The contribution of the Catholic church on the development of secondary education in Turkana district: The case of Lodwar high school 1968 - 2008

Abstract

This study discusses the role played by the Catholic Church in the development of secondary education in Turkana District. This has been done by focusing on the establishment and development of LHS whose history from 1968-2008 has been documented This is a historical study which has utilized both primary and secondary sources of data. For better and clear insight into this topic, the study starts by discussing the efforts of the Catholic Church towards the introduction of Western Education in the said area. It is shown that just like other missionaries that evangelized other parts of the country, the Catholic Church took the education of the Turkana people seriously besides their evangelical work. Although the school was managed by the Catholic Church, the government was not wholly participating in the development of the school in the early days. Everything was left to the church, which struggled to get teachers by all means from foreign countries to assist in teaching in the school. The study also shows that Lodwar High School faced a lot of difficulties especially when it started. These problems had to do with the finances, management, discipline and political interferences among others. Despite these shortcomings, the study shows that the school has had a lot of influence to the local community especially in the socioeconomic and educational fields. At the same time, Lodwar High School has also contributed enormously to national development through some of the roles played by members of its alumni in society. Besides, this study has also recommended some other pertinent areas for further research.