An analysis of how post-colonial educational policy implementation in higher education has contributed to soci-economic transformation of Kenya

Abstract

Planners attempting to influence the course of a country s educational development can expect to corifront a wide variety of problems which are sometimes difficult to formalize. Many of these challenges involve the most significant decisions in determining an effective sectoral growth strategy. Examples that come readily to mindfor higher education include the assessment of the optimal level of resources to be devoted to research and extension activities, estimated rates of return, demand-adapted education policies, employment promotion programmes as well as fostering marketable, occupational capacities, particularly of young people. This paper tries to describe and analyse educational policy formatio, planning and implementation in higher education, showing its contribution to the socio-economic transformation of Kenya. The central proposition in this paper is that educational endeavour - whether conceived as an activity of colonising powers or as the unfolding of the aspirations of the African peoples - has shown itself as an important vehicle for the transformation of society. Thus, the process of educational policy formation is necessarily an exercise in social learning whereby technical expertise is required to establish information requirements and the parameters of reasonable choice. Nevertheless, this analysis must be embedded in a process of social dialogue, negotiation and learning.