Browsing by Author "Owino, Clifford Otieno"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Bridging the Gap: Addressing the Mismatch between University Specialization and Subject Demands in Junior and Senior Schools in Kenya
    (International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 2026-01) Owino, Clifford Otieno; Mayoyo, Nancy
    This paper explored the persistent challenge faced by university interns and graduates in Kenya due to a mismatch between their areas of specialization and the subject requirements in junior and senior schools. The findings are drawn from review of empirical studies, policy documents, reports and sessional papers on the implementation of Competency Based Curriculum. A total of 21 papers comprising 14 empirical studies retrieved from scholarly journals on the Kenyan curriculum and on CBC in Kenya and East African countries published from 2019-2025 were reviewed. One Sessional Paper, three (3) Policy papers, one training manual and two reports on competency based education were sampled and reviewed guided by the objectives of the study which include: Examine the gap between traditional Kenyan B.Ed. programs and the interdisciplinary, practical demands; To evaluate graduate teachers' preparedness in facilitating CBC competencies; To examine the role of career guidance in aligning teacher trainees' specialization with CBC subject demands. The paper highlights that there is systemic misalignments in teacher training curricula contributing to mismatch between the specializations of university graduates and the actual subject demands in Junior Schools (JS) and Senior Schools (SS); There is a disconnect between the historical university training pathways and the evolving demands of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) which threatens the quality of education, demoralizes teachers, and undermines the goals of the national curriculum. The paper concludes by proposing a multi-faceted strategy to bridge the gap, including targeted professional development to align teacher preparation with classroom realities in junior and senior schools, university curriculum reforms, enhanced teacher management, and strategic long-term planning by all stakeholders.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Determinants of Teachers’ Preparedness towards Implementation of Inclusive Education in Lower Grade Primary Schools in Awendo, Migori Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2019-05) Owino, Clifford Otieno
    This study focused on implementation of inclusive education in lower grade primary schools with the main objective of establishing determinants of teachers’ preparedness. In reference to policy of inclusive education, it is critical that teachers are knowledgeable and skilled on inclusive education. In view of this, the study therefore purposed to establish the determinants of teachers’ preparedness to implement inclusive education in lower primary schools in Awendo, Migori County, Kenya. The study would be useful to teachers dealing with learners living with special needs in education. The study was premised on Vygosky’s Social Development Theory as the theoretical underpinning with a concept of Zone of Proximal Development which maintains that students can learn abstract ideas through the help of informed others. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The study was carried out in Awendo, Migori County, Kenya. The study targeted all lower grade primary teachers in the mainstream schools with special units. Multi-case sampling technique was used to come up with 9 (30%) of 30 targeted schools. Stratified, simple random sampling and Purposive sampling techniques were used to sample the respondents to come up with 37 subjects comprising an education officer, school heads and lower primary teachers. Questionnaires for teachers and school heads, interview schedules for teachers, heads of schools and education officers as well as Observation checklists were used to collect data. A pilot study was carried out in two schools which did not form part of study size. Validity was attained by analyzing content and instruments accepted as reliable after test re-test. The statistical package for social sciences was used to prepare and organize data for analysis. Quantitative data from questionnaires was analyzed through descriptive statistics while qualitative data from interviews and checklists was analyzed thematically by coding of the responses in the coding frame, interpreted then inferential statistics employed. Hypothesis was tested using Pearson’s correlation at a significant level of alpha 0.05. Findings revealed that there is only a small number of teachers trained in special needs education at (4%) degree and (26%) diploma as compared with the number of schools with special units and as a result most of the schools still lack a single teacher trained in special needs education. There is no policy guiding the implementation of inclusive education in the lower grade primary and therefore teachers found it difficult controlling classes full of many learners with different types of disability In a single class in addition to other learners without special needs in education and majority of teachers are still in denial concerning the inclusion education rolled down to regular schools. In conclusion, the ministry of education has done very little towards preparing teachers for inclusive education at the lower grade primary school. The main recommendation is that the ministry of education to ensure inclusive disability type specialization by participating schools and conduct mass training to get enough teachers for all schools with special units.