School-Based Factors Influencing Integration Of Child’s Rights In Public Primary Schools In Kakamega South Sub-County, Kakamega County, Kenya Cecilia Mutambo

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate school-based factors influencing integration of child rights education in public primary schools in Kakamega South Sub-County. The study objectives were: to establish the influence of child-centred teaching strategies on the integration of Child’s Rights, to establish the extent to which availability of physical facilities influences integration of Child’s Rights, to determine the extent to which teacher training influences the integration of Child’s Rights, and to examine the extent to which availability and effective use of instructional resources affects integration of Child’s Rights. The study employed a descriptive survey design targeting all the 85 head teachers, 956 teachers and 1,907 class eight pupils in Kakamega South Sub-County. Out of the targetted population, seventeen (17) head teachers, ninety five (95) teachers, and 190 pupils from all the public primary schools were sampled. Questionnaires for head teachers, teachers and pupils were used for data collection. Instrument reliability was established at 0.80, 0.73, and 0.75 respectively. Data was both qualitative and quantitative. Quantitative data collected was coded and entered into an SPSS programme for analysis. Qualitative data was put under themes consistent with the research objectives. The study noted that most teachers were professionally qualified. The results further indicated that professional qualification of a teacher in child rights education was vital for the integration of children’s rights education in primary schools. In addition, the study established that physical facilities played an important role in the integration of child rights education in schools. The study findings also indicated that inadequate instructional materials in most schools in Kakamega South Sub-County were impacting negatively on the integration of child rights education. It was concluded that inadequate professional qualification of a teacher in child rights education was hampering the integration of children’s rights education in primary schools. It was also concluded that availability of physical facilities in schools influenced the extent of integration of child rights education. The study further concluded that availability of instructional materials on child rights education influenced the extent to which child rights education was integrated in the school curriculum. Finally, it was concluded that the level of teachers’ training through in-service courses was important in the integration of child rights education. The study recommended that teachers should be encouraged to attend in service training on child rights education; more funds should be spent on acquisition of physical facilities and instructional materials and the ministry of education should facilitate teachers’ in-service courses in primary schools. The study suggested that a similar study should be conducted in a different location