Browsing by Author "Gathara, Peter Mugo"

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    Continuing Professional Development Dilemma of Information Provision for Secondary School Teachers in Kirinyaga County, Kenya
    (Msingi Journal, 2019) Gathara, Peter Mugo
    The objective of this study was to explore and analyse provision of information to secondary school teachers’ in their endeavour to participate in Continuing Professional Development (CPD). In the current educational era, the trial and error teaching, and take it or leave it professional development programmes are no longer acceptable. In this respect, teacher training entails more than the mastery of certain practical knowledge, pedagogical skills, and techniques. Therefore, CPD plays an important role in teacher development geared towards classroom improvement. This paper highlights the need for secondary school teachers to be provided with information about CPD. This is significant in that CPD is hoped to provide a basis for teacher professional improvement discussion in Kirinyaga County. CPD will lead to constructive discussions by appropriate education experts in Kenya on vital professional development challenges that involve provision of information. Hopefully, CPD would stimulate educational research geared towards secondary school teacher improvement. The methodology used entailed a mixed method study design that involved analysis of macro and micro aspects using quantitative and qualitative techniques in the collection of data. A vertical case study method was used in sampling of twelve secondary schools in Kirinyaga County. The sampled schools were further subjected to a survey method where questionnaires were administered to teachers while six others were subjected to an in-depth case study involving teachers and principals. In the schools where case study was used, data was collected using in-depth interviews with principals and teachers. Teachers were further subjected to Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). The data collected was analysed qualitatively, though quantitative data was used for clarification where it was found necessary. The study found out that there is disparity on information provision from the different groups of people expected to provide critical information to teachers. Teachers need to be provided with information on CPD so that they can improve their professional status geared to classroom practices. The limitation of this study is that the findings could not be generalized to other schools and regions within the country without modification.
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    Continuing professional development for secondary school teachers in Kenya; policies, trends and practices: a case of Kirinyaga District
    (2013-09-05) Gathara, Peter Mugo
    The objective of this study was to explore and analyse the policies, trends and practices that influence secondary school teachers‟ participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD). In the current educational era, the trial and error teaching, and take it or leave it professional development programmes are no longer acceptable. This has been necessitated by the diverse compositions of student populations, changing paradigms in teaching and learning, and changing expectations about the quality of education that are occurring at an unexpected rate. Teacher training is more than the mastery of certain practical knowledge, pedagogical skills, and techniques. Therefore, CPD plays an important role in teacher improvement geared towards classroom improvement. Chapter one has highlighted the plight of secondary schoolteachers and the need to be involved in CPD. Chapter two reviews works undertaken by various scholars on the problem and identifies the gaps in information, which the study sought to fill. The study reviewed the literature using the following themes: Conceptualization of teacher professional development, issues of teacher professional development in Africa, the impact of teacher professional development on pupil performance and indicators of quality CPD programmes together with the status of teacher CPD in Kenya. Chapter three discusses the methodology that the study adopted. The methodology involved a vertical case mixed study approach design that involves analysis of macro and micro aspects using quantitative and qualitative techniques in the collection of data. The national policies on CPD in Kenya and the channels that were used were derived through desk review of documents. Twelve secondary schools in Kirinyaga district were sampled for the survey while six others were subjected to an in-depth case study. The data collected was analysed qualitatively, though quantitative data was used for clarification where it was found necessary. Chapter four dwelt with the data analysis. The data analysed indicated the importance of mentoring and involvement of other stakeholders in the provision of CPD as laid out by the education policies. A variety of providers have been identified in the provision of CPD programmes in the country. The MOE has been providing CPD courses that involved short duration while TSC has been recognizing certificates of teachers involved in accredited CPD courses. Teachers highlighted other areas that they would like to pursue. They involved video shooting, human resource management and banking. These were courses that were viewed by teachers to be more important in changing careers. Most of the programmes that teachers engage in were geared towards improvement of their academic status, with little concern in improving teaching at the classroom level. In the light of these findings, chapter five recommended provision of support at the school level so that teachers would participate in and complete CPD programmes. Since funding was a major problem that teachers faced, alternative financial sources need to be explored to support teacher CPD.
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    Factors influencing Kenya certificate of primary education performance: comparative study of public and private primary schools in central division-Kirinyaga district
    (2012-03-26) Gathara, Peter Mugo
    These study the results of a research investigating the factors influencing Kenya Certificate of Primary Education performance among public and private primary schools in Central Division, Kirinyaga district. A sample of ten public and ten private primary schools was selected. For public schools, random sampling was used while purposive sampling was used for private schools. The research is descriptive in nature and the research design used was an intra-national survey. The study utilized three research instruments namely, questionnaires, interviews, and observation schedules. The questionnaires were administered to head teachers, teachers', parents and pupils. The interview was conducted on three education officers one from each zone while all the twenty schools were under observation. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as the mean, percentages and tables while t-test (inferential statistics) was used to show whether there was any significant difference between these schools. The study found out that there was a significant difference in KCPE performance between public and private primary schools in Central division. There are differences in the roles played by parents in both types of schools. The parents are the main suppliers of textbooks and writing materials. There was a difference in the professional support provided to schools in favour of public primary schools. In the school environments, there was a significant difference in teacher and pupils expectations, availability of physical facilities and problems experienced by each. The study recommended sharing of facilities between schools and provision of professional support to all types of schools. In-service courses should be encouraged to all teachers and parental participations should be encouraged in all schools.
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    Prison Reforms and Strategies to Improve Practices of Education Offered to Prisoners in Kamiti Maximum Prisons, Nairobi City County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2024-12-27) Sunga, Seth; Mbirianjau, Lucy Wandiri; Gathara, Peter Mugo
    Worldwide, governments are majorly concerned with the problem of rehabilitating inmates into law-abiding citizens. In Kenya, the Government has introduced Prison reforms to boost prisons’ capacity to rehabilitate inmates. They include reforms to improve the living conditions of the inmates, the provision of teaching and learning materials and the terms of service of the warders. However, there are concerns that prisons are still faced with the problem of rehabilitation as inmates persist in criminal behavior. This paper explored recommendations that will help to improve teaching and learning practices in KMSP. This paper used reinforcement theory, whose leading proponent is B.F. Skinner (1974). The research utilized a descriptive design with a survey method of data collection. Questionnaires and interviews were used to gather primary data. Quantitative data was analyzed descriptively to get general frequencies and percentages to discuss the findings. Qualitative data were outlined and dealt with into topics and classifications. Based on the results of the paper, the following recommendations were made. There should be provision of better teaching and learning resources and improvement of living conditions for both inmates and warders. Recommendations for further studies included similar research that can be conducted in a female prison.