Abstract:
Conflict among staff is a natural phenomena or a part of daily school life. If these are not
handled in a positive way, they can affect the staff interpersonal relations which will negatively
affect the whole school climate. Different approaches have been in practice for handling conflicts
in the schools, e.g. Mediation, Negotiation, Avoidance, Collaboration etc. Acquiring the basic
working knowledge of these skills may provide the school teachers and principal with the
necessary tools to solve their interpersonal problems/conflicts in a more responsible and
productive way.
The main focus of this study was to review the existence of conflicts in schools, its nature, types
and different conflict resolution strategies which have been adopted by the schools’ principals.
A descriptive research design was utilized for collection of data, population of the study
consisted of 357 secondary schools of selected districts of KPK in which 250 schools’ teachers
and principals were selected. For data analysis Kendall’s Tau B and Kendall’s Tau C were
utilized in which teachers and principals’ responses were compared. Findings of the study show
that conflicts exist in all the schools which testify the fact that adequate measures need to be
taken for its management. Furthermore findings of the study reflect that compromising,
collaboration and accommodation styles were preferred by most of the principals.
Recommendations are made on the basis of research findings that educators and all the principals
should be properly trained in conflict management strategies.
