An Epistemic Understanding of Strikes in Selected Secondary Schools Kenya

Abstract

There has been a marked increase in the number of secondary school strikes in Murang’a North District where the research was based. This has led to problems such as students boycotting lessons, walkouts and pelting teachers with stones, which hurt the relationship between teachers and students. Murder threats to the school administrators, teachers and fellow students is also experienced and destruction of learning facilities and resources. According to the District Commissioner of Murang’a North District in a stakeholders meeting at the Agrican Church of Kenya (A.C.K.), Mt. Kenya Central Church hall in September 2008, 28 schools were involved in mass indiscipline last year. In two schools namely Wahundura High School and Mananga Secondary School buildings were burnt down during mass unrest. However despite the magnitude of destruction of properties involving millions of shillings and disruption of smooth running of schools caused by the strikes little has been done to find out the actual causes of students’ strike in the district. The repercussion of these strikes have been death of students, students school dropouts, poor performance, destruction of property, parents incurring expenses of rehabilitating the destroyed school properties and the psychological torture to all the stakeholders: - teachers, students and parents. This study sought to provide some insights so as to understand the causes and remedies.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n5p191