Influence of Child Protection Benchmark on Management Outcomes in Child Friendly Schools of Makueni County, Kenya

Abstract

The influence of child protection as a child-friendly school benchmark on the management outcome in public primary schools has been of interest. Schools in Makueni County (Kenya) have had their share of reported cases of child insecurity with children having been physically violated within the school community, sometimes with corporal punishment cases by teachers to an alarming level. The sought to answer the question: what is the influence level of the child protection internal school benchmark on the management outcome in Child Friendly Schools (CFS) of Makueni County? To answer the question, a mixed-method triangulation design was applied with a convergent model that inculcates regression and correlation models. The study findings establish that schools partially put in place and managed child protection measures as an important benchmark to strengthen management outcomes in CFS. Results from the study determined that there were established rules for visitors to identify themselves (82.1%), rules not to allow people under the influence of illicit drugs at school (85.5%), rules against bullying and corporal punishment (91.8%), not to allow pits in the school compound (65.5%), and buildings at school to be earthquake resistant (27.9%). School management used UNICEF’s child-friendly school child protection model as a benchmark on which to provide protection as a child right, thus making the schools more child-friendly.