Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to investigate conflicts and conflict management
strategies of Junior High School Heads in the Effutu Municipality of the Central
Region. The study adopted the explanatory sequential mixed method research design.
The stratified random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used to
select a sample size of sixty-seven (67) participants involving sixty (60) teachers and
seven (7) headteachers. There were two distinct data collection instruments. These
were questionnaire and interview guide. The data analysis was done with descriptive
statistics and thematic analysis aided by verbatim quotations. Among others, the study
revealed that: the most common types of conflicts were headteacher-teacher conflict,
teacher-teacher conflict. The most common causes of conflict were poor
communication and lack of participation in decision making. Some of the effects of
conflicts revealed were that conflicts lead to creative thinking/quality ideas and
promote useful change and power redistribution. It was also revealed that conflict also
causes aggression/withdrawal and impedes attainment of goals. Among the conflict
prevention or resolution strategies in the Effutu Municipality were the use of effective
and better communication, ensuring appropriate representation, developing
appropriate grievance systems and procedures, collaboration and negotiations. The
researcher concluded that the headteachers of the schools have not done enough in
their conflict management strategies albeit the myriad conflict management strategies
identified in this study. The researcher recommended among others that: headteachers
of Basic Schools in the Effutu Municipality should embrace conflicts when they arise
as it could potentially be a silver lining that would impact positively in their own
administration and the teaching and learning process in the broader sense.
Description:
A thesis Department of Educational Administration and Management
Faculty of Educational Studies, submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment
of the requirement for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Educational Administration and Management)
in the University of Education ,Winneba.
