Educational challenges of children living with their imprisoned mothers in Kenya: A case of Thika and Langata Women's prison, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that affect the education children accompanying their mothers in prisons in Langata and Thika women's prison in Kenya. Four research objectives were formulated to guide the study. The sample for the study was 24 teachers in both Langata and Thika prisons. Census sampling was used for the study. The study relied on self-administered questionnaire and observation schedule. Data was analysed by use of frequencies and percentages. Findings indicated that teachers' characteristics such as their qualifications affected the education of children accompanying their imprisoned mothers. Findings also indicated that parental perception towards Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) program in the pnsons affected the education of children. Finding further showed that teaching and learning resources affected provision of education to children accompanying imprisoned mothers. Learning environment affected the provision of education of education among the children. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that there were a number of educational challenges facing education of children accompanying their imprisoned mothers.

These challenges included lack of adequate teachers, lack of training for the teachers, poor learning environment and parental perception towards the education offered at the prisons. The study also concluded that the prison facilities did not have adequate teaching and learning facilities which affected teaching and learning of the prisons. The study also concluded that the programmes were disrupted by the time for entry to prisons and when they left which made it very difficult to have projier schedules for learning. For example one of the teachers indicated that some mothers could come to prison in the morning after conviction and hence the child could enter in the class the following day. The teacher was therefore forced to take care of that particular child hence dragging back learning. The study recommended that prisons departments should recruit and hire qualified and permanent teachers who are able to teach children accompanying their mothers in prisons. It was also recommended that the prisons should ensure that there are appropriate teaching and learning facilities at the prisons so that teaching and learning could be conducted effectively. Mothers accompanied by their children in prisons should have a positive attitude towards the education 0 their children. Due to the age differences of the children, different programmes could be organized for the different groups according to the age. The researcher suggested that a study on how the government policy on ECDE has been applied in the education of children accompanying their mothers in prisons should be conducted. Another study on how structural organisation of ECDE programmes influences their implementation in the prisons should be conducted.