| dc.description.abstract | The study was undertaken to explore the institutional and socio-cultural factors that influence management of mobile schools in Wajir County of Kenya. The objectives of the study were: To examine the effects of pupils participation in Koran schools on the management of mobile schools; establish the effects of children's participation in pastoral activities in the management of mobile schools; analyse the effects of the level of teaching and learning resources on the implementation of formal curriculum; explore the effects of participation of parents and donors in the management of mobile schools and finally identify the socio-cultural challenges affecting management of mobile schools.
This study used explorative survey research and was guided by Marlow's motivational theory in order to achieve the research objectives. The target population for the study was 381 from which a sample of 44 respondents comprising 11 mobile schoolteachers, 22 parents and 11 key informant persons were identified using judgement and geographical cluster sampling procedures. The selection of these participants was based on the fact that they are involved in nomadic education. The research instruments used for the study were questionnaires, semi-structured interview and focus group discussion. The research instruments were administered by the researcher in person. The questionnaire were collected immediately, semi-structured interview responses were written in the spaces on the schedule while extra information was recorded using mp3 gadget and later transcribed. The FGD data was written down on flip charts and immediately rewritten in computer word format. The return rate for FaD and the questionnaire was 100% while the semi-structured interview had a 67% return rate. The data collected was quantitative and qualitative in nature. The nata collected was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Excel computer programmes to produce descriptive statistics presented in tables of frequencies and Bar graph. The qualitative data was used to strengthen the quantitative data.
The study findings showed various interrelated factors influencing the management of mobile schools. These were institutional, socio-cultural factors and additional miscellaneous factors. Institutional factors include defective managerial practices by mobile schoolteachers among others where by only 25% of the mobile schoolteachers had formal training. The socio-cultural factors established by the research were high mobility of nomadic families (100%) and children's participation in pastoral activities (73%). Drought, poverty and distance of nomadic homes from towns were also mentioned as other factors that affect the management of mobile schools.
From the study, the following recommendations were made: Redesign curriculum, content and learning materials to reduce its scope of teaching and learning to arithmetic, reading and writing (3Rs) only; change the evaluation modes to Cover application of concept and mastering of skills rather than the current conventional ways; shift from the conventional ways of preparing professional records and develop a hybrid record keeping style such as writing what is to be taught, how it would be taught and with dates and remarks;
educating and capacity building parents and School Management Committees (SMCs); encourage and facilitate nomads to move and settle in clusters to sustain learning for their children and in the process improve management; encourage and sponsor nomadic pupils Who transit to formal schools so that they act as role models; encourage the mobile schools to partner with formal schools for transition, professional guidance and learning materials. | en_US |
