Exploring principals' conflict management strategies in primary schools of Tikoe centre in Maseru

Abstract

Conflict management can be the difference between harmonious and discordant relationships at any workplace. The study explored principals‟ conflict management strategies in primary schools at Tikoe Maseru. Qualitative method was adopted to investigate these strategies. Both focus group and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from participants. The findings reveal what has been indicated by both literature and the empirical research that conflict is everywhere and emanates from a number of sources. The key sources of conflicts in these areas were identified as limited resources, the double-shift system, gossip, gender bias and favouritism, resistance to change and subject teaching. It was also confirmed that integrating/collaborating and ignorance/avoidance were strategies that are often used by school principals in participating schools. Accommodation, compromising and competing/dominating are also used to resolve conflicts among teachers by school principals. The findings further reveal that school principals also lack skills in conflict management as there is no training or workshops held to equip them with such skills; hence they fail to manage conflict effectively in their schools. Therefore it is recommended that the Ministry of Education and Training should offer training to the school principals as they shoulder more responsibility in schools that practise double-shift system due to a lot of interactions. The system requires leadership that possesses skills since there are more challenges faced by these schools than in the normal schools in terms of conflicts, due to the changeover of the morning and afternoon classes. School principals are also recommended to reconsider the strategies they use when managing conflicts and come up with the best strategies for conflict management. This could help to avoid using inappropriate strategies or leaving some conflicts unresolved, thus triggering a repeat. MOET should also ensure that first priority in terms of providing teaching and learning materials is given to schools that practise shift- system since they are situated in overpopulated areas as well as operating in abnormal hours of teaching, which leads to property and furniture to deteriorate quickly.