| dc.description.abstract | The following study was initiated by a desire
to evaluate the effectiveness of the growth centre
policy in Nakuru District where the pattern of
settlement has completely changed the scenery of
the previous "White Highlands". It was felt that
due to the present settlement pattern the spatial
distribution of services was likely to be affected.
Therefore, the author decided to try and determine
to what extent these changes in settlement pattern
have influenced the spatial distribution of growth
centres and the educational services.
Given that the growth centre policy forms a good
framework on which to base development, the study
set out to see how effective the growth centre policy
has been in determining the location of educational
services, and to what extent it has helped
rural areas in ensuring that development is not
scattered allover the District.
The findings of the study within the specified
constraints have been presented in the analysis,
recommendations, summary and conclusions.
The approach and methodology used in the study
have mainly b~ftn imp~omptu iuterviews, site visits
in most parts of Nakuru District and readings on .
previous studies on both growth centre and educational
policies.
Although study is conce ned mainly with
primary and secondary education services, other
educational services are mentioned briefly. Apart
from one principal town (Nakuru) four other levels
of growth centres were identified in Nakuru. District
in descending order; 3 Urban centres, 3 Rural
centres, 8 Market centres and 49 Local centres making
a total of 64 centres as opposed to 41*
centres that were originally proposed by Physical
Planning Department. The extra 23 centres have
been proposed by the County Council Table XIV
because of the great demand for shopping facilities
created by the population influx into the
Nakuru District. It should be noted that although
these 23 centres ~o not appear in the
Development Plan, they are recognised by the Government
because their proposals have been approved
by the Central Authority.
The study has offered some recommendations
among them that there should be a greater interministerial
co-ordination so as to strengthen the
horizontal planning linkages in order to curb
implementation of unplanned proj~cts and trying to
encourage implementation of planned projects.
Secondly -in order fo~ the growth centre policy
to succeed as a strategy for rural developmentca-
* Development Plan 1974 - 1978 Part 1 page 140
ution should be exercised ill selection of growth
centres. It is recommended that advantage should
be taken of the existing traditional markets. Although
there should be a general framework for designating
growth centres in the country each District
should be dealt with as an individual unit because
of the differences in potentiality hopography,
population distribution communication network, etc.
Finally it was felt that it may be necessary to
carry out a study of economic base of the proposed
centres so as to determine location of human and
capital resources in order to stimulate economic
growth. | en |
