RP-Department of Educational Foundations

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Christian Religious Education in Kenya : An Assessment of the Evolution and Operation of the Western Missionary Ideology
(1982) Otiende, J.E.
This study analyses the problems of moral education within Christian religious education in Kenya. It focuses on the displacement of African traditional education by the Western missionary ideology. The latter's influence on Christian religious education is deeply rooted in official commissions, reports and teaching programmes. A separation of moral education from Christian religious education in Kenya is suggested. The moral developmental approach of Piaget and Kohlberg is proposed as a basis for this separate moral education.
Trends in the teaching and learning of science
(Kenyatta University, 2001) Khatete, D. W.
Gender and the social and economic impact of drought on the residents of Turkana district in Kenya
(2003-02-19) Wawire, Violet K.
The study seeks to assess the adaptive strategies employed by men and women within their respective social and economic backgrounds to cope with challenges in the drought-stricken Turkana District. The study utilizes qualitative research methods to exhaustively and effectively explore the famine situation in the district. Consequently, purposive sampling was used to select three locations with varying climatic and social conditions within the district. These are: the dry purely pastoralist Kapua area, the pastoralist agricultural area near Turkwell River and the Kalokol area near Lake Turkana, where fishing is done. Key informant interviews were used to obtain data from village elders, government officials and men and women living in the district. Focussed group discussions were used with officials working with the Catholic Christian Fund, a nongovernmental organization working in the district to alleviate the effects of drought. Direct observations of the social environment and document analysis of related literature from various sources were also used. The data analysis tools included content analysis and simple statistical methods to complement the qualitative data. Although both men and women play important roles in the pastoral economies, women’s roles were found to be more taxing and crucial since women were responsible for cultural reproduction in addition to domestic chores and livestock production activities. It was found that drought affected the performance of gender roles due to the scarcity of basic resources for both humans and animals. The greatest challenge faced by men was the reduction in their authority as household heads and breadwinners since women were in charge of the famine relief food. The challenges women faced constituted lack of time and energy to perform their gender roles under the strenuous drought conditions. The adaptive strategies employed by both men and women were noted to be creative and practical, centring on the physical and social environment and on gender roles. They included pastoral supportive activities such as agriculture and fishing, migration, use of wild fruits and dried plants as human and animal food, herd splitting, food preservation and water conservation methods, assistance from charitable organizations, formation of youth/women groups, and other economic activities. The study has identified gender as the main determinant of how well the residents coped with drought. However, gender was complemented and affected by factors such as proximity to urban centres, the lake and the river; socio-economic status; and availability of social networks.
New Frontiers of Exclusion Private Higher Education and Women’s Opportunities in Kenya
(CODESRIA, 2005) Oanda, Ibrahim Ogachi
The semi-privatisation of public universities and the growth of private universitiehave been two important developments affecting higher education in Kenya in the last decade. The trend towards the privatisation of university education has been in tune with global neo-liberal policies that Kenya embraced from 1986. The policies were touted, among other things, for their potential to broaden opportunities to hitherto excluded groups. In higher education, private universities and programmes claim to offer more opportunities for women and a higher transition from college to employment. A close analysis however reveals that these claims are of limited validity. Rather than expanding opportunities for women, private universities in Kenya tend to create new subtle arenas for exclusion. This article analyses the ways in which the logic and practical working of private universities accentuate women’s marginalisation in terms of access policies, academic cultures and disciplinary orientations.
Research Capacity on Ageing in Africa: Limitations and Ways Forward
(British Society of Gerontology, 2005-04) Gachuhi, J. Mugo; Karatu, Kiemo
Teachers’ gendered identities, pedagogy and HIV/AIDS education in African settings within the ESAR
(Bioinfo Publications, 2006) Chege, Fatuma N.
This article uses data selected from two studies in countries of the Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR), namely, Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, to explore how teachers used gender to construct their identities and those of their students. It demonstrates the role of perceived models of African masculinities and femininities in the lives of teachers and how these were contrived to sexualise girls and construct them, not only as inferior to boys but also, as objects of sexual ridicule. We see how female and male students negotiated gendered and sexual identities in the school and in HIV/AIDS classes in ways that often threatened teacher image and confidence, often undermining classroom participation. The article analyses the gendered dynamics of school and classroom life, highlighting educational implications, identifying gaps for further research and suggesting strategies that could help transform HIV/AIDS education classes, making them relatively more empowering for teachers and student
Institutional Transformations and Implications for Access and Quality in Public and Private Universities in Kenya: A Comparative Study
(2006) Otiende, J.E.
This paper discusses the implications of the rapid expansion and transformations in African universities on access and quality. Using the example of Kenya, it looks at both the transformations that have occurred in the number of institutions of higher learning and also in the structural diversity of programmes and enrolment. With public universities facing economic challenges, public-financed higher education is increasingly perceived to be wasteful economically and restrictive in access, and consequently working against the realization of equity and compromising quality due to dependence on receding central government finances. The paper situates this shift in thinking with the emergence of neo-liberalism in Africa in the 1980s and 1990s. It argues that these shifts, together with the fiscal crisis of African countries have accelerated the growth of private universities in Africa. This situation poses serious challenges to the quality of knowledge production and to teaching in private and public universities alike. To address issues of access and quality, the paper emphasizes the need for multidisciplinarity, diversification of courses, improved institutional management, greater equity, and quality monitoring and evaluation. The paper argues for improved institutional accountability through institutionalization of external quality control, and for mainstreaming and facilitating research. There is also need for government to assist private universities in sourcing the required capital for their further development.
Universalizing Primary Education in Kenya : Is It Beneficial and Sustainable?
(Journal of International Cooperation in Education, 2008) Sifuna, Daniel N.; Sawamura, N.
Kenya has targeted universal primary education since its independence. In achieving such a goal the country introduced free primary education in 2003 and enrolments dramatically increased. However, in terms of quality, the education provided is not satisfactory. This paper examines the challenges in financing the implementation of free primary education and verifies the actual learning conditions at the school level with particular reference to the transition from primary to secondary education. The government tends to focus on the quantitative expansion of education, paying less attention to value, significance and effects of education for individuals. Furthermore, the significance of universalizing primary education is discussed from the viewpoint of people in the rural community. It is important to take interest not only in the “quantitative expansion of education for the nation" but also the “qualitative growth of individuals for the community." Such emphasis may further enhance the benefits of schooling and encourage sustainable educational development.
An Investigation of Community Participation in the Development of Schools and Income Generating Projects in Rural Areas in Kenya
(SCIENCEDOMAIN International, 2011) Kombo, D. K.; Kimani, Elishiba
Background: There is a worldwide realization that development beneficiaries are important resources in the rural development process. Many countries in their development policies have stressed the need to encourage communities to participate in their development agenda. The rationale for this is that communities, especially those in rural setting cannot prosper fully without full engagement of its members. To achieve this, community members must be allowed to take initiative and action that is stimulated by their own thinking and deliberations so that they are able to exert effective control of their development. Enhancing community participation in development projects involves effective co-ordination of local activities to enable people come together to achieve common development goals. Aim: The major task of this study was to investigate factors, which may enhance community participation in the development of schools and income-generating projects in Kiambu District, Central Province of Kenya. Methodology: Kiambu District, which is in Central Kenya was purposively selected to represent rural areas in Kenya. The study was both a case study and exploratory. The study sample comprised of schools and income-generating projects, selected in each of the seven divisions in the district. The projects selected were in four categories, primary schools, secondary schools, youth polytechnics and income generating projects. From each of the selected projects, ten ordinary members were selected as respondents, to a total of 280 members, although only 275 were successfully interviewed. Three project officials from each project were also interviewed, giving a total 84. Also interviewed were 59 divisional local leaders/administrators. The instruments used to collect data were interview schedules for project members, officials and local leaders/administrators. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted with some selected project members. There were also checklists for project observation and focus group discussions. Results: Study findings indicated that some socio-economic factors such as marital status, level and source of income impacted upon the community participation in the development of schools and income-generating projects in the district. Other factors also found to affect participation were safety and accountability of project funds, project-related skills, quality of leadership, and gender dynamics. The existing government policies and guidelines were also found to be critical in this process. The study highlighted some strategies for enhancing community participation in the development of schools and income-generating projects. Conclusion: It was concluded that there is a need to enhance community participation in the development of schools and income-generating projects in rural areas. Most important of these strategies were transparency and accountability of project officials, effective communication with project members, eradication of corruption and ensuring the realization of the expected projects’ benefits. - See more at: http://www.sciencedomain.org/abstract.php?iid=80&id=17&aid=220#.U_svi6M5Qf0
The Role of Distance Teacher Education in Increasing the Supply of Primary School Teachers in Sub-Saharan Africa
(Center for the Study of International Cooperation in Education, 2011) Sifuna, D.N.
This paper attempts to show that a sustainable supply of qualified teachers required to provide quality education for all children in Africa faces very serious challenges which have not been met by the conventional approaches to teacher education. The current need in the supply of teachers has arisen from the upsurge in school enrolments since the 1990s as a result of the commitment by many countries to meet EFA goals, contributing to the recruitment of high percentages of untrained teachers. Compounding the low teacher numbers is the high toll on the teaching force by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. All these factors have a contributing role in the low levels of pupil achievement and low rates for pupil completion of primary schooling in many parts of the continent. It has therefore become increasingly evident that if Africa has to meet the challenge in the supply of adequate teachers required to provide quality education for all the children, it has to emphasise a shift in the conventional approaches to teacher education to distance teacher education which will reach larger numbers of student teachers. There is need for governments to adopt implementation strategies in line with their national policy on education to set up pre-tertiary distance education institutions to increase access to educational programs. The development of national DE policy frameworks is a crucial step in teacher training/retraining in the light of the changing challenges of distance education, the rise of civil societies and the expansion of trans-national education. Donor funded DE programmes need to ensure their sustainability by being made time-bound and are institutionalized. Furthermore, they ought to be carefully planned to meet urgent demands and need to begin with the necessary initial investment in infrastructure or building capacity through the system rather than operating in a crisis mode.
Role of Institutional Managers in Quality Assurance: Reflections on Kenya’s University Education.
(Australian Journal of Business and Management Research, 2011-05) Owino, Gudo Calleb; Ogachi, Oanda Ibrahim; Olel, Maureen A
Universities are accountable to the stakeholders. To justify their continued existence, the managers of these universities need to guarantee the public that the institutions they lead offer quality teaching, research and community service. The study investigated how effectively university managers have played their role in quality assurance. The results indicated that private universities performed better than public universities in management of quality education. However, public and private universities suffered from interference by political and religious patronage. The other barrier to provision of effective management for quality assurance among Kenyan public and private universities was found to be negative ethnicity and nepotism. Kenyan public universities suffered from insufficient teaching and learning resources and a leadership that did not satisfactorily engage its stakeholders in decision making. It was recommended that managers of the universities should deliberately take short term leadership courses to boost their managerial skills as a significant step towards delivery of quality education.The skills acquired should be sufficient to respond to the challenges of quality education bedeviling the universities.
Human Resource Development and Vocational and Technical Education at Kenyatta University, Kenya
(2011-10-31) Kamau, Dominic G.
The Catholic Church and Schools in Kenya: A Historical Perspec tive on Education for Holistic Development. Part I: From the Colonial period to Foundations of an Education dispensation for Independent Kenya
(2012) Beatrice, C.; Philomena, N. M.
This is the first of a two part paper which attempts a critical analysis of the success of the mission of the Catholic Church to educate holistically in Kenya. The milieus discussed are the schools set up by Catholic missionaries, during the colonial period. The missionaries’ primary goal was evang elization; the schools were increasingly recognized as a preferred forum and strategy for reaching it. Many benefits to the foundation of Christian communities in Kenya were reaped from these Catholic schools. Regrettable however, in Catholic education in the colonial period, was the failure to mediate a concurrence of values between its missionary protagonists and the African families and communities, who, as partner educators of the recipients of Catholic education also had their own aims for the educati on of their children. Very often, there was little regard for the latter. The missionaries were recognized by the Africans as being distinct from the colonizers. Yet their attempt to play into the advantages of collusion with the colonial government at the service of their evangelizing goals led many Africans to a sense of betrayal for their course, and a fragmented approach to Christian commitment. While recognizing that the said fragmentation has other roots besides, the authors decry the shortness of vis ion because of which the Catholic schools have played into this liability whose damages are experienced in many other facets of the African community lives.
Neo-liberalism and the Subversion of Academic Freedom from Within: Money, Corporate Cultures and ‘Captured’ Intellectuals in African Public Universities
(Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, 2012) Ogachi, I.O.
In the last two decades, neo-liberal thinking and practices, as outcomes of globalization, have shaped social, economic, and educational policies. Within higher education institutions, the application of neo-liberal practices has increasingly reshaped the institutions into competitive markets and brought about the privatization of various aspects of institutional culture. In Africa, public universities were forced to adopt neo-liberal practices as part of the reform packages to address the financial crisis that the institutions faced in the 1980s. The deepening of neo-liberal cultures in the institutions has trans- formed traditional notions of the university as sites of knowledge genera- tion, service to society and liberal education, into neo-liberal objectives articulated in entrepreneurial terms with knowledge as a commodity to be invested in, bought and sold, and academics as entrepreneurs, who are evaluated based on the income they generate. This article analyses and reflects on what ‘entrepreneurialism’ in public universities in Africa means for the exercise of academic freedom and social responsibility
Faculty Opinions on Emerging Corporatization in Public Universities in Kenya
(Herald International Research Journal s, 2012-08) Swaleh, S.; Waswa, F.
In order to independently and sustainably implement their functions in response to reduced capitation from government, public university management is em bracing corporate culture, which has been traditionally associated with the private sector. G iven the complexity of the university system, this paradigm shift may find itself at variance with inc reasing intra-democratisation and quality assurance requirements. This article discusses faculty opinio ns on corporate management of public universities in Kenya bearing in mind their quest for world-clas s status. A survey design was used to collect data between 2009 and 2010 based on 16 total quality man agement indicators derived from literature review and corroborated by faculty who teach in the School of Business at Kenyatta University. From a target population of 300 registered alumni of the Kenya DA AD Scholars Association, 45 questionnaires were completed and received back. Findings show that aca demic faculty generally lack the sense of belonging and feel marginalised when it comes to ke y decisions that directly affect them. As such they work for survival’s sake and not out of passion. Su ch work culture would inevitably undermine quality assurance in service delivery. This article argues for deliberate investment into symbiotic relationsh ips between university management and faculty, as a way of reversing this trend in work ethics
University Expansion and the Challenges to Social Development in Kenya: Dilemmas and Pitfalls
(Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, 2013) Oanda, I. O.; Jowi J.
The phenomenal expansion of public and private universities in Kenya in recent years has opened access to thousands of knowledge-thirsty stu- dents to achieve their ambitions. Public universities in particular have been forced to diversify their programmes, establish flexible learning schedules and set up campuses away from their traditional locations. But how do cur- rent trends in higher education expansion in Kenya place the institutions in good stead to stem social exclusion and contribute to social development? To what extent is the expansion of public universities in Kenya accompanied by equity considerations and new ways of articulating the issues of class, gender and ethnicity? From being ivory towers and national development projects that were solely seen in terms of workforce development, universi- ties throughout Africa have dispersed to the rural areas both as a strategy to expand access and position themselves as business entities. However, this expansion has not been driven by the public sector. Rather, it has been driven by the private sector, with branch campuses of public universities in rural areas sometimes serving as private income generation units, outside strict public sector oversight. This article traces these developments in Kenya, pointing out the new challenges in terms of equity, quality and the existence of universities as national social institutions that have to be at the centre of social development. The article is based on a critical desk review of pub- lished and grey literature on current trends and implications of public university expansion in Kenya
Primary education experience of a Maasai woman in Kenya: the long-term impact of schooling beyond subject knowledge
(Center for the Study of International Cooperation in Education, 2013) Sawamura, N.; Utsumi, S.; Sifuna, D.
The current discourse on EFA has a tendency of focusing on learning subject knowledge and completing primary school. Thus, dropping out of school has always been negatively regarded. This study examined the impact of primary school education on female students who dropped out of school due to pregnancy and marriage. They were unsuccessful in completing school and proceeding to secondary education, but have more than several years of learning experience. This study aimed to identify whether their learning experience has made a difference in their lives. It further sought to discuss the long-term impact of schooling beyond subject knowledge. In this initial attempt, the research focused on a particular Maasai woman who dropped out of school at Grade 7, without completing 8 years of full primary education, in Narok. She has been traced over 12 years and was regularly interviewed. Five aspects were identified which enabled her to help improve her life because of schooling: (1) expanding her social network, (2) learning offi cial languages, (3) being conscious about hygiene and health, (4) establishing more equal relations with her husband, and (5) acquiring soft skills of management. It can be said that primary schooling enhanced the capability of dealing with livelihood and bettered her quality of life in the rural community
Rights of Children in the Kenyan Primary School Curriculum
(Contemporary Research Center (CRC), 2013) Karugu, A. M.
Kenyans today are very conscious and assertive of their rights. In 2010, they ensured that basic human rights are enshrined in the new constitution that they passed. Despite all this it is relevant to question how knowledge about human rights is transmitted and acquired by young Kenyans. We carried out a study in an attempt to provide an answer to this question. Using content analysis method we examined the rights of children as discussed in various Social Studies text books currently used in primary schools. The objective was to identify rights of the child, interrogate them, compare and contrast how various authors/publishers have presented them. In addition, the same method was used to identify and document incidents of violation of children rights as reported in the Daily Nation. The major finding of this study is that the Social Studies curriculum in primary schools as presented in the books that we examined adequately exposes young Kenyans to their rights and related issues. Those who successfully complete primary school course can be taken to be knowledgeable and aware of their rights. Examining the reported incidents in the Daily Nation however showed that there is still a societal problem in protecting children from abuse. Children are vulnerable and defenseless .Generally they are not capable of asserting their rights. This is evident, especially, in situations where violators of children rights are people close to them such as parents, guardians and teachers.
Trends in Internationalization of Higher Education and Implications for Research and Innovation for Development in African Universities
(Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2013-10-04) Oanda, I.O.
What are the current trends that mark out the process of internationalization of higher education? In what directions do these trends influence the direction of research and development in African universities? Does internationalization of higher education have the potential to boost knowledge production relevant to Africa’s development needs or it will further hasten the marginalization of both African universities and African development agendas within the global network of scientific knowledge? Internationalization of education is not new. Historically, students have sought better higher education abroad influenced by the desire to benefit from better opportunities provided by universities in the developed countries. The current phase of higher education internationalization has however emerged more vigorously in the 21st century and is associated with the twin trends of globalization and liberalization. Proponents of globalization have argued that higher education is bound to be more strongly affected by worldwide economic developments. They also point out that higher education institutions in developing countries should embrace aspects of internationalization to boost their efforts to be ranked among the best league of universities globally. At the national level, internationalization of higher education is presented as a process that institutions in developing countries must embrace in order to address the persistent challenges of sustainable development. For universities in Africa, the literature argues that internationalization provides them with opportunities that cut across disciplines, institutions, knowledge-systems, and nation-state boundaries thereby exposing the institutions and academics to the world’s best scientific research and infrastructures. In summary, it is contended that internationalization is a strategy to realize success in human-capability and institutional-capacity development in the universities. This chapter revisits these assertions and their tenacity to developing a culture of research and innovation in African universities, and linking the universities to the continent’s development aspirations.
The Links between Kakuma Refugee Camp HIV/AIDs Education Programmes and the Programmes in Regular Schools in the Surrounding Host Community in North-Western Kenya
(Scholarlink Resource Centre, 2014) Ochieng', Rubai Mandela
The aim of this paper is to assess the links between HIV/AIDS education programmes offered at Kakuma Refugee Camp (KRC) in North-Western Kenya and the programmes offered in regular schools in the surrounding communities. This is based on a qualitative case study on factors that influence the teaching and learning of HIV/AIDS education in refugee schools. A total of 3 primary schools from KRC and 3 from the host community (HC) participated in the study. A sample of 617 respondents of diverse nationalities, including 356 male and 160 female pupils, as well as headteachers, teachers, community members and NGO staff was used. The study utilized semi-structured interviews, observation, FGDs, documentary analysis and drawings to generate data. The study established that schools at KRC and HC shared the same MoE curriculum that integrated HIV/AIDS education. KRC schools had an added advantage of teaching HIV/AIDS and reproductive health as an independent subject using a curriculum developed and implemented by the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK). There was also a strong NGO support for HIV/AIDS education programmes at KRC schools which resulted in better HIV/AIDS awareness among pupils at the camp as compared to HC. However, many teachers from KRC were moving from KRC transferring knowledge and skills in HIV/AIDS education to the HC schools. The various NGOs supporting HIV/AIDS Education programmes at KRC had also extended their programmes to the HC. The study concluded that refugee pupils who left KRC to seek education in the host community schools may have lost considerably in terms of HIV/AIDS education. From the study findings, it was recommended that the government of Kenya should consider regular workshops for teachers in HC schools so as to bring them at the same level with their counterparts at the refugee camp

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