Anambra State. It adopted a descriptive survey design. One research question guided the study. The population of the study comprised 106 principals and 2669 teachers in Onitsha, Aguata and Otuocha education zones. An instrument constructed by the researcher, titled: "Appraisal of Principals' Conflict Management Strategy Questionnaires" (APCMSQ) was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts, two experts from Educational Management Unit and one expert from measurement and evaluation unit, all from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam. The reliability was established using a test-re-test method, it yielded 0.74 correlations, coefficient using Cronbach Alpha method. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The result of data analysis revealed that strategies like forcing, avoidance and silence are used by secondary school principals' in managing conflict and that they are ineffective. Based on these findings, some recommendations were made which include: government organizing periodic seminars, conferences and workshops and principals improving their communication skills to enable them provide feedback as at when due.

Journal Article, 2023

This study investigated conflict management and teachers job performance in selected senior secondary schools in Kogi State. The objectives of the study included identifying the sources of conflict between principals and teachers in senior secondary schools in Kogi State, investigating the impact of conflict management on teachers' efficiency in senior secondary schools in Kogi State, examining conflict management challenges facing teachers' effectiveness and motivation in senior secondary schools in Kogi State and to bring to light conflict management strategies that will boost teachers' performance in senior secondary schools in Kogi State. Utilizing frustration-aggression theory, the study adopted descriptive survey research design with the population of the study comprising of 3,300 teachers and Principals from 283 senior secondary schools in Kogi State. A sample of 341 was drawn using Krjcie & Morgan table. Simple random sampling cum purposive sampling techniques were