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Discuss quality and relevance of education in Kenya citing suitable examples.
Discuss quality and relevance of education in Kenya citing suitable examples.
The provision of education and training to all Kenyans is fundamental to government’s overall development strategy. Kenya’ human resource is central to the country attaining its goal of industrial development and technological advancement. Universal access to basic education and training ensures equity for all children to enroll in schools including the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. Education is also key in the protection of democratic institutions and human rights through well informed citizens. The government has thus introduced major reforms and innovations in all sectors including education with a view to addressing these broad National goals.
Quality and Relevance of Education in Kenya
Government’s policy priority is in ensuring that quality is at the core of all education programs. To achieve this, the government has a well trained teaching force that numbers about 240,000. The teachers serve in 18,000 public primary schools and 4000 post primary institutions. Measures have been put in place to support the professional growth of teachers and improve on their academic and pedagogical skills. Further, there is also equitable distribution of learning/teaching materials in public primary schools to support curriculum implementation. Capacity building of primary school heads, school management committees and field officers to ensure efficient delivery of quality educational services has been instituted. To ensure that curriculum is responsive to the needs of learners and the society, the curriculum is renewed continuously as and when the need arises. Fro January, 2003, a new curriculum whose aim is to reduce the work load for both teachers and pupils was implemented. This curriculum reduced the numbers of examinable subjects from 7-5 at primary and 10-8 at secondary school level.
In Kenya, primary education is offered to children of between ages 6 and 13. Only 47% of those who complete primary education proceed to the four years secondary education. 12% of this group proceeds for further education in public universities. Others join middle level colleges to train for various professions at certificate and diploma levels. For many, the level is terminal.
The education gives Kenyan students a chance to acquire vital life skills that re fundamental for survival. Indeed, one of the goals of both primary and secondary education in Kenya as stated in various policy documents is that of preparing learners to fit into and contribute towards the wellbeing of the society, and to fit in the world of work. These two goals address the competencies for life, which the learner should acquire. The life competencies can be categorized in to two broad are; the learner should get adequate knowledge and skills to be able to earn a living and the other focuses on the learner being able to fit in to a social world. This is the real world of knowing how to live with others and dealing with daily challenges in the society. It addresses the issue of acquisition of human skills. The issues are; knowing how to cope and deal with modern and emerging challenges. It should be noted that the importance of imparting life skills to learners is well articulated n the policy instruments.
The relevant policies takes cognizant of the fact that about one million children of primary school going age in Kenya are not in school due to cultural and historical factors of poverty. With the inception of free primary education, all charges levied to parents were abolished. This opened the opportunities for a majority of disadvantaged children to access quality education. The emerging concern is that as we think of quality education through formal channels, non formal alternatives which offer quality education need to be considered to cater for the out of school youth.
To provide life skills development, Kenya implements a curriculum which enables the learner to terminate his or her education at any level but have acquired skills for survival. A learner who has education on electrical installations, wood work or metal work would be expected to fit in to the world of work upon completion of education. This happens because height quality and quantity of education is given to this population. Notably, practical education offered in very little doses may not assist the learner to acquire adequate skills to fully participate in the world of work. This brings to the fore the issue of scope and depth. We have the challenge of choosing between providing detailed knowledge and skills to a learner in a narrow and limited field or shallow and limited education in a number of areas. It is not possible to offer in depth education in every field since time is constant and can not be expanded to fit in everything we wish the learner to know so that s/he is adequately prepared for life away form school.
The issue of ‘relevance’ in imparting life-skills to learners is crucial. It is important to recognize that at every level of schooling, there will be a group that will continue with formal education while for the other, the level is terminal. The learning needs of the two groups are thus not entirely the same. Consequently, the curriculum for the two groups should not be the same. As it is not possible to identify those who will continue and those who will not, before the end of a particular level, we somehow end up with a ‘compromise’ curriculum, which attempts to satisfy the needs of the two groups. Indeed the group for which a particular level is terminal would require more life skills, particularly those skills which will assist in enabling one to earn a living. Thus the ideal situation would be that various groups would require different curricula. The question, which is thus difficult to answer, is to whom is the curriculum relevant. As stated earlier, the acquisition of competencies for life should not be a preserve of only those who manage to join and possibly complete school.
The millions who cannot be able to join the formal schools for one reason or another must be catered for. This is the duty of society. It is therefore very essential to exploit alternative ways of offering quality education for those who are not in the formal set-up. Attractive and effective out of school programs have to be put in place. A number of ‘Non formal Education’ centers have come up in the country with many of them being run by private organizations but coordinated by the Ministry of Education. At the Primary level curriculum, subjects which are skill based are being taught although the curriculum itself has been reduced to focus on core subjects such as Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, GHC and Science.
At the secondary level, most of the ‘practical’ subjects were removed and transferred to other levels of training other than general secondary education thus denying Secondary school students an opportunity to be exposed to vocational education. However, computer studies are part of the secondary school curriculum. To mitigate the effects of HIV/AIDS on the youth, HIV/AIDS has been infused in various subjects at both primary and secondary levels as education is perceived to hold the most effective strategy in prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. Therefore, the real challenge that we face in equipping the youth with life skills and in providing flexible learning opportunities is in developing a curriculum at secondary school level which is academic as well as skills oriented so that the school leaver is ready for life with or without further education and training while ensuring that global standards are maintained.
References
Kenya Economic Recovery Report-2004
The 2003 Economic Survey (Kenya)-2003.
Discuss psychotherapy intervention for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Name
Institution
Discuss psychotherapy intervention for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
By definition, muscular dystrophy depicts a collection of muscle disorders that are genetically determined and maintain a progressive hereditarily degenerative course. Further categorization of the muscular dystrophies exists on the basis of clinical presentation. Muscular dystrophy affects boys. Interventions, on the other hand, refer to the activities and actions that can assist the family to meet their goals. The muscular dystrophies have been defined as a group of genetic disorders with progressive muscle wasting and weakness where the disease primarily involves muscle in which there are characteristic microscopic changes. Discussed herein, is an overview of some of the occupational therapy interventions that can assist people affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Boys diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy develop spinal problems rather immediately once they stop walking. Consequently, these boys require good postural management interventions to slow down the degree of spinal curvature (Tecklin, 2008). Postural management develops an approach to the handling, positioning and treatment of children along with adults with muscular dystrophy that will reduce the risk of contractures and the development of postural deformities. Within this context, passive and active movements of limbs will also slow down the development of contractures. As a result, good positioning allows the victim to perform everyday activities with more ease and without embracing abnormal postures.
Pain and fatigue management exists as another intervention occasionally used by occupational therapists to help in the management of pain. This usually entails the provision of pressure relief equipment, such as the following: mattress; pressure pads for commodes, shower chairs with baths; wheelchair seating; padded and sheepskin slings. In addition, energy-conservation methods can be used, according to Stone (2007), to reduce pain by planning and pacing activities.
References
Stone, K. (2007). Occupational therapy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons.
Tecklin, J. S. (2008). Pediatric physical therapy. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Discuss Odysseus as an ideal of manly conduct and resourcefulness in ancient Greek society.
Discuss Odysseus as an ideal of manly conduct and resourcefulness in ancient Greek society.
Ancient Greek society was mainly made up of free people and slaves. Slaves were used as servants and laborers for free people who mainly the rich landowners were called aristocrats meaning best people. Their system of Government was known as oligarchy which was the rule by the few whereby slaves secured no legal right. For years, the Greeks engaged in a civil war with the Trojans whereby Achilles and Odysseus emerged foremost warriors in Greek mythology. They possessed outstanding qualities like strength, military skills, pride, bravery and honor which the ancient Greeks prized as manly virtues because of their noble task of transforming them into victory from the tyrannical error.
Odysseus also known as Ulysses was born in the Ancient Greece. He was a Greek legend and a king of his hometown Ithaca as well as the hero in Odyssey, the Greek epic that is a sequel to the Iliad. He was the father to Telemachus and husband of Penelope. He is well known for the Trojan horse tick (Tole, 50) and the ten years he undertook for his return home from the Trojan War.
As the Trojan War began, Odysseus was reluctant to join the war which was a dispute over the kidnapping of a beautiful Greek woman (Helen) by the Trojan Prince Paris. Instead, he sold ornaments as a travelling merchant to the women of the royal household at Skyros. Among the ornaments he sold were weapons such as a shield and spear. Later on, he takes a move of manly hood by joining the Greek forces in order to redeem his people since it had been foreseen by a seer that his people would never defeat the Trojans without his help.
Odysseus is hardworking. He decides to be a travelling merchant displaying ornaments to the women of the royal household in order to acquire a living. Besides, he becomes keen and clever and recognizes that he had found Achilles who was being looked for immediately just as the girl admired the shield and spear. He is persuasive too as he persuades Achilles to join the Greek forces in order to redeem his people against the Troy.
Odysseus is a hero. He is a hero of the Odyssey struggle which was the arrival to his home in Ithaca from the ten year Trojan War. He is among those who hid in the Trojan horse hence his heroic deeds of a manly warrior. Also, he was an ideal hero for his endurance and reverence towards the gods hence managed to overcome his flaws for him to be crowned a hero. Besides of his cunning and resourcefulness, he too had pride towards his allies and human failings. His mighty deeds and all human weaknesses made him popular and favorite with storytellers and scholars. An example is the Ulysses done by Alfred, Lord Tennyson which was the best known poem of the 1800s and James Joyce’s novel (Ulysses) which used Homer’s adventures pertaining Odysseus.
A hero should overpower his or her enemies and become an individual of respect and virtue at all times. Odysseus had to do this at all times until he became the outstanding hero among his people. After sometime, he became proud of himself but later realized that was his weak point and therefore became humble. Often, he never boasted about who he was either but humbled himself among his people.
On the other hand, heroes should fight the odds and overcome physical challenges which come on their way. Odysseus passes through many setbacks which in one way tested his intelligence and strength. To tackle with obstacles, he used more of his mind rather than physical force. He therefore become calm and had to bear with many challenges in order to finally go back home. Also, he obeys the gods to the latter and his cleverness together with determination granted him an opportunity to be a real hero. To become heroic, Odysseus did change his attitude in the end for the better (Tole, 132).
Odysseus always showed respect to the gods more so appreciating their control of fate and realizing that he also required help if he was to get back home in Ithaca and to his beloved family. He therefore showed caution, keen observation and instinct to the god’s in order not to annoy them. Odysseus is human as well and often moved to tears whenever he did wrong. He takes many human roles of carpenter, lover, warrior, beggar and a storyteller. Besides he displays human qualities like boldness and brutality.
Odysseus is also seen as a modern man, survivor who must always struggle, suffer and deal with the fate and task handed down to him by his people in order redeem them from war. Just as life is for everybody, Odysseus journey was totally unpredictable since it was rich with people and places. His leadership skills always kept the battle for Troy moving as they invaded their opponents. He could be ruthless at times as well as tricky besides being a great fighter for redemption of his people. It was his plan of attacking the Troy using the wooden horse that bore fruits. Such deeds made him to have a good reputation due to his high level of intelligence which was a major characteristic of his heroic status.
He struggles with life just like any human being does by having emotional pain besides of being intelligent and heroic. The pain and trauma he goes through are the characteristics of a common man. He had his bad days too and was not a perfect hero. Sometimes he could be simply, “wretched and miserable “(62). He really missed his own home while on the island and as a result he could be hurt psychologically and even give up with the battle. Odysseus did not at all succumb to the exhaustion of twenty years of obstacles a thing most modern men would.
Odysseus circumstances would also be compared to cinematic action heroes like James Bond, Clint Eastwood, Sylvester Stallone and Tom Cruise in that they both followed the same path of struggle for their acquired success. They managed to beat the odds and stand out bright in the society due to their hard work and high level of intelligence. For instance, James Bond started just as a simple actor and little did he know that later on, he would be a neutral figure, an anonymous and blunt instrument admired by many including a government department. He too became inspirational in his fictional creation just as Odysseus was inspirational to his Greek soldiers. Tom Cruise as well is a well-known American film actor and producer who has grown to greater heights and won three Golden Globe Awards. He has contributed positively in the society especially for his support in the church of scientology for his scientologist faith. He is depicted responsible for his family just as Odysseus. The adjective Polymetis can also be applied to the characters as well due to their heroic deeds in their cinematic field.
Aphrodite Venus is the goddesses of love. She is beautiful and kind but sometimes she prefers revenge. Her beauty made others jealous but all the gods and mortals liked her. Aphrodite Venus is seen as the most beautiful woman by the Olympians just as Odysseus is depicted heroic by Greeks. She is as well described to be a dove, scallop shell, apple and mirror.
In conclusion, Odysseus is actually an ideal of manly conduct and resourcefulness in ancient Greek society due to his heroic acts driven by his high level of intelligence. He therefore remains to be admired by Greece people and a figure of importance for hundreds of years.
References.
The Charater of Odysseus of Homer’s Odyssey.” 123HelpMe.com. 17 Apr 2013
Greek-English Lexicon, Liddell & Scott (1893: Oxford, Oxford University Press)
Paideia: The Ideals of Greek Culture, Werner Jaeger, trans. Gilbert Highet (1945: New York, Oxford University Press)
“Ancient Greek Athletics”, By Stephen G. Miller. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2004
HYPERLINK “http://www.infoplease.com/biography/var/odysseus.html”Odysseus Biography (Literary Hero) | Infoplease.com
HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Yorker”TheHYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Yorker” New Yorker, 21 April 1962