THE USE OF MEDIATION IN RESOLVING INTRA-SCHOOL CONFLICTS: A CASE STUDY OF THE AUGUSTO KACHTITIOPOLOLO EKUIKUI IV HIGH SCHOOL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BAILUNDO

Abstract

In Angola, the use of mediation to resolve intra-school conflicts offers a strategy to address or mitigate conflicts arising within educational organizations. Consequently, the objective of this research is to propose the use of mediation for resolving intra-school conflicts, thereby improving relationships among educational stakeholders. This study aims to help reduce the rate of internal conflicts within the Angolan educational context, specifically focusing on the Bailundo municipality in Huambo Province. Interest in this topic stems from the lack of strategies in Bailundo schools to help teachers, students, and school administrators overcome differences and conflicts without resorting to sanctions, reprisals, or judicial and criminal proceedings—factors that have contributed to high rates of academic failure, forced transfers, and school absenteeism. The research adopted a qualitative approach; regarding its nature, it is applied research; regarding objectives, it is descriptive; and regarding technical procedure, it is action research. To achieve the proposed objectives and carry out the outlined tasks, theoretical methods were employed, including bibliographic review, the historical-logical method, analysis and synthesis, the inductive-deductive method, and a systems approach. Empirical methods included a survey directed at teachers, as well as interviews and questionnaires for students, enabling the analysis of results and the formulation of conclusions.