Effects of Armed Robbery on Heads of Institutions' Administrative Responsibilities in Public Comprehensive Schools in Marakwet East SubCounty, Kenya

Author: Gladys Jebiwot Kiprotich, Dr. Michael Kimotho, Sr. Dr. Mary Theodorah Mabeya

Date: 2026

Abstract: This paper reports findings on the first objective of a wider study on insecurity practices and school administration, focusing specifically on the effects of armed robbery on the administrative responsibilities of heads of institutions in public comprehensive schools in Marakwet East Sub-County, Kenya. The study was anchored on Conflict Theory and adopted a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. A sample of 68 heads of institutions and 215 teachers was selected using stratified, simple random and systematic sampling techniques, while 19 chiefs and 5 Curriculum Support Officers were included through a census approach. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test of independence, while qualitative data from in-depth interviews were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that 44.1% of teachers and 46.3% of heads of institutions reported that armed robbery incidents occurred often around their schools, and that armed robbery disrupted teaching and learning, staff attendance, and school planning and daily operations. The chisquare test of independence revealed a statistically significant relationship between armed robbery and heads of institutions' administrative responsibilities, χ² (16) = 41.763, p = .001, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. Qualitative accounts from Curriculum Support Officers and chiefs corroborated the quantitative findings, showing that armed robbery forced changes in school calendars, examination administration, resource transportation, and security coordination. The study concludes that armed robbery significantly increases the administrative burden of heads of institutions, particularly in crisis management, staff coordination, and institutional planning, and recommends the strengthening of school security systems, inter-agency collaboration, and leadership training in crisis management for heads of institutions operating in insecurity-prone areas.

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