Holistic development: an existential interrogation into the Kenyan education system

Abstract

The philosophy of existentialism holds that human beings first exist and then each individual spends a lifetime changing their essence or nature. This philosophical submission has shaped the understanding of the general purpose of education in the world. The Kenyan education system is also fashioned upon this philosophy. Despite the Ministry of Education‘s intention to focus on the holistic development of the learners with the 8-4-4 system, the outcome has not been satisfactory leading to public debates and various Commissions mandated to explore the underlying problems and factors that need to be addressed. Any education system that does not lead to holistic development risks graduating students who lack all requisite dimensions of education. Consequently, this study sought to: evaluate the 8-4-4 system of education; to analyse the significance of existentialism philosophy to holistic education in Kenya, and to assess the use of existential education in addressing the problems facing the Kenyan society. The study assumed that existentialism in education contributes to complete holistic transformation of the learner. The significance of the study entailed the fact that existential thoughts equip educational planners, administrators and educators with a progressive vision to formulate adequate educational policies and relevant educational reforms that are in line with the changing times. The study limited itself to the 8-4-4 system of education in Kenya and the existential philosophies of Martin Heidegger, Soren Kierkegaard and Jean Paul Sartre. This study was library based and used critical, analytical, speculative and existential methods of philosophical investigations. The findings of the study show that factors such as inadequate funding, examination malpractices, over enrolment, students‘ unrest, commercialization of education and curriculum overload have denied the learners holistic development. To remedy the situation, existential educational implications were found to foster holistic education by making the student the subject of learning through proper understanding of educational aims and goals, concept of the school, student, teacher, curriculum and pedagogy. Education stakeholders will find this study a useful resource rich in information about holistic education reform agenda. The study also recommends further research on existential interrogation of the new competency-based curriculum (CBC) and a critique of the Kenyan education system using other schools of philosophy.