This study examined the management of conflict in primary
schools. The purposes of this study are to identify the strategies used
by head teachers in managing conflict between teachers, and the
strategies used by teachers in managing conflicts between pupils. The
purpose of the study is also to identify the strategies used by pupils in
managing conflict among themselves. The study identified teachers
appraisal of the conflict-management techniques of their head
teachers. Four research questions and four hypotheses guided the
study. The population of the study consisted of all the pupils in senior
primary schools numbering 7892, as well as 1181 teachers and 80
head teachers in two local government areas in Awka Education Zone.
The sample size consisted of eight hundred and seventy (870)
respondents. The instrument was a questionnaires used to collect data
from the respondents. Data collected were analyzed used statistical
weighted means and standard deviation. The student t-test was used to
test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed
that the head teachers manage conflicts among teachers by use of
persuasion, dialogue and invitation of the third party (arbitration). It
also revealed that the teachers manage conflicts principally among
pupils by using empathy and referral to Guidance Counselors, while
pupils manage conflicts among themselves by use of force
(confrontation). The appraisal of conflict management style of the head
teachers by teachers showed that the head teachers use dialogue,
arbitration and separation device as effective ways of resolving
conflicts. Generally, the findings showed that pupils, teachers and
head teachers in Awka Education Zone apply various and different
methods in resolving conflicts in primary schools. For effective
management of conflict in primary schools, it was recommended
among others that the curriculum planning experts should include a
course on management of conflicts in the primary school teacher
preparation programmes. This will enable the head teachers, teachers
and pupils to be vast in different techniques of conflict management so
that they will apply the appropriate ones when the need arises.
Suggestions for further studies as well as limitations and implications
of the study were also discussed.
In any society, irrespective of its level of development,
educational institutions are established primarily to provide
recipients of education with the knowledge, skills, attitudes,
work habits and competencies required by the people to
perform their social, economic and political roles efficiently,
effectively and creditably. This has always influenced the
formation of each nation’s policy on education. In Nigeria, for
instance, the National Policy on Education (2004) Section 1.5
stated the National aims and objectives of Nigerian
Education thus:
i. The inculcation of national consciousness and national
unity.
ii. The inculcation of the right type of values and attitude
for the survival of the individual and the Nigerian society.
iii. The training of the mind in the understanding of the
world around and
iv. The acquisition of appropriate skills, abilities and
competencies both mental and physical as equipment for
the individual to live in and contribute to the
development of his society (FGN 2004:1.5).
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