Conflicts and conflict management strategies of junior high school heads in the Effutu Municipality, Central Region

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.