| dc.description.abstract | Although Sunday School is an institution many people have heard about, participated in and even sent their children to, very few,people in Kenya have a proper understanding of it. This study critically examines christian Sunday School Programme in Africa Inland Church Kenya, Machakos District. It analyses its origin, introduction and organisation in Machakos District. It also examines its content, Personnel who run it and students who enrol in it. Finally it evaluates its effectiveness, value and relevance to Akamba people.
The study involves both library and field research. The field research was done in Machakos District. Four A.I.C District Church Councils and eight church congregations were studied. As a background to the study, some aspects of the traditional Akamba educational and religious institutions are examined briefly. It is shown that Akamba children went through different educational stages. Also as a background to the study a brief history of Africa Inland Mission and its introduction in Machakos District is given. It is shown that the main objective of A.I.M was to spread christianity to the interior of Africa. The first A.I.M's station was established in Nzaui in 1895 in Machakos District The study discusses the origins, introduction and development of Sunday School in Machakos District. Sunday School was founded by Robert Raikes in 1780 in Britain. It was started to teach how to read and write and to give religious instructions to poor children who worked in factories and were only free for such
instructions on Sundays. By 1913, the Sunday School movement had spread to most parts of Europe and America. As Sunday School became a christian church movement, it's objective changed from
mainly teaching how to write and read to that of giving christian religious instructions. The A.I.M missionaries' main objective was to spread christianity and convert many people to christianity. Wherever they preached they challenged people to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour. It is shown that they introduced Sunday School to attract children who were less influenced by Akamba way of life to christianity. They had discovered that the grown-ups were reluctant to commit themselves to the new religion. The chief aim of introducing Sunday School was to draw children to christianity. They study found that this has continued to be the case even after A.I.M changed to A.I.C. Kenya and came under the leadership of Kenyans. The study analyses the organisation of Sunday School in Kenya in general and in Machakos district in particular. The study shows how the programme is organised from the congregational to the national level. The recruitment and training of the Personnel for the programme is discussed. It is highlighted that the majority of those who run the programme are volunteers. An evaluation of A.I.C Sunday School Programme is given. The strengths and weaknesses of the programme are discussed. It was found that the Sunday School Programme in the area studied lacks the basic facilities such as study rooms, blackboards, lesson books, stationery and teaching aids. This has adversely interfered with the effectiveness of the programme. Also there are problems in
recruiting and training of the personnel for the programme. For example, due to few adult volunteers, very young children in some churches were found to be Sunday School teachers. Sunday School
teachers in many of the congregations studied had not gone through all the three training courses for Sunday School teachers. It was o found that Sunday School teachers over-emphasize salvation and
conversion. Although most children who attend Sunday School come from christian families where they lead christian lives, they are challenged whenever they attend Sunday School to be converted or to
accept Christ as their personal Saviour. Sunday School Programme is utilized by A.I.C Kenya to achieve
certain goals. It is used as a church membership recruitment ground. Those who go through Sunday School Programme become church members Sunday Schools have been established in areas where congregation Shave .. not been started. It was found that in some areas before a church
congregation is set up a Sunday School is started for the children of the few christians in the area. Despite the shortcoming in the Sunday School Programme, the study found it important for children and young people. Through it, children are given instructions which help them to mould their characters. On Sundays and on some selected days during school holidays, children are kept busy and occupied by participating in Sunday School activities. For the improvement of the programme the study makes the
following suggestions. First, since the main objective of Sunday School is to bring Bible teachings to christians, it should be extended to all groups, including adults in the A.l.C Kenya. In some A.I.C congregations after some young people go through Sunday School they are left without an appropriate programme. Second, the selection of Sunday School teachers and training courses should be extended to all groups, including adults in the A.l.C Kenya. In some A.I.C congregations after some young people go through Sunday School they are left without an appropriate programme. Second, the selection of Sunday School teachers and training courses should be improved. Adults should be encouraged to assist in teaching in the Sunday School programme. The three training courses should be changed
to train teachers on how to teach effectively instead of only training them on how to use Africa Gospel Light lesson books. Finally, the A.l.C Kenya and individual church congregations should endeavour to
provide the basic facilities for the programme. | en |
