Students’ Attitudes on the Teaching of Christian Religious Education in Secondary Schools in Kenya

Kasomo Daniel

doi:10.5923/j.ijpbs.20110101.07

Abstract

This paper attempts to find out the impact of teachers and studentsГўВҖВҷ attitudes on the teaching of Christian religious education in Machakos secondary schools. The purpose of the investigation is to explain the attitudes of teachers and students with a view to drawing conclusions, which would be recommended for improving the status of Christian religious education (CRE) in secondary schools. This paper is based On study undertaken in Machakos secondary schools in Kenya. Sampling procedure in order to allow a regional representation of implementers and consumers of CRE in Machakos secondary schools. The study employed open and closed questionnaire administered to all the participants; an interview done in nine secondary schools among nine teachers and twelve students and an observation of CRE documents affected in eight schools. The attitude scores derived from the closed questionnaire were analyzed using factor analysis, descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and one and two analyses of variance. The open responses were subjected to content analysis and some chi-square tests for the categorized data. The attitude scale as the chief instrument in data collection had a high cronbach alpha of 0.9 a mean of 72 and standard deviation of 15.Based on the analysis, this paper contends that there are no significant differences among respondents of different backgrounds in their attitudes towards CRE. The respondentsГўВҖВҷ conception of the nature of CRE falls in two groups: a positive oriented group which contends that CRE has utilitarian value and the other group that view CRE as non-functional. In conclusion it is argued that any recommendations for improving CRE have to be directed towards clarifying CRE objectives. Thus, the key recommendation points for a need to have CRE as part of an integrated Religious Education (RE) programme whose main aim should be to lead students towards being religiously educated.

Highlights

During the colonial era Christian religious education (CRE) featured as a dominant school subject(Anderson, 1979: Ayot, 1986)
This study has addressed teacher and students’ attitudes to the subject and was guided by the following research questions:
Using an administrative map of Machakos District, the schools registered for 2008 Kenya certificate of secondary examination(KCSE) CRE were categorized into six geographical zones with their towns as point of accessibility

Summary

Introduction

During the colonial era CRE featured as a dominant school subject(Anderson, 1979: Ayot, 1986). The subject has an optional status for both teachers and students It is being challenged by socio-economic conditions which have consistently demanded a functional programme to meet the needs of a developing nation rich in religious plurality, diversity and secularity. This raises concern on the future of CRE. One wonders whether CRE will survive the onslaught of modernization, religious plurality, and secularity and stiff competition from other humanities This situation has necessitated the need to empirically search, review and evaluate the subject’s value and worth from the approach and undertaking of those implementing supervising and consuming it

Objectives of the Study

Attitude Concept

Research Design

Sampling Procedures

Target Population

Measurement Designs

Data Collection Procedures

Findings

Conclusions