Child Friendly Schools In Kenya Education Essay

Child loving in locks In Kenya growing EssayThe aspire of this shew is to explore the parcel of proportional and Inter content Research in the no-hit implementation of Child favourable Schools (CFSs) in Kenya. Emphasis go show up be placed on the background of CFSs, current practices and emerging critics, triumph stories, line of works and pitf whollys and what CIR rear end do to subjugate virtually of these altercates. I let start by examining the balancenale for exploring CFSs, establish on publications and my professional screw. Following this background testament be literature surrounding the concepts of CIR and CFS in relation to global agendas, exploring how CFS came into existence and the driving forces croupe it. I then go on to decoct on a case study of CFS in Kenya, discussing the business office of CIR in the Kenyas CFS, arguing that CIR is utilize as a governmental tool in creating directional form _or_ organization of government, sort of than a look into method or an intellectual inquiry. I will further critically analyze challenges facing CFS and how experience on CIR roll in the hay kick d bear more effectively to successful implementation of CFS. A final result base on the literature and authors experience will then be drawn. Throughout the demonstrate, I build a case in party favor of CIR arguing that CIR stimulates critical reflections about our raisingal systems by investigating commonalities and differences crossways national b rollings.Background and RationalePerhaps, unitary of the growing fields in instruction in the modern age is comparative and world-wide pedagogics, judged by the volume of studies reported in the literature. Central to this is that mevery countries around the man have formulated some of their commandmental policies base on light in CIR. With the current wave of globalization, interrogati cardinalrs and experts, especially in the field of instruction, ar always tr ying to find ways of streamlining their fosteringal policies with the global trends. check to Giddens (199064), globalization is the intensification of worldwide kindly relations which link distance local anaestheticities in such a way that local happenings be shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. Global forces in that locationfore have an adjoin on shaping local practices at grass root trains. In coif to do this tactically and critically, comparative and internal research stay cutting edge in informing people about the realities, the challenges and the manageable effects of uncritical transfer of ideas.Interestingly, global agendas in matters related to gentility be prioritized towards prefatorial k instanterledge as opposed to adult education or higher education. In Africa, this would be probably because, as Oketch (2004) points out, prefatorial education yields higher rates of returns compargond to higher education. This has subsequently caus ed presidency and non-governmental organizations to focus more on ameliorate the gauge of elemental education. Child-friendly shoals (CFSs) in Kenya is an font of a initiative sponsored by UNICEF with the maneuver of not just providing tikeren adept to education but the right to the right education. In opposite words, CFSs ar more concerned with the grapheme of basic education in supplement to its penetration. The emergence of CFSs in Kenya was catapulted by the forces of agendas 1 and 2 of Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) which emphasizes on the provision of basic education. The World pedagogy Forum (2000) agreed on six Education For All (EFA) goals. The sixth goal concerned Education tint, improving all aspects of the step of education and ensuring excellence of all so that recognised and measurable encyclopaedism outcomes are secured by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills. The term tone in education is high-power because of the complaisant, political and economic circumstance at which it is used. Because of differences in contexts, it is imperative that companionship of comparative and international research be used in shrewd policies and pedagogy in CFS that fit that particular context.Furthermore, with the fear that some countries whitethorn lag behind as others move forward, sub-Sahara countries are now prosecute in various practices in order to achieve this goal, a quicken against the 2015 set deadline for attainment of EFA goals. As the clock ticks towards the year 2015, priority goals in education whitethorn change for post-2015 and the worry is further elevated. One of the efforts the government of Kenya is doing to improve the quality of education is by integrating CFS model into the basic education system. Two major questions arise here First, how is CFS realistic considering uncounted challenges facing the FPE policy in Kenya? Secondly, if CFS model is the best practice to go by, what is the affair of CIR in successful implementation of the CFSs? It is against this background that the purpose of the essay hinges.Literature examineIn this section, I will look at the concepts of comparative degree and International Research (CIR) and Child Friendly School (CFS) based on the literature and merge them with the global forces that catapulted the emergence of CFS with an attempt to bring out the voices behind the introduction of CFS in Kenya. In addition, I will use an practice of PRISM experience in Kenya to reinforce the dateing as to the role of international bodies in promoting quality done well strategized and punish projects, arguing that lessons from PRISM experience finish be used as insights to successful implantation of CFSs.Concepts of Comparative and International Research (CIR) and Child Friendly School (CFS)CIR is a fusion of two broad areas of research Comparative Research and International Research. To understand its full meaning, it is important w e define the two areas of research separately. In his definition of comparative research, Mills et al (year) contend thatComparative research is a broad term that implicates both quantitative and qualitative comparison of social entities. Social entities may be based on many lines, such as geographical or political ones in the form of cross-national or regional comparisons. (p. 621)A similar lore was echoed by Noah and Eckstein (1969 127), who described comparative education as an intersection of the social sciences, education and cross-national study which attempts to use cross-national data to test propositions about the kinship betwixt education and society and amongst teaching practices and mulct outcomes.In light of this definition, comparative research in the context of education bay window be defined as a study of two or more entities or events (Crossley Watson 2003) with the underlying goal of searching for similarity and variance. Cross-national or regional compar isons may include comparing educational policies, pedagogy, educational lead and so on. consort to Mills et al (2006 621), the search for variance places more emphasis on context and difference in order to understand specificities.International education, on the other hand, can be defined as the application of descriptions, analyses and insights well-read in one or more nations to the problems of develop educational systems and institutions in other countries (Wilson 2000a 116). Thus, international research is concerned with research carried out across two or more countries, often with the purpose of comparing responses between them. This might be done in order to devise strategies that work well across both or all these cultures or to suggest local adjustments to a global strategy in that location is a close relationship between comparative and international education. Epstein (1994 918) points out, that international educators use findings derived from comparative education to understand better the processes they examine, and thus, to enhance their mightiness to make policy. We can on that pointfore draw from the above two definitions that CIR in education as a method of comparing both qualitative and quantitative entities in education across disparate countries, societies or cultures with the aim of identifying similarities and differences. It is only important to note that not all international research is comparative, and not all comparative research is international or cross-national. agree to UNICEF, a sister-friendly school is both a child seeking school and a child-centred school It is child seeking because it wide awakely identifying excluded children to get them enrolled in school. It is a child-centred school because it acts in the best interests of the child leading to the credit of the childs full potential, is concerned about the whole child her health, nutritional status, and eudaemonia and concerned about what happens to children be fore they enter school and after they extend school. A CFS system recognizes and respects childrens right and responsibilities it provides the enabling environment to run across childrens right not only in schools, but also in childrens family and their communities. These include children from conflict zonas, street children and children with disabilities. The Child-Friendly Schools model (see fig 1) is based on simple, rights-based concepts that would have all schools beRights Based School CFS proactively seeks out-of-school children and encourages them to enrol, irrespective of gender, race, ability, social status, etc.Gender Sensitive School CFS promotes comparability and equity in enrolment and achievement among girls and boys.Safe and Protective School CFS ensures that all children can learn in a safe and comprehensive environment.Community Engaged School CFS encourages partnership among schools, communities, parents and children in all aspects of the education process.Ac ademically Effective School CFS provides children with relevant companionship and skills for surviving and easy in life.Health Promoting School CFS promotes the physical and emotional health of children by meeting key nutritional and health care take inside schools.(UNICEF, 2007)Fig 1 Model of the Child-Friendly SchoolSource UNICEF( 2007.The CFS model provides a framework for planning (and monitoring the effectiveness of) strategies for increasing access to quality basic education with the specific focus on the using of strategies to include those children hitherto excluded from education (UNICEF, Global Education Strategy, 2007). It is important to note that there is no one-way to make a school child-friendly. The model may differ from demesne to country depending on the context.International and Local Pressures and their influences to geological formation of CFS in KenyaEducation in sub-Sahara Africa, and indeed in Kenya, is crafted from both influences by global trends in e ducation and the legacies of colonialism. Chisholm and Leyenderker (2008) ob sue thatSince 1990, the goals and purpose of education in sub-Sahara Africa has been reshaped by four interconnected maturations globalisation, the changed focus of international aid agencies towards development assistant, the adaptation of sub-Sahara African countries to the new world order with its new political emphases, and the spilling over of new pedagogical ideas from the USA and Europe into sub-Sahara Africa. (p 198)Kenya is a signatory to a number of conventions in education, including the Convention to the Rights of the Child (1989), the World firmness on Education for All (Jomtien, 1990), the Dakar accord and the Millenium Development Goals (2000). In achievement of education development goals, Kenya is bound to, among other things, quality education by MDGs. The Jomtien call for access for access, equity, quality and democracy in education appeared to promise both social and economic developm ent (Chisholm and Leyenderker, 2008). Social and economic development, and continues to be believed, requires educational change and educational change is necessary for social and economic development (ibid). Educational change, in turn, is perceived to depend on, amongst other things, the input from relevant development assistance projects. These projects, in the arena of education, are typically formulated with reference to internationally negotiated development agendas (like the MDGs) and priority (Crossley Watson, 2003). An example of these projects in Kenya is CFSs which are supported by United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). The Education Section of UNICEFs Programme Division introduced the Child Friendly Schools (CFS) framework for schools that serve the whole child in 1999 (Chabbott, 2004).Rationale for introducing CFS framework in KenyaThe increase reliance of foreign aid to support education reform in Kenya has been accompanied by a transition, from understanding educati on as a human right and the general good to viewing it primarily in terms of its contribution to national growth and well- world through the development of the knowledge and skills societies are deemed to need. (Arnove Torres 2007359). Occasional voices continue insisting that education is liberating, that learn is inherently developmental (ibid 359).With the global concern that Sub-sahara Africa countries may not achieve Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2015 unless the progress is accelerated (Carceles et al., 2001 Bennel, 2002), Kenya responded by introducing Free Primary Education (FPE) policy in 2003 with both local and global pressure. The rationale behind introducing FPE was (apart from the pressure from global and international agendas) to conciliate poverty attributed to lack of literacy skills. The success story behind implementation of FPE policy is the increased enrolment at old schools by nextly 50%, from 5.9 million in 2003 to 9.38 million pupils according to t he Kenya Economic Survey 2011. However, there are myriad challenges facing the implantation of FPE policy there are not enough textbooks, classrooms are overcrowded and the infrastructure in many schools is inadequate for the numbers of pupils attending. Many of the schools do not have sanitation facilities. The teacher-pupil ratio is quite high according to UNESCO there are more than 40 pupils per teacher, on average. All of these factors militate against the provision of quality teaching. There is no magic wand for fixing this problem of quality in education. In response to this CFS were introduced in Kenya by UNICEF. According to UNICEF (20061)The challenge in education is not simply to get children into school, but also to improve the general quality of schooling and address threats to participation. If both quality and access are tackled, children who are enrolled in primary school are likely to continue, distinguish the full cycle, and achieve expected tuition outcomes and successfully transition to supplementary school.The CFS framework (see appendix 3) aims at promoting child-seeking, child-centred, gender-sensitive, inclusive, community-involved, protective and healthy approaches to schooling and out-of-school education with a general goal of improving the quality of cultivation.Since CFSs are concerned with the quality of learning, it is important we look at the meaning of quality. The national examinations to obtain the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) at the end of primary cycle and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) at the end of supplementary cycle are designed to evaluate the extent to which the primary and subaltern graduates master the curriculum content. In other words, the national test hit are used as the indicators of quality. The limitation of this indicator is that it does not acquire into account the context at which learning takes place i.e. the learning environment, learners whimsical character istics etc. There are many definitions of quality but one of the descriptions of quality which emphasizes on the context was by Tikly (201110) who argued thatA good quality education is one that enables all learners to realise the capabilities they require to become economically productive, develop sustainable livelihoods, contribute to peaceful and democratic societies and enhance wellbeing. The learning outcomes that are required vary according to context but at the end of the basic education cycle must include wand levels of literacy and numeracy and life skills including awareness and prevention of disease.In his description, Tikly believes that a good quality education arises from inter actions between trey overlapping environments, namely the policy, the school and the home/community environments. In his perception of quality education, Tikly puts context into consideration i.e. needs of the learner, cultural and political contexts. In addition, he emphasizes on the relevanc e of what is taught and learned and how it fits the nature of particular learners in question. This encourages policy makers to take cognisance of changing national development needs, the kinds of schools that variant learners attend and the forms of educational disadvantage face up by diverse groups of learners when considering policy options(ibid11).The fact that CFS emphasizes on learner-centered pedagogy and puts the child at the centre or focal point in the learning process raises the idea of what is regarded as valuable knowledge and how this knowledge is acquired in this particular context. This leads us to the inquiry on the school of thought or icon behind introducing a contextualized CFS framework. CFS as an approach to education is premised on constructivism, a theory of knowledge arguing that humans generate knowledge and meaning from interaction between ideas and real experiences. According to constructivists, the notions of reality and right are socially construc ted and in different context with the understanding that knowledge is subjective and embedded in multiple realities. Thus, quality of learning should be viewed in the context in which it is occurs.Towards Quality Basic Education In Kenya Developing Research Capacity and EvaluationBefore we acknowledge the contribution of CFS in providing quality education to the children at Primary school level, it will be prudent to review some of other contributions that has been made by international organizations in collaborations with the local governmet in promoting quality of education at grassroot levels by building research capacity.Kenya has had a history of benefiting from international assistance in its education sector. One of the programmes is the Primary Schools Management (PRISM), an initiative of DfID through the Ministry of Education, which places a lot of emphasis on participatory approaches and emphasis on mobilising community support, resource way and utilisation, supporting le arning of pupils and developing action plans. It targeted teacher training and management and the impact of this is overall effectiveness of an education system which has a direct bearing on quality of education. According to Otieno Colclough (200926), PRISM is regarded as one of donor-funded programmes which had most positive impact on quality of basic education and CFS can learn from it. As Crossley et al notes, the main objective of PRISM was to improve the quality of primary education through the training and support of head teachers in practical management skills. Borrowing from the PRISM experience it is worthy learning that well plotted and organized CFSs projects involving community participation at grass root level could do tap local voices and lead to successful implementation of educational policies not only in Kenya but also other split of African contexts.Challenges in implementing CFS in KenyaIn this section I will explore common challenges associated with the CFSs concept with an aim of illuminating and critiquing the transgress between policy and practice in CFSs.Access and Quality Dilemma Which one should be first priority?As I mentioned earlier, one of the role of CFS in Kenya is to improve the quality of learning. But the access to education is still a challenge in Kenya and there is fear that Kenya will not have achieved EFA goals 1 and 2 by the year 2015. As we near the 2015 set deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, at a clipping when hopes should be high, universal access to primary education in Kenya seems to be slipping away. Many comparative researchers argue that different countries have different educational problems and it is the countrys obligation to identify what should be the priority and why. Aksoy (2008 218) observes thatWhile create countries are mainly engaged in activities to increase the quality of education, or they practice and seek new techniques and methods of learning and teaching, de veloping countries struggle to provide equal opportunities for education, trying to increase the rate of participation of all citizens in basic education, which is actually compulsory. To deal with its educational problems, each country working out countrywide or local solutions, depending on the nature of the problem.The note of such statement is more closely allied to the question of priority. antecedency in one country may not be a priority in another. In Kenya, the major problem basic education is facing is of access while higher education is facing the problem of quality. CFS focus more on quality, but in the Kenyan context, access to education is still a problem in basic education even after the introduction of FPE. The CFS concept of quality can however suit very well in mild state province countries which have almost universal access to basic education. It has been noted that small sates have now shifted education priorities towards focus in school effectiveness, quality and inclusion (Crossley Watson 2003) and CFS in Kenya should learn from small states that the priority should now be on access to basic education before shifting to quality.Atomizing the child is child-centred the solution to quality CFS?A key feature of a right-based, CFS system is that it is linked tightly to the child-centred learning process. CFS advocates for child-centred learning where a child is toughened as a single entity or an atom in learning processes. The idea of atomizing a child has its drawbacks derived from child-centred learning. First, there is an oversight on early year development behaviour of the child. Psychologists believe children undergo various levels of development and their learning behaviours are different at each level. For instant, Vygotskys (1978) concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) implies that a child cannot ordinary create ZPD by himself he needs the more expert individual to bridge the gap between his current development level and his proximal level of development. Secondly, a child-friendly, democratic learning environment may not work successful in overcrowded classrooms and school with limited resources like it is the case in Kenya. Thirdly, child-centred learning weakens the role of the teacher. The idea that a child must be active in construction of knowledge is often understood to imply a diminishing role for the teacher in learning process who now becomes a coach or a facilitator. A call for paradigm renovation, from an exclusively child-centred learning to a combination of both child-centred learning and teacher-centred learning approach is important so that the weakness of one method is complemented by the other method.What Lessons can Kenya learn from other Countries in Implementing CFS? A Review on the Contribution of Comparative ResearchKings (2007) emphasizes the need to explore the tightness between the national and the international policy agendas in Kenya in order to make informed decisio ns when crafting educational policies. Clearly, this is a view that underscores the contribution of CIR researchers in bridging theories, policies and practices with both local and global minds (Crossley, 2000) in trying to identify betters thou to critically reflect and determine appropriate course of action.Apparently, the term that is normally used in Kenya and indeed many Africa countries in the initial processes of intent an educational policy is benchmarking. Essentially, this is usually a comparative study which is carried out either locally and/or internationally in trying to compare different models of policy framework with the aim of critical adaption or adoption. Lessons are well learnt when a comparisons are made, and this underscores the strength and significance of comparative research. Moreover, since problems fade national borders, it is prudent to seek possible solutions from a similar experience in another country, and this explains why international research is important. Kenya can learn from other countries that are either progressing or failing to implement CFS because lessons can either identify opportunities or gaps, based on comparative analysis. In these respect therefore, I have identified two key elements of CIR which could help implementation of CFS.The first element is on identification of the gap between policy and practice. Documenting the emerging good practices and lessons learned within the regions is useful in informing evidence based programming and advocacy to enable us to achieve better results. For example, a Global Evaluation Report produce by UNICEF in 2009 on comparative studies of how to six countries (Guyana, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand) with different experiences implementing CFS, demonstrated the followingCFSs in varying contexts successfully apply the three key principles of CFS models-inclusiveness, child-centredness and democratic participation.Schools operating in very different national contexts, with different levels of resources and serving populations with different needs have succeeded in being child-centred, promoting democratic participation, and being inclusive.Schools that had high levels of family and community participation and use of child-centred pedagogical approaches had stronger conditions for learning, that is, students felt safer, supported and engaged, and believed that the adults in the school supported the inclusion and success of each student. (UNESCO, 2009)Kenya can use this success report to assist in providing a broader perspective on the ways in which CFSs can contribute to quality in the countrys unique context. The caution should however be that any steps taken should have hindsight of the current context in the country to avoid uncritical transfer of practice which may end up opening a Pandoras box.Secondly, through CIR, studies of educational systems that share similar problems can provide information for learning possible cons equences. A recent comparative evaluation research conducted by UNESCO in Nigeria, Gunaya, Thailand and the Philippines on CFS pedagogy gave different findings. While teachers in Nigeria and Guyana mainly focused on meeting basic instructional material needs (textbooks, paper), many teachers in Thailand and the Philippines focused on having greater access to information and communication technology (UNESCO 2009). Kenya experiences the same challenge as Nigeria and Gunaya, and data from these countries can be used to learn how they deal with inadequate basic instructional material. The caution here should be, that common problems may prevail in different countries, but common model cannot be applied because each country has different culture/context (Crossley Watson, 200339). This provides invaluable information of what to adopt, modify or avoid.ConclusionIt is worthy reiterating Crossley(2003) emphasis that context matters and different countries have different needs and prioriti es even if they are approach with the same challenges. The value of CIR is studying foreign systems of education in order to become better fitted to study and understand our own (Sadler 1900, reprinted 1964310) and CIR can be used as a lense to focus on filmable or adoptable practices. UNICEF repeatedly emphasises that CFS is a pathway to educational quality rather than a blueprint and that it is counterproductive to regard the CFS model as rigid, with a present number of defining characteristics or key components (2009c, Ch. 1, p. 9). Thus, the essay sought to present an overview in favour of the contribution of CIR in improving successful implementation of CFSs in the Kenyan context. As such, the essay acknowledges the role of CIR in stimulating critical thinking and reflections about CFSs system by evaluating its success and failures, strengths and weaknesses. This critical reflection facilitates self evaluation in our own context and the basis for determining appropriate cours es of action. The article also hints that CIR helps us understand global agendas and how they shape educational development projects from organizations and development agencies.