Schooling experiences of displaced high school students: A case of Olposimoru forest Evictees, Narok North Sub- County Narok County, Kenya

Abstract

Internal displacement is one of the critical humanitarian issues of our time. An estimated 30 million internally displaced human beings, eighty percent of them children or women, have been forced to flee their homes and communities because of armed conflict, violence, systematic violation of human rights, or natural or manmade disaster. The purpose of this study was to investigate the schooling experiences of displaced high school student’s a case of Olposimoru forest evictees. Three objectives guided this research. One was to find out the educational needs of displaced high school students, secondly was to find out the role played by the school community in supporting displaced students and thirdly was to find out challenges facing displaced high school students while participating in schooling. Four schools were selected through purposive sampling. The target group for this study was displaced high school day-scholar students. Moreover, this study was guided by Phenomenology theory. Edmund Husserl (1859-1938) is widely regarded as the founder of phenomenology as a transcendental philosophy of consciousness. It’s the careful description of experiences in the manner in which they are experienced by the subjects. The research was carried out in Olposimoru vicinity Narok North sub county Narok County in Kenya. Olposimoru forest is one of the areas covered by Mau forest complex. The study was conducted through descriptive case of Olposimoru forest evictees. Total of 96 pupils were selected through purposive sampling. Simple random sampling was used to identify respondents in every class. 26 Class teachers in the selected school would be useful in providing information and 4 Head teachers would be interviewed. In the study, researcher used questionnaires, oral interviews and observation. During the study it involved collecting open ended data, based on asking general questions and developing an analysis from information supplied by the participants. Triangulation was used to strengthen the reliability of the study by comparing questionnaires different respondents which was the main source of data collection. The raw data from the students’ responses was organized, coded and keyed on the SPSS programme. Data was analysed by use of both qualitative and quantitative methods. In qualitative methods narrative description was used while in descriptive statistics was used in analysing quantitative data. 96% of the respondents agreed that displaced students need psychological counselling. However 65% felt that the counselling they received was not adequate which have led to deteriorations in academic performance. 77% of the respondents agreed that displaced students felt de- motivated academically. Moreover, 57% of the respondents needed financial assistance. This was due the fact that they lacked a source of livelihood. 72% of the displaced students agreed that they received bursaries from well wisher. However, 19% of displaced students received uniforms as donations. Majority of the respondents received writing materials and textbooks from the receiving school. Respondents acknowledge that they face myriads of challenges while schooling. Physical materials such as food and clothing were primary. Loss of school materials such as report forms, exercise books, uniforms etc. Many displaced students felt excluded and isolated. The study is significant in addressing physiological, psychological, economic and social needs of displaced high school students. This will assist the teachers have an individualized attention. Practically the findings will guide policy makers to fully deal with the challenges of war and conflict related displacement. The final report will provide information that will help educationist in alleviating the negative effects of displacement on the education sector especially measures should be put in place to ensure that learners continue with their learning despite displacement.