Education In Kenya Research Articles

Effectiveness of Mother Tongue Instruction on Literacy Rates in Primary Education in Kenya, Examining the Transition from Indigenous Languages to English in Urban and Rural Settings

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the effectiveness of mother tongue instruction on literacy rates in primary education in Kenya, examining the transition from indigenous languages to English in urban and rural settings Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Studies on the effectiveness of mother tongue instruction in Kenya's primary education reveal that using indigenous languages in early education significantly improves literacy rates, particularly in rural areas. In these settings, children who learn in their native languages during the early grades develop stronger foundational literacy skills compared to those taught in English from the start. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Sociocultural theory, cummins’ linguistic interdependence theory & transitional bilingual education theory may be used to anchor future studies on the effectiveness of mother tongue instruction on literacy rates in primary education in Kenya, examining the transition from indigenous languages to English in urban and rural settings. Schools, particularly in rural areas, need more resources like textbooks and teaching aids in indigenous languages to support early literacy development. Policymakers should implement flexible language policies that consider the different linguistic needs of urban and rural populations.

Exploring the Boundaries of Digital Popular Music Education in Kenya

With technology enhancement and digitalisation of teaching and learning, creative arts and performance are evolving daily. Additionally, the empirical review indicates that Kenya has already embraced these developments even though much must be done. Music education, which relies on creative arts and performance is among the benefactors of digitalisation of learning and teaching. Therefore, the digitalisation of popular music enhances the genres as instructional tools; facilitating access would help improve pedagogical contexts, easing learning and teaching. This study investigates the implementation and impact of Popular Music Education (PME) in Kenya, addressing the challenges and opportunities inherent in integrating digital technologies into the PME curriculum. Using a qualitative research approach, with phenomenological design through the pragmatic paradigm, the research assesses the effectiveness of digital tools in enhancing musical skills and knowledge among students while considering infrastructural and socio-economic barriers. Findings reveal that the digitalisation of PME holds significant potential for improving access, delivery, and quality of learning and teaching but is constrained by resource limitations, connectivity issues, teacher development, and digital teaching and instructional tools. This study contributes to understanding how digital advancements can be tailored to fit the unique context of poorly developed counties in Kenya to offer 21st-century PME. The study is limited to the availability of contextualised data in Kenya that can depict the exactness of digital capabilities in the teaching and learning of popular music in Kenya.

Financing Higher Education in Kenya, 1960-2012

In the last two decades or so Kenya has witnessed increased demand for university education. This has forced education planners to experiment with a number of strategies to admit these increased numbers of qualified students to existing public universities. These strategies have seen remarkable flexibility in public university programs and admission requirements. Some of these strategies include: evening programs, weekend programs, holiday programs, and open and distance learning programs. But one which has raised enough public attention is the variedly labeled parallel, module two or self- sponsored students programs. Although this program has substantially increased access to public university education in Kenya, it has equally been criticized particularly on its ability to deliver quality university education. The argument has been that the programs were primarily tasked with the purpose of raising income and ensuring institutional survival in the prevailing harsh economic conditions. What is however unknown is the extent to which the program has promoted quality training for students and improved skills for public university academic staff. The brief paper seeks to address this gap. The paper is extensive review of secondary data and personal observations. The paper concludes that the introduction of cost sharing and the increasing need for the universities to fundraise to effectively meet the budgetary deficits has negatively affected the quality of public university education in Kenya

Revising academic cultures to improve integrity in Kenyan universities

ABSTRACT This paper reviews issues of academic integrity, focusing on unethical practices in Kenyan universities. The rapid expansion of university education in Kenya, followed by a significant decline in the number of qualified students seeking to join private universities since 2017 have created financial pressures on universities. Some universities have resorted to unethical practices to enrol students and offer programmes that have not been accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). At the same time, there is a growing concern among governments, educators, students, and other stakeholders that unethical practices in higher education are spreading, compromising the integrity of academic programmes. This review suggests strategies that can be put in place to improve academic integrity. The analysis considers what motivates individuals to act unethically, even though doing so contributes to damaging the credibility of the sector. The idea of the prisoner’s dilemma is introduced to explain why it remains in individuals’ interest to act in this way. Based on this, we suggest that changes could be made that shift the balance of risk and reward. These changes can include efforts to detect unethical behaviour; discourage it through more consistent penalties; and to encourage and reward positive alternatives. We propose that everyone in higher education could contribute to these changes, suggesting interventions that could be made by teachers in classrooms; by trainers within universities; and by policy makers nationally.

Content and effectiveness of TVET teacher CPD in Kenya

AbstractContinuing Professional Development (CPD) for teachers can improve teaching and wider school practices. However, within developing country contexts, research on the CPD practices of vocational teachers remains limited. This study therefore investigated the CPD practices of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) teachers in Kenya, focusing on the content, outcomes and effectiveness of their CPD practices. Adopting a questionnaire survey approach, data was collected from 170 TVET teachers drawn from six TVET institutes in Kenya's Nairobi Metropolitan Area.TVET teachers in Kenya were found to more frequently focus their CPD on subject content knowledge and less frequently on pedagogical knowledge. Their CPD activities are not always effective as the CPD activities often do not involve active learning and collaboration, and are not always of sufficient duration. Cluster analysis showed that for some teachers, CPD activities are rarely effective and result in limited impact on practice. However, Initial Teacher Education was found to encourage teachers to focus on broader content and to adopt more effective CPD practices.To improve the effectiveness of TVET teacher CPD practices in Kenya, it is recommended that TVET teachers in Kenya are supported to adopt active and collaborative learning activities that are spread over extended time durations.

“The school bus was everything.” Seeking distinction in Kenya's education system

AbstractKenya's secondary schools are active sites of intensifying inequalities among young people, producing different kinds of subjectivities. Drawing from interview data with school graduates, I consider how young people discern the value of their education according to material resources, like new school buses and buildings. These concerns indicate students' distrust of education as intrinsically beneficial and the embeddedness of students' interests in a broader prestige economy that equates social status with wealth.

University Education in Kenya: Stakeholder Perspectives on Assessment Quality

Industry demand for skills whose application is dependent on changing technological innovations has been on the rise in Kenya. This has put a spotlight on professionals engaged in higher education and training roles. Society expects higher education institutions to not only provide opportunities for learning, but to deliver education in forms that are relevant to socio-economic productive processes. Decisions on teaching and examinations which were previously accepted on the basis of competence and professional discretion are now being challenged, based on the dynamic demands of the labour market. Universities are required to legitimize and communicate results of their activities to the public, which effectively means transferring control of education to a larger stakeholder constituency. Of interest to this research therefore, was the role of facilities and the effectiveness of internal institutional mechanisms for assuring assessment quality to stakeholders. This study sought to explore the extent to which universities in Kenya have embraced reforms to meet demand for increased quality and accountability in education assessment. A sample of 524 respondents from both public and private universities was selected for use in the study. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected using questionnaires and interview guides. Qualitative data was transcribed, and presented in themes. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics (percentages, means, Chi square (X2)) to determine the effectiveness of quality assessment processes. All statistical inferences were done at α = 0.05, This study stands to benefit university managers by providing evidence on the state of assessment quality at institutional level. This can help empower students, and other stakeholders involved in supporting university education, to consider quality among criteria for support, and to help foster competition among institutions

Marginalization of Trainers in Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Kenya

Marginalization of Trainers in Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Kenya

Influence of Principals’ Participative Leadership Style on Tutors’ Support for Implementation of Performance Appraisal in Public Primary Teachers Training Colleges in Kenya

The study aimed at investigating the influence of principals’ participative leadership style on tutors’ implementation of the performance appraisal in teachers training colleges in Kenya. The study sought to test the following null hypothesis H01: There is no significant relationship between Principals’ participative leadership style and tutors’ support for the implementation of the performance appraisal in public primary teachers training colleges in Kenya. The study was guided by the Path-Goal Theory. The study employed a descriptive research design. The study's target population comprised 840 tutors and 21 principals in the 21 public teacher training colleges in Kenya in 2021. The sample size was determined using Yamane's formula. Therefore, the sample size for tutors was 271. Stratified random sampling was used to select tutors in teachers’ training colleges in Kenya. A census was used to select all the 21 principals of training colleges in Kenya. Primary data were collected using a questionnaire for tutors and an interview guide for the 21 Principals. It was established that principals’ participative leadership style had a positive significant (β=.431, p=0.00<0.05) relationship with the implementation of performance appraisal of tutors. The study concluded that principals’ participative leadership style had a significant influence on tutors’ implementation of performance appraisal. Based on the study's findings, it is recommended that the Ministry of Education, Board of Management, Kenya Education Management Institute, teacher training colleges, universities, parents, and Quality Assurance and Standards officers collaborate in designing and implementing performance appraisal systems. This inclusive approach ensures diverse perspectives are considered, leading to a comprehensive and effective appraisal system aligned with the sector's needs

Community Health Volunteers' experiences of implementing COVID-19 vaccine education and promotion in Kenya: a qualitative descriptive study.

Vaccination was a key measure in the COVID-19 pandemic response, though much work was needed to promote vaccine uptake and acceptance. In Kenya, Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) played a key role in vaccine education and promotion. We conducted this study to explore CHVs' experiences of implementing COVID-19 vaccine education and promotion during the pandemic to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake in two areas of Kenya. In a qualitative descriptive study, we conducted 30 structured in-depth interviews with 20 CHVs and 10 Community Health Assistants from rural Kilifi County and Kangemi, an urban informal settlement of Nairobi County in Kenya between April 2022 and July 2022. Thematic analysis generated five key themes in relation to CHVs' experiences of implementing COVID-19 vaccine education and promotion: Five key themes emerged regarding CHVs' experiences of implementing COVID-19 vaccine education and promotion: (1) vaccine preferences influenced acceptance, (2) the fear of side effects was a barrier, (3) misinformation was widespread (4) lack of trust in government and politicization of vaccines was a barrier, and (5) CHVs' efforts were a facilitator to increased uptake. Extensive community outreach from CHVs contributed to the high uptake of primary vaccines and boosters during the COVID-19 pandemic. CHVs acting as role models by receiving vaccinations first was particularly important in influencing communities to accept vaccinations. Findings provide evidence for prioritizing CHVs in the planning and implementation of future vaccination initiatives in Kenya and other countries.

Exploring Interactive Learning Approaches and Technology Integration in the Kenyan Education System

Abstract This paper examines the dynamic intersection of interactive learning approaches and technology integration within contemporary education. As technology rapidly evolves, it fundamentally reshapes pedagogical practices by introducing innovative tools and strategies that redefine the teaching and learning landscape. We investigated the pivotal roles of Extended Reality (XR) technologies, including Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), in crafting immersive educational experiences. Additionally, interactive learning methodologies, such as game-based learning and the Learning by Asking (LBA) system, are scrutinized for their potential to engage learners and foster their skill acquisition. Furthermore, the emergence of competency-based education (CBE) models is analyzed in response to evolving educational objectives, emphasizing the cultivation of practical skills, problem-solving abilities, and commitment to lifelong learning. Nevertheless, the successful integration of these advancements encounters formidable challenges, including institutional barriers and the imperative need for comprehensive teacher training. This review illuminates the transformative potential of technology in education and underscores educators’ pivotal role in equipping learners for an increasingly dynamic and uncertain future.

Montessori Education and Its Application in Kenya: Evaluating Effectiveness and Cultural Adaptation

This paper examines the adaptation of Montessori education principles to the Kenyan cultural context, focusing on how local traditions and practices can be integrated into Montessori classrooms. Montessori education, known for its child-centered approach and emphasis on independence, offers a flexible framework that can be tailored to align with diverse cultural environments. In Kenya, incorporating local values, materials, and indigenous knowledge into the Montessori curriculum enhances its relevance and effectiveness. The study explores the historical context of Montessori education in Kenya, the current landscape of Montessori schools, and the specific methods used to adapt the Montessori approach to local cultural norms. Challenges and recommendations for future development are discussed, including the need for community engagement and resource allocation. This adaptation not only enriches the educational experience but also fosters a deeper connection between students and their cultural heritage.

Analysis of Kenya's education system to boost Egyptian soft power

Analysis of Kenya's education system to boost Egyptian soft power

Reforming Education in Kenya for Global Competitiveness: A Case of Competency Based Curriculum

Education reform demands increased as Kenya entered the twenty-first century. Developing critical thinking, creativity, and practical skills is the main goal of the government's learner-centred Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), which was unveiled in 2017. The goal of the CBC is to develop well-rounded people who can thrive in a world that is changing quickly by placing an emphasis on competency above content. In Kenya, the 8-4-4 system of education has been replaced with the Competency Based Curriculum under the 2-6-3-3 system of education. This signifies the end of a period in which the sector has been dominated by competitiveness and ranking. The primary distinction is that CBC concentrates on the observable abilities and competences that learners demonstrate, whereas 8-4-4 emphasizes content more heavily, which promotes memorization. A requirements evaluation of the curriculum measured against the aspirations of the country, according to the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, made a curriculum modification necessary. Furthermore, there have been gaps in the educational offerings since 1964 due to the partial implementation of the suggestions made by earlier commissions on education. Curriculum Based Assessment (CBA), the assessment tool provided by the CBC, evaluates students' competency in relation to predetermined performance requirements. A series of systematic procedures that gather data to support the analysis of learners' progress and accomplishments are used in CBA, in contrast to formal assessments. As a result, assessment entails the learners doing specific tasks to evaluate their level of proficiency in completing them in an actual setting.

Reforms in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Kenya: Focus on Variables That Influence Sustainable Development

Reforms in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Kenya: Focus on Variables That Influence Sustainable Development

Towards Learning Excellence in Universities: A Critical Review of Information and Communication Technology Policies in Education in Kenya

The current reality is that technological advancement has shaped how learning is being conducted in education. Communication technology has been embraced in education by both educators and learners. However, the embracement has been slow, and this was experienced during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, when teaching and learning had to shift and relied heavily on communication technology, but in actuality educational institutions were not ready. The virus continues to linger on and has served as a wake-up call for the education sector. This therefore makes Information and Communication Technology (ICT) an essential component in education today, not only to be implemented during crises, but also due to technological advancement and stakeholders’ needs in the current times. Governments have made efforts to integrate ICT in education, as is the case in Kenya. This paper reviews the National ICT policy in Kenya since its formulation in 2006 and its revision in 2019. These two policies were national, and education was integrated into the policies. However, in 2021, an additional policy on ICT in education and training was formulated and will also be analysed in this study. The paper analyses the strategies and implementation in higher learning institutions and outlines the barriers and challenges experienced in its implementation. Accessibility and equity have been pinpointed as some of the major factors influencing ICT integration. As higher learning institutions focus on blended or hybrid learning, ICT becomes a fundamental tool to facilitate education. The paper makes recommendations based on the policy inadequacies and how to focus on ICT in education for future meaningful impact.

Nyerere’s Philosophy of Education for Self-Reliance and Its Implications for Enhancing the Socio-Economic Dimension of Current Kenyan University Education

While considerable attention has been devoted to exploring the potential of higher education in driving economic development, comparatively less focus has been directed towards its role in nurturing social imperatives associated with education. In the same vein, the economic benefits of a university degree in Kenya have been emphasised, while the social relevance of serving society has not received enough attention. In order to strengthen the social and economic paradigms of higher education in Kenya, the article examine the unique contribution of Nyerere's philosophy of education for self-reliance in the realm of African educational philosophies. The purpose of this study was to analyse what educational implications Kenyan universities can adopt from Nyerere's education for self-reliance philosophy using a literature-based research approach. The methodology of the study used was a multifaceted technique that comprised a literature review, conceptual analysis, a comprehensive content analysis and triangulation for evaluating relevant books, research studies, scholarly works and official papers about the socio-economic role of university education and Nyerere's philosophy of education. The study's findings indicated that the Nyerere educational philosophy, which is characterized by its invaluable lessons on the roles of the teacher, curriculum development, and the purpose of university education, may have beneficial implications on Kenyan university education. The socio-economic dimensions of university education emphasize enhancing society through problem-solving, community engagement, and career-oriented learning. The study also underscored the vital need for training for jobs in both white-collar and blue-collar fields by universities, the incorporation of problem-solving skills relevant to the 21st century, on-going professional development, and benchmarking. These recommendations could be the cornerstone of socio-economic education reforms at Kenyan universities, which could prepare its youth for the dynamic opportunities of the twenty-first century, positioning Kenya as a forerunner in the global advancement of socio-economic dimension of university education.

Innovative pedagogy of competence based training in horticulture: case stuy of TVET Education in Kenya

Horticulture is the fastest growing sub-sector in Kenya. It contributes the most towards the envisioned poverty reduction, and overall food security. It is generally a labour-intensive industry with high demand of skilled workers, trained supervisors and professional managers. Most Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education Training colleges (ATVETs) have a very general focus and there is lack of specialized and competent workforce in horticulture. The training is classroom and institutional centred with limited access to necessary resources and facilities, and limited interactions with industry and world of work. In this project, a consortium of partners worked with selected ATVETs to close the skills gaps using a non-traditional pedagogy of competency based training in horticulture. This was by strengthening the capacity of the ATVETs through a strong collaboration and linkages between the education institutions and the private sector to enable practical learning and innovation in the horticulture sector. The project integrated the curriculum for horticulture, water and climate to suit the needs of the students and the labour market, and tailored it to the local context. Each of the participating colleges invested in hands-on training through dedicated agricultural innovation hubs and creating strong links with the local stakeholders. To compliment curricula developed by the Curriculum Development Assessment and Certificate Council (CDACC), training manuals were developed for selected courses. In addition tutors were trained to enhance their capacity in design, delivery and evaluation of competence based education. Problem based learning in the Kenyan context as well as joint learning sessions between Kenyan and Dutch students were the other non-traditional pedagogy methodologies that were explored. The project increased interactions between the ATVET, industry and partners in horticulture within Kenya and in the Netherlands. The ATVETs created more local partnerships relevant to their training and practical work. The students were the primary beneficiaries through enhanced quality teaching. These benefits have been cascaded to the surrounding communities and the impact is expected to be sustainable.

Role of Employee Commitment in Total Quality Management on Performance of Institutions of Higher Learning in Kenya

Employee commitment is one of the common thematic areas for TQM in the service sector. It is crucial in fostering a sense of purpose, dedication, and alignment with the organization's mission and values. Since organization performance is linked to product quality and depends on its employees' dedication, organizations seeking competitive advantages through TQM must critically examine the levels of employee commitment. The universities in sub-Sahara Africa face elevated environmental dynamism in providing quality education. Due to conceptual gaps in the studies on employee commitment to university education in Kenya, the study evaluated the influence of employee commitment on the performance goals of private universities in Kenya. The study targeted seventeen (17) privately chartered universities founded by religious-based institutions in Kenya and utilized descriptive research design. The study censused 17 heads of administrative sections, functional departments and academic sections and used questionnaires as the primary data collection tool. Cronbach's Alpha reliability testing indicated that the instrument achieved scale reliability. The study used both descriptive and inferential analysis, and the results indicated that performance goals positively correlated with employee commitment (r = 0.670, p < 0.05) and explained 45.82 % variance in performance goals with an effect size; β1 = 0.67697 (t = 12.97, p< 0.05). The findings showed that employee commitment significantly influences the performance goals of these universities. The study recommends that these universities should seek to train, develop and align their human capital towards higher quality objectives from individual, departmental and organizational levels. This study is significant to the stakeholders in privately – chartered universities in Kenya and related contexts, as it will offer more enriching information on employee commitment to quality

Advancing AI education: Assessing Kenyan in-service teachers' preparedness for integrating artificial intelligence in competence-based curriculum

With the advancement of technology, emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) have also been growing rapidly and becoming more common than ever before. Kenya has taken tremendous steps in adopting the use of emerging technology in different sectors of the economy. In realization of the need to have a skilled digital workforce to develop solutions using these emerging technologies, Kenya has undertaken curriculum reforms and introduced the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) which has included digital literacy and coding in elementary school. Furthermore, computer science has been introduced in Junior Secondary School. In view of these changes, teachers should be adequately prepared with knowledge, skills, and attitudes to effectively teach these new technologies. However, in Kenya, AI was not and still is not part of the teacher training curriculum. Additionally, there are inadequate professional development opportunities in AI for both pre-service and in-service teachers since AI is not part of the CBC curriculum. That notwithstanding, it is inevitable for teachers in the current world to introduce AI to learners. Therefore, this study's objectives were to assess the confidence in AI, attitudes toward AI, AI ethics, subjective norms, perceived threats, and the readiness to teach AI among Kenyan K-12 in-service teachers and to assess how these factors influence their readiness to teach AI. To achieve these objectives, this study employed a quantitative research methodology by administering a survey using Google Forms to a random sample of 308 teachers from different grades from 37 out of 47 counties in Kenya. The findings showed that confidence in AI, AI ethics and subjective norms significantly influenced AI readiness while attitude towards AI and perceived threats did not significantly influence AI readiness. These results are significant in providing a basis for education policy change on AI education in Kenya, such as transforming the teacher training curriculum to include AI and designing AI professional development programs for in-service teachers to ensure they are well-equipped to teach AI.