Short Student Biography:
Timothy Gitonga was born in Igembe District, Meru County Kenya on 8 th September 1988. He
graduated from Miathene Boys Secondary school in Meru county in 2007, and from the
University of Nairobi with a Bachelor of Education (Arts) in August 2013, where he studied
Kiswahili and Geography. He later graduated with a masters of Education at the University of
Nairobi in Educational Technology.
After receiving his education Timothy has worked as an educationist in Njia Boys Secondary
school where He is the lead technologist in the school and Head of Language Department.
He is also a proprietor of Top Achievers Academy Amaku, a school that has embraced
modern technologies in delivering content to learners.
Currently He is living in maua town in Meru county, Kenya.
One can contact him through gitongatim88@students.uonbi.ac.ke or
gitongatim888@gmail.com or through his phone no. 0726597555.
Project Summary
Thesis / Project Title: Effect of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) on School Safety in Public Boarding Secondary Schools in Igembe South Sub-county, Meru County. Kenya
Abstract:
Technology has influenced every sphere of human life, including education. Schools have
continually used technology in various spheres of their operation around the world (Squelch,
2001). The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of CCTV surveillance technology on
school safety in public boarding secondary schools in Igembe South sub-county, Meru County,
Kenya. Using a descriptive survey research design, the study sought to examine: the role of CCTV
surveillance technology in student safety; the perception of students towards CCTV surveillance
technology; and to find out the challenges faced in implementing CCTV surveillance technology
in schools for safety. Interview schedules and questionnaires were administered to students,
watchmen and principals to help gather the relevant data. The target population was 2416
respondents. The data was analyzed with the help of a computer program, SPSS version 23 and
Microsoft Excel. From the analysis, the study established that all the schools were located in a safe
area from both internal and external threats. The dormitories, toilets and near the fence were the
most unsafe areas in the school. Schools had embraced CCTV surveillance as a measure of
ensuring that every student enjoyed an environment that is physically safe, emotionally secure and
psychologically enabling. The main role of CCTV surveillance technology was in deterring
offenders and monitoring students’ activities. The study established that CCTV surveillance
cameras were perceived positively by a large number of students and the cameras were linked with
keeping the school safe.
The challenges facing implementation of CCTV surveillance technology for school safety included: cameras breaking down, the CCTV system being expensive to maintain and inadequate personnel to man CCTV cameras effectively in schools. In order to make schools safe, there should be effective use of CCTV cameras. Other measures that were suggested included: proper fencing of schools, additional security personnel, improved discipline among the students, reducing teacher restrictions by encouraging teachers to be more friendly, proper screening of outsiders and parental involvement. Government should also finance public boarding secondary schools to acquire CCTV surveillance technology for safety.