Prof. Jennifer Wanjiku khamasi, PhD, EBS
Chief Editor
I write this editorial three days after the release of Kenya Certificate of Primary Education results by the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology; and about one month after the primary school examination period was concluded. The Cabinet Secretary and his team received heaps of congratulatory messages for successfully managing the examination process. For more than 20 years, results were normally released after 25th of December and the rush for Form One positions begun thereafter and caused anxiety in families who needed spaces in reputable secondary schools. The act of releasing the examinations within a month as well as minimizing incidents of examination malpractices has revealed that for a Ministry of Education to transform educational institutions, good leadership is key.
As I wait to start the second week of December 2016, I am reminded that the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (Kenya) released an audit report in October 2016. And on 6th December 2016, the Commission plans to engage public universities on the need to create institutions that value ethnic diversity.
I also recognize that the world over, we are two weeks away from Christmas and nationally a week away from celebrating Jamhuri Day; 53 years since Kenya attained political independence from colonial rule. This calls to mind the fact that the holiday season has begun and domestic tourism will increase in this festive season.
In brief, the papers featured in this volume address issues of national significance some of which touch on the issues I have raised above i.e. educational leadership, national cohesion and integration and domestic tourism.
Irene Simiyu and Clement Eyinda in their paper entitled Leadership with a Conscience: Narratives on Teacher Leadership from Two Secondary School Teachers from Western Kenya discuss teacher leadership and narrate their experiences and efforts to transform their work environments as well as mentor colleagues to become leaders. The authors remind us that a “teacher leader is one who leads within and beyond the classroom … contributes to other teachers’ and learners’ welfare and empowerment’, and is more often than not motivated by a sense of “moral purpose of achieving educational goals …” Using lived experiences, they have recommended ways in which teachers can embrace the teacher leadership role and transform their institutions.
In chapter 2 we have a paper by Scholastica Musakali Adeli entitled Selection of a Preschool: Comparison between Play-based and Academic-based Preschools in Eldoret Municipality. Adeli presents findings from a study that engaged parents and explored the factors that a selected number of parents considered when selecting preschool institutions for their children. The findings show that most (72%) of the study participants/parents preferred academic-based schools rather than play-based schools. This finding and discussions between the researcher and selected participants point to the need for educators to sensitize parents on the long term benefits of choosing play-based school for preschoolers.
Mary Wanjiku David’s paper which is entitled Enhancing Visitor Experience in Museums to Increase Visitation is the 3rd chapter. Mary reminds the reader that the Museums of Kenya have a mandate in the promotion of national development. The role manifests itself in many ways; but the educational role is the most conspicuous. In this regard, the Museums receive hundreds of visitors annually irrespective of the location, a fact that Mary has articulated in the paper and gives a number of recommendations that would facilitate the Museums of Kenya meet the needs of the various clientele, and consequently, educate and promote domestic tourism.
Lastly, Justus Barasa Maende has presented a paper entitled: Role of Higher Education Expansion in Enhancing Cohesion and Integration in Kenya. At the onset he asks: how do current trends in higher education in Kenya deal with social exclusion, equity considerations; articulate issues of class, gender, and ethnicity and contribute to social development?’ Justus fears that the many regional public universities are nothing but avenues for host communities to create employment for ‘their own’ and exclude ‘the other’ Kenyan from a different region. Justus argues that one of the reasons why Kenya Government is expanding higher education is to address cohesion and integration. He emphasizes that one of the roles of National Cohesion, Integration Commission in Kenya is to facilitate elimination of negative ethnicity in public institutions.
I invite readers to engage with the different papers and possibly contact the Chief Editor for more information.
Justus Barasa Maende
Abstract
There has been expansion of higher education in the recent years since President Kibaki’s Administration. Universities and Middle Level Colleges are now easily accessible by most Kenyans and there are indications that the expansion trend is likely to continue. But how do current trends in higher education expansion deal with social exclusion, equity considerations, articulate issues of class, gender, and ethnicity and contribute to social development? Most leaders lobby for their regions to get more institutions. However, in this paper, I argue that the expansion is not driven by the need to have the face of Kenya in employment positions, but by the need by the local communities to take over employment opportunities. In the recent past, National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) reported that, the situation was pathetic because most universities have majorly employed staff from the communities where the universities are located. Three years later, Moi and the Masaai Mara Universities were closed after students’ unrest which was fueled by ethnic biases. Kenyans should depend on institutions of higher learning to improve cohesion and integration in the country. This paper therefore reiterates that one of the aims of higher education expansion should be to promote national cohesion and integration; which is bedeviling Kenya.
Key words: national cohesion and integration, integrity, institutions of higher learning
Contact details: Justus Barasa Maende, Senior Editor at The Jomo Kenyatta Foundation.
To cite this article: Justus Barasa Maende; Role of Higher Education Expansion in Enhancing Cohesion and Integration in Kenya., Journal of African Studies in Educational Management and Leadership, Vol. 7.2, pp 62-75
Available online December 2016
Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:http://www.kaeam.or.ke
©2016 Kenya Association of Educational Management and Leadership. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Scholastic Musakali Adeli
Abstract
Parents and/or guardians normally consider many factors in selecting a preschool for their children. Among such factors are location, accreditation, and teacher credentials, past performance, children’s safety, school philosophy and discipline. This study sought to establish whether parents/guardians were aware of classroom methods in preschools and whether they consider such as factors for selection of a preschool. This study therefore compared parents’/guardians’ awareness of play-based and academic-based preschools in Eldoret Municipality. The study adopted a survey design. Data was collected from all willing parents/guardians from various churches in Eldoret Municipality. Churches were selected because they brought together different people with different school priorities. A questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. All parents/guardians who had a preschool child were free to participate in the study. Using convenience sampling therefore, a total of 253 parents/guardians were involved in this study. The major finding of the study was that 72% of the parents/guardians preferred academic-based schools rather than play-based schools because the focus in most schools is on academic achievement rather than play. Findings from this study are important in creating awareness to preschool teachers, administrators, parents/guardians on the differences between the two types of preschools. The assumption is that if parents are aware, they will make informed decisions concerning the type of preschool they would want for their children.
Keywords: Preschool, play-based schools, academic-based schools, classroom methods
Contact: Scholastic Musakali Adeli - Moi University,
To cite this article: Scholastic Musakali Adeli; Selection of a Preschool: Comparison between Play-based and Academic-based Preschools in Eldoret Municipality., Journal of African Studies in Educational Management and Leadership, Vol. 7.2, pp, 28-46
Available online December 2016
Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:http://www.kaeam.or.ke
©2016 Kenya Association of Educational Management and Leadership. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Mary Wanjiku David
Abstract
Museums in Kenya are very conservative and passive in the way they present their products to visitors. The number of visitors to museums and historical sites in Kenya are very low compared to those visiting wildlife and beach attractions yet the museums have very rich cultural artifacts and heritage. The study adopted an explanatory research design and was carried out in Kitale Museum. The aim was to establish the purpose of participants’ visit to the museum, the products offered, and whether the visitors were satisfied with the visit to the museum. 176 visitors were interviewed using structured questionnaires and 6 museum workers were engaged in face to face interviews. Secondary data was collected from the museum registry. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The findings provide evidence that the purpose of visit for majority of the visitors was educational. Most learnt about the museum through word of mouth, and most were dissatisfied with the presentation and interpretation of museum products. The satisfaction of the visitors significantly affects the decisions of the visitors to revisit the museum (χ2=149.961, df<4, p=0.000). Previous visit has a significant influence on the return visit (χ2=6.789, df=2 p<0.031). However, it was observed that the museum does not meet the diverse needs of visitors; it is poorly marketed and products are poorly presented and interpreted to the visitors. The museum management needs to improve on its marketing strategies, diversify its products as well as embrace competitive strategies of interpreting and presenting their products and should involve the local communities.
Keywords: Museum, Experience, Satisfaction, Visitation.
Contact: Mary Wanjiku David, AIC Itigo Girls, Uasin Gishu,
To cite this article: Mary Wanjiku David; Enhancing Visitor Experience in Museums to Increase Visitation., Journal of African Studies in Educational Management and Leadership, Vol. 7.2, pp, 47-61
Available online December 2016
Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:http://www.kaeam.or.ke
©2016 Kenya Association of Educational Management and Leadership. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Irene Simiyu & Clement Mulumbi Eyinda
Abstract
Leadership in schools has for a long time been associated with the school headship that enjoys authority supported by the hiring body and the school sponsors. In recent times however, there has been effort to shift this headship oriented leadership to bring in teachers and other stakeholders. This is in keeping with the notion of distributed leadership where group members pool their expertise without seeking formal positions or roles. It is through such views that teachers are encouraged to find their voices and exploit their potential as leaders and change agents. A teacher leader is one who leads within and beyond the classroom, identifies with and contributes to other teachers’ and learners’ welfare and empowerment. These efforts by the teacher leader are driven by the moral purpose of achieving educational goals, hence leading to school improvement and effectiveness. Teacher Leadership is a new concept in Kenya contexts and thus the need for its introduction to be accompanied by an understanding of the school culture within which it will operate. Yet change in any school system is never easy. It is complex and involves risk taking especially where there is change of power structures. This article presents our narratives -- two secondary school teachers from Western Kenya and our efforts to be model teacher leaders. The paper brings out the challenges and possibilities of teacher leadership in a Kenyan secondary school. It also points out the merits of teacher leadership that include increased teacher participation in school matters, improved teacher confidence, development of knowledge and skills in the teacher leader and the establishment of a culture of trust that allows collaboration to grow among teachers. We recommend that with the support of school heads, teachers should take up their position as leaders within and outside their classrooms and schools.
Key words: Teacher Leadership, distributed leadership, school improvement, school effectiveness, school culture, change.
Contacts: Irene Simiyu.
To cite this article: Irene Simiyu & Clement Mulumbi Eyinda (2016). Leadership with a Conscience: Narratives on Teacher Leadership from Two Secondary School Teachers from Western Kenya, Journal of African Studies in Educational Management and Leadership Vol. 7.2, pp, 27-2016
Available online December 2016
Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:http://www.kaeam.or.ke
©2016 Kenya Association of Educational Management and Leadership. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED