CONFLICTS MANAGEMENT IN SCHOOLS

 

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN SCHOOLS

conflict management in schools

Introduction 

Presently, it has been realized that conflict is inevitable in human interaction because of the nature of man and it is regarded as having positive and constructive function in an organization and not just the negative aspects. But before then, there was a strong belief that conflict is bad and was associated with negative features and situations only which gave rise to inefficiency, ineffectiveness or dysfunctional consequences. This was misleading

In school, conflicts often occur, but some school manager or administrators are not fully equipped with the management techniques to apply in conflict situation. Note that by management of conflict, it means efforts are made by administrators to establish conditions by which conflicts can lead to mut5ual explorat5ion and new levels of consensus in problem-solving. In this author intends to expose school administrations to as strategies as possible for handling conflict situation.

Definition of Conflict:

It has been said that conflict is an inevitable feature of an organization. It is a reality of management and organizational behavior. According to Mullins (1996), despite attempt by management to suppress it, it will continue to emerge. But then, what is this conflict?

Mullins (1996) defines conflict as a behavior intended to obstruct the achievement of some other people’s goals. He believes that conflict is based on the incompatibility of goals and arises from opposing behaviors which can occur at the individual, group or organizational level.

Under (2003) sees conflict as all kinds of opposition or antagonistic interaction including disagreements or controversies about ideas, values and ways of living our lifestyle. He perceives conflict as a relationship between two or more groups of people holding divergent views.

Obi (2004), on the other hand, believes that conflict is a condition when one party feels a second party has frustrated or is about to frustrate some concern of the first party. According to him conflict exists whenever an action by one person or a group of persons prevent, obstructs and interferes with the desired action of one person or a group of persons. 

Conflict therefore is a relationship, which exists between two or more parties who believe that they have incompatible goals, interests, perception and preferences. Because there is no way, two or more unique person can be alike in all aspects of life; conflict remains natural and part and parcel of human and organizational survival. Some school are organization, made up of human beings and so a times, conflicts are experienced. 

Sources of Conflicts in Schools:

Under (2003) has identified the following as the main causes or sources of conflicts in some schools: 

Scarcity of resources: Conflict occurs when two or persons want the same thing and there is not enough to go round. For examples, instructional materials, furniture, loans, etc.

Psychological needs: these are the basic needs, e.g. Love, security, belongingness, friendship, etc. when an individual feels that there is not met, and he loses his productive capacity because he is not happy.

Differences in values: Values are the basis of oneself and his belief, which he is not ready or prepared to negotiate. Such values include transparency, honesty, fairness, kindness, consistency, religiousness, etc. Obi (2004) calls conflict caused by these differences “situation”. The conflict is difficult to resolve unless the parties involved understand and respect each others’ values. An example can be any attempt to make teachers manipulate examination result in favour of some student.

Authoritarian rule: People’s personality, disposition, disposition, role satisfaction and role status, and different perception are some of the human factors that can promote conflict. Dictators easily distort this reality and misinterpret the behaviors of others and by so doing, set the stage for conflict. For example, there are principals who antagonize their subordinate staff because they are from well-to-do families and tend to be unnecessarily dictatorial to such staff. Others are born dictators and are not ready to change when they are made to head school and therefore promote conflict.

Organizational structure: the bigger the organization, the greater the number of conflicts and higher rate of conflict intensity. This is because the more the number of staff, the more diverse interests, views, beliefs and personality types. Cliques and informal groups are formed along these factors, thus generating conflicts between the leaders and groups that feel hurt when the leadership always favours other groups. A conflict is also created when communication becomes difficult and ineffective because of the large numbers of the organization. Others are discriminatory reward and punishment implementation, promotion and general staff development.

Poor communication: Conflicts are created due to semantic differences, insufficient exchange of information and poor channels.

Goal: Conflicts occur when one has been forced to choose between two goals, ideas, challenges and jobs which are both desirable attractive. This can be choosing to go for further study or retaining the principal ship. The wider the communication gaps, the more conflicts are created.

Prejudice: this refers to unreasonable dislike of a person of groups of persons, customs, political beliefs, etc based on religion, ethnicity, race, sex, etc. for example, a wrong belief that woman are not good administrators or a particular ethnic group when made part of the administration does not spare the leaders who deliberately deviate, consequently, their juniors are made principals of schools. 

Incompetence: there are individual when they reach level of incompetence in performance their duties, tent to resist new ideas and so develop conflict to avoid the staff’s new, progressive ideas and suggestion. This is common with old principals in our schools these days. They hate initiatives from the young generation of teachers.

Competition: this means struggle with other people to gain advantage or success from another or others. In schools, teachers struggle for leadership position live Vice Principals Director of Studies, Games mater, form master, etc, while students compete for classroom leadership and academic performance position.

Types of Conflicts: 

Under (2003) and Obi (2004) has identified the following as the commonest types of conflict in school:

Subordinate conflict: this occurs between the leader (principal) and those he has authority over the e.g between principal and staff, clerks and students.

Lateral conflict: th6is is between the principal and the people of his rank or status, e.g between principals of secondary schools, of headmasters of primary school. 

Conflict between roles: for example, a school administrator being loyal to the government as a representative (spokesman) and to teachers’ association as a member.

Conflict between cultural values and institutional expectation: Examples could be asking a girl to wear a pair of shorts during practical physical education or asking boys to wash dishes, etc. both activities look abnormal religiously and culturally respectively.

Misattribute: this is attacking innocent persons without enough information about the event. An example is that a principal may remove a games master believing that his negligence has led to the defeat of the school in games while in real sense, it is not true. This creates conflict between the principal and the games master.

Displaced conflict: this type of conflict develops over an issue which makes an underlying unresolved problem between persons or groups of persons. For example, two teachers may quarrel over a table, while in real sense there may be a hidden a hidden problem, that is, issue of ownership of a piece of land or a fight over a girlfriend.

Conflict between role expectation and personality dispositions. A very teacher is asked to administer corporal punishment to a boy or girl. He may not like it but has to obey the directive of the principal. Th6e conflict occurs because he is asked to do something against his or her will.

Thus some sources of conflict are in-born, while others are made or cr5eated by man. Once conflicts have come to light, there must be responses or re-actions, and these relight, actions will depend on how the conflicts have occurred. Attempts to handle them are always made to minimize the occurrence.

Conflict Management in School:

Nobody can tell you that this is the best way of managing conflicts. This is

Because the method adopted will depend the nature of issue that have caused the conflict, the characters or personalities involved and their dispositions. The approach therefore varies from person though Udoh (2003) has grouped them as follow:

Avoidance approach: a person may decide to neglect or pretend that, no conflict exists even though he is hurt and angry. This is dangerous, as the other party feels more hurt, frustrated, annoyed and resentful;

Confrontational approach: the parties involved exchange insults, abuses, and threats and may even lose control, but they will have said their minds. It reduces tension, but it is not the best, particularly for elderly persons. 

Problem-solving approach: the parties involved dialoged, listen and understand each other with a view to resolving issues that cause conflict. By this the parties have shown respect for each other’s feelings, exercise maturity and are ready to mend the broken relationship. This is quite good and it is for everyone.

Use of a third party approach: a third person or a group of persons is involved to go into the case and help to settle the two parties involved. This is always successful when the parties involved are frank, ready to open-up and dialoged under the third party. This is also a good approach.

   Other Strategies for Managing Conflicts 

Mullins (1996) who has the nature of work activities, (principal) and those he has authority over them e.g. between principal and staff, clerks and students. 

Lateral conflict: this is between the principal and people of his rank or status, e.g. between principals of secondary schools, or headmaster’s of primary schools.

Conflicts between roles: for example, a school administrator being loyal to the government as representative (spokesman) and to teachers’ association as a member.

Conflicts between cultural values and institutional expectation: example could be asking a girl to wear a pair of shorts during practical physical education or asking a boy to wash dishes, etc. Both activities look abnormal religiously and culturally respectively. 

Misattribute: this is attacking innocent persons without enough information about event. An example is that a principal may remove a games master believing that his negligence has led to the defeat of his school in games while in real sense, it is not true. This creates conflict between the principal and the games master.

 Displaced conflicts; this type of conflict develops over an issue which masks an underlying unresolved problem between persons or group of persons. For example, two teachers may quarrel over a table, while in real sense there may be hidden problem, that is, issue of ownership of piece of land or fight over a girlfriend.

Conflicts between role expectation and personality disposition. A very human teacher is asked to administer corporal punishment to a boy or a girl. He may not like it but has to obey the directive of the principal. The conflict occurs because he is asked to do something against his or her will. 

Thus some sources of conflict are in-born, while others are man-made or created by man. Once conflicts have come to light, there must be responses or re-action, and this re-action will depend on how the conflicts have occurred. Attempt to handle them are always made to minimize the occurrence.  

Conflict Management in School:  

Nobody can tell you that this the best way of managing conflicts. This is because the method adopted will depend on the nature of issues that have caused the conflict, the character or personalities involved and their disposition. The approach therefore varies from person to person though Udoh (2003) has grouped them as follows:

Avoidance approach: a person may decide to neglect or pretend that no conflict exists even though he is hurt and angry. This is dangerous, as the other party feels more hurt, frustrated, annoyed and resentful;

Confrontational approach; the parties involved exchange insults, abuses, threats may even lose control, but it is not the best, particularly for elderly persons.

Problem-solving approach: the parties involved dialogue, listen and understand each other with a view to resolving issues that cause the conflict. By this the parties have shown respect for each other’s feelings, exercise maturity and are ready to mend the broken relationship. This is quite good and.  

Use of third party approach; a third person or a group of persons is invited to go into the case and help to settle the two parties involved. This is always successful when the two parties are frank, ready to open-up and dialogue under the third party. This is also a good approach.

Other Strategies for Managing Conflicts 

Mullins (1996) who has the nature of work activities, inequitable treatment, violation of territory, role conflict environmental change as other sources of5 conflicts, believes that the following strategies can also be adopted for managing conflicts:

Clarification of goals and objectives: the clarification and continual refinement of goals and objectives, role definitions and performance standards help to minimize misunderstanding and conflict. In the school system, the principal and staff can set a target performance at the beginning of the session, and together they will work to accomplish the target. Each staff is given the appropriate subject to teach and definite extra curricula activity to handle. In other words, each teacher’s roles are clearly denied to avoid occurrence of conflicts.

Resources distribution: Although it may not be possible for a principal to increase departmental or unit allocation share of resources, he may be able to use imagination and initiative to help overcome conflict situations. A principal or school administrator may make a special case to higher authority and request for flexibility in virement headings of the budget to minimize the gap that creates conflict among departments.

Personnel policies and procedures are full attention to just and equitable personnel policies and procedures can help to reduce conflicts. For examples job analysis, job specification, job evaluation, job description, recruitment and selection, system of reward and punishment, treatment of appeals and  grievances, disciplinary procedures etc.

Non-money reward: where financial resources are limited, the school principal can make work more interesting and challenging, increase delegation and empowerment, make working hours flexible, sand staff on courses and create more relaxed working conditions.

Leadership and management: a more participative and supportive style of leadership behavior can help in conflict management. For example, the principal should show an attitude of respect and trust, encourage self development and create environment for staff co-operative operation which will minimize conflict between staff.

Group activities: attention to be given to the composition of groups and factors, which affect group cohesiveness, can reduce dysfunctional conflict. Careful selection of just teams or task forces for problem affecting more than one group also reduces conflicts in school 

Organizational processes: attention to be given to the nature of authority structure, work organization, patterns of communication and sharing of information, democratic function of an organization, unnecessary adherence to bureaucratic procedures and official rules and regulation can also reduce conflicts.

Mullins (1998) has postulated that conflict is a generic term and should be carefully handle by administrations. Principals are dealing with unequal persons (teachers and student) and therefore should be careful in their administration to minimize conflicts. 

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF CONFLICTS 

There are positive and negative effects of conflicts. If conflicts are properly managed, they yield positive outcomes, which should be the goal of every school, head, since conflicts are unavoidable. Both mullins (1996) and Udoh (2003) believe that conflict can be an emerging and vitalizing force in groups, a constructive force in certain circumstances, an agent of evolution (internal and external change0 and an aid to incremental improvement in organization design and functioning, and to the decision-making process. They summaries both the positive and negative effects as follows:

a) Positive effects: 

Better ideas are produced; it is innovative and eliminates monotony and boredom;

People are forced to search for new approaches; it prevents stagnation;

Long standing problem are brought to light and may be solved;

Opportunities for individuals and group to clarify views;

Stimulation of interest and creativity;

A chance for members to test their abilities or capacities

b) NEGATIVE EFFECTS: 

It makes some members of the organization feel defeated and demeaned, which is demoralizing;

It increases distances between members;

It creates climate of mistrust and suspicion;

It makes individuals and groups to concentrate on their narrow interest;

Development of resistance rather than teamwork 

It make some leaders shift from democratic to autocratic leadership, which is a source of conflict itself; and 

Leads to formation of informal groups and cliques in an organization.

SUMMARY 

In summary, conflicts are unavoidable in schools and school leadership should always identify the source and bring the parties involved together for dialogues. In fact, it is better to discuss problems that generate conflicts than suppressing them. The school administrators should be alert and sensitive to the behaviors of their staff in order not to allow conflict get established. They (Principal) have the responsibility of creating harmonious inter-personal relationship and tension free environment, which are pre-requisites for effective teaching and learning.