Browsing by Author "Mugamu, Eunison"
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- ItemExploring the level of preparedness to fire risk in schools in South Africa: A case study of four schools in Kayamandi Township, Stellenbosch(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-12) Mugamu, Eunison; Waddell, Joy; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography & Environmental Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The overall aim of this study was to explore the extent to which under-resourced schools in Kayamandi, South Africa, are equipped to deal with fire risk. In order to achieve this, it was necessary that three objectives were met: firstly, international best practice for fire-safe schools was explored and compared with South African practice. International case studies included the state of Colorado in the United States of America (USA) and India, with South Africa being the focus of the study. Next, an attempt was made to measure the school staff members’ level of awareness of fire risk and fire emergency preparedness in Kayamandi Township schools: Makupula High, Kayamandi High, Ikaya Primary and Kayamandi Primary. Finally, there is a discussion of the challenges limiting the schools’ capacity to manage fire risk. The research findings illuminated the existing conditions regarding emergency preparedness in under-resourced schools in South Africa. These conditions revealed a lack of disaster emergency preparedness knowledge in teachers and low fire risk perception that has translated into lack of preparedness to fire risk in all Kayamandi Township schools. These findings can be used as a yardstick to get an idea of similar challenges in other developing countries. This research adopted a qualitative approach. The data was collected through interviews with school staff from the four Kayamandi Township schools, Stellenbosch Municipality Fire Services personnel and Stellenbosch Municipality Disaster Management Centre staff. Additionally, transect walks, government records, secondary sources and a safety audit checklist were used in the collection of the data. The results emanating from this study revealed that these schools are unprepared to handle a fire disaster. It was discovered that these schools do not have regular emergency fire drills as stipulated by South African law. The school staff were unaware of the precautionary measures necessary to protect learners in the event of a fire. It was clear that the source of their unpreparedness to fire risk is largely a reflection of their level of fire risk perception. Their fire risk perception is very low because there has never been a major fire incident in the schools. Consequently, efforts to manage fire hazards and enhance schools’ preparedness has become the lowest priority for the schools’ management, as these schools face many other challenges such as overcrowding and insufficient resources. The school authorities have, however, partly attributed their unpreparedness to insufficient resources as finances are devoted to student teacher support.