A study of socio-administrative influence on the implementation of child friendly schools initiative in public primary schools in Kenya

Abstract

The concept of child friendly schools (CFS) was developed by the United Nations Children's Education Fund (UNICEF) in partnership with the Ministry of Education to improve the education of Kenyan children. The present study was an analysis of the socio-administrative influence on child friendly schools implementation process in Uasin Gishu County. It was guided by a number of objectives, which included determining: the role of headteachers in promotion of community linkages to enhance implementation CFS initiative; the health promoting programmes that enhance implementation CFS initiative; the level of safety of school environment and enhancement of implementation CFS initiative; the equality considerations that enhance implementation CFS initiative. The study was anchored on Krovets (1998) resiliency theory and the Human Rights Based Approach to education (UNICEF, 2007). The study adopted the pragmatic research paradigm and a mixed methods research design. From 338 public primary schools, proportionate sampling was used to select 103 schools. This constituted 30% of the total number of public primary schools in the area of study. The respondents were headteachers, class seven c1assteachers and 10% of class seven pupils in selected schools. Quantitative data was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics that included frequencies and percentages. Presentation was done in frequency Tables and bar charts. Qualitative data was organized into themes and described by use of narratives and reports. The study established a relationship between the head teachers ' promotion of community linkages and enhancement of implementation of CFS initiative. A relationship was also established between health promoting programmes and implementation of CFS initiative. A relationship was established between the level of safety and implementation CFS initiative, but little had been done on emergency preparedness. The study recommends; a community mobilization programme to identify the out of school children; that the school management should provide adequate nutrition services to the children; that parents should check children's academic work in school and an inclusive programme for Special Needs Education. The findings of the study are important to the headteachers of primary schools, the MaE, MOH, UNICEF