Kenya’s Philosophy of Education as the Missing Link between her Education and the Goal of Developing Skilled Human Resource

Abstract

This paper is drawn from a research carried out on the suitability of Kenya’s education in relation to development of skilled human resource. The inquiry followed a revelation that individuals left schools and colleges either incompetent or irrelevantly skilled, a situation that undermined both individual and national development. The research took a philosophical approach, and employed majorly the conceptual analysis method wherein various seminal education policies, reports and other relevant documents were reflected upon. Further, the phenomenological method was employed via brief semi-structured interviews on sampled teachers and students, basically to establish their conception of education – ostensibly its meaning and purpose, all which determine practice. A common finding had it that the philosophy underpinning Kenyan education was hazy. Consequently, individuals pursued idiosyncratic educational practices, as dictated by their understanding of education, consequently failing to achieve expected educational outcomes. The inquiry recommended formulation of a sound, shared philosophy upon which all educational thoughts and experiences would be hinged.