Rubai MandelaIbrahim O. OandaMakatiani, Cyril2021-09-272021-09-272021http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/22675A Research Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for Award of the Degree of Master of Education in Comparative and International Education in the School of Education of Kenyatta University, May 2021The purpose of this study was to investigate the gaps that exist in functional relationships between the government’s stated policies on the teaching of Kiswahili language in public and private primary schools and the actual practice during the implementation of these policies. Kiswahili is a compulsory subject at primary school level in Kenya. The study confined itself to Bungoma County in Kenya. The major objectives of the study were to find out if the coverage of content in Kiswahili syllabus in the public and private primary schools showed consistency with government policy that the syllabus should be recommended by the Ministry of Education and covered within eight years of schooling. Next was to find out the effects of implementing these policies on the availability and adequacy of instructional materials in these schools. The study also assessed whether the modes of evaluation were in line with those recommended by Kenya National Examinations Council. Finally, the study examined the influence of composition of the staff teaching Kiswahili syllabus in classes 5 and 6 in line with the stated government policies. The review of related literature was mainly drawn from secondary sources, works of commissions or task forces and research works. This review explicated the gaps that need to be filled. The study adopted a collective case study design as a better option for in-depth exploration of a situation. This enabled the researcher to understand how beliefs and opinions in the pattern of mental states of those working in public and private primary schools influence effective policy implementation process. The population for the study comprised public and private primary schools in Bungoma Municipality Zone of Bungoma County. The target population for this study included the field education officers from MOE and TSC in the study area, head teachers and their deputies, heads of Kiswahili panels, staff teaching Kiswahili in classes V & VI and their respective learners in these classes. A total of about 11% informants were targeted from public and private primary schools in this zone. In-depth interviews, Focused Group Discussions, observation schedules and questionnaires were used as tools for data collection. This study had both qualitative and quantitative approaches, but more emphasis was on qualitative research. Qualitative data was organized into themes, pertinent to patterns of the study, from which the researcher closely examined the usefulness of information in response to the research questions. Quantitative data was analysed by use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer package version 16. Responses from interview and observation schedules, FGDs and questionnaires were organized according to pertinent aspects of the study. The findings were presented by use frequencies, tables, and graphs. The study unravels the ways of improving content delivery, availability, and adequacy of instructional materials, as well as modes of assessing learners in Kiswahili in public and private primary schools. This study recommends effective implementation of the policies during actual classroom teaching. This is vital in fighting the negative perception of teachers and learners towards the teaching of Kiswahili. 1enImplementationGovernment PoliciesTeaching of KiswahiliPrimary SchoolsBungoma CountyKenyaThesis