-
Author
-
Anesu Mwaedza
-
Title
-
Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices (Kap) Among Bindura University Students And Staff Towards Hazards And Risks In The Learning Environment
-
Abstract
-
Background
Bindura University is part of educational institutions in Zimbabwe where the students and staff are dealing with real learning hazards and risks that Bindura students and staff are exposed to during their learning process. These include physical, chemical, mechanical, biological, ergonomic, and psychosocial hazards, such as high temperatures in the surroundings, faulty laboratory machines, students neglecting personal hygiene, design of learning environment that can cause back pain, and lack of team work among the students during lectures and practical sessions. This information entails how KAP is important among students and staff at the university towards hazards and risks in the environment.
Materials and methods
The researcher used interviews, observations and a semi- structured questionnaire to collect data. The researcher personally administered the questionnaires with a combination of closed and open-ended questions by hand to the students and staff at Astra Campus. The respondents were given enough time to fill in the research questionnaires which consisted of four sections: Demographic characteristics, Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of hazards and risks among students and staff at Bindura University. The researcher was dealing with the sample size of 60 participants.
Data Analysis
The Microsoft excel and SPSS version 20 were used for data analysis. The researcher used tables to present the results. The research questionnaire had 22 questions to determine the knowledge of the participants, 4 questions to evaluate the participant’s attitudes, and 8 questions to determine the participant’s practices toward hazards and risks in the environment at BUSE. A score of 1 was given for each correct answer and a score of 0 for each wrong and neutral/don’t know. The average score for each character was calculated, and if the score was above 70% the response was categorized as ‘Good’, from 51–69% as ‘Fair’, as and less than 50% as ‘Poor.
Results
The results indicated poor knowledge, attitude and practice among students and staff at Astra Campus with average knowledge score of 33.4%, attitudes average score 32.6% and practices average score was 31.7%. Although other lecturers expressed positive knowledge, attitudes and practices towards hazards and risks, they also lack important information about safety and health issues at Astra.
Conclusions and recommendations
According to the results, quick strategies to be put in place by Bindura University to institute and undertake activities in form of workshops or trainings, safety buildings and the environment, establish safety plan and safety committee as well improved safety culture. These remedial measures are essential among students and staff to get well prepared for emergencies at Astra.
-
Date
-
June 2024
-
Publisher
-
BUSE
-
Keywords
-
Hazards
Attitudes
-
Remedial measures
-
Astra campus of Bindura University.
Zimbabwe
-
Supervisor
-
N/A
Mwaedza - SHEM.pdf