Abstract:
This study provides a critical appraisal of the role played by politics and generally the
independent school movement to education in Kenya with reference to the Nomiya
Luo Mission Schools.The study was anchored on the following objectives; to trace the
Historical development and the development of the Nomiya Luo Mission established
Schools, to establish the contributions of politics to education in Kenya in reference to
the Nomiya Luo Mission established schools, to examine the challenges faced by of
the Nomiya Luo Mission established schools in its growth and development and the
solutions sought, to investigate the impact of independent established schools to the
local community. The findings of the study revealed that the evolution of Nomiya
Schools was made possible by the fact that the schools grew through time and space,
influenced by key political playersallied to Nomiya Luo Mission, management of
Nomiya Luo Mission Schools revealed that politics determines the content,
component and structure of an education system. Historically the growth of Nomiya
Schools was made possible by the fact that the schools were able to strategically
counter socio-economic and political change and transformation in the culture and
traditions of the local Luo community.The study found its niche in the interpretive
paradigm and involved historical research method which was used in collecting,
analysing and presenting data.To ensure extensive and intensive investigations of the
phenomenon under study through time and space, a blend with a case study approach
was employed. The main sources of data were primary and secondary; primary data
mainly involved oral interviews, data from the Kenya National Archives, Nomiya Luo
Mission Church Archives and various educational institutions archives while
secondary sourcesincluded books and other written records. Non random selection
technique called purposive sampling and snowballing technique was employed in the
field. The guiding principle to the process of data verification was subjecting the
gathered information to historical techniques of internal and external criticism in the
process of determining authenticity of the data collected. The study is significant
since ithas revealed important political aspects relevant to the establishment and
growth of education in Kenya and further expansively identified major historical
problems hindering the growth and development of education and the solutions
sought.In conclution, politics of acountry has adirect impact on education; it dictates
the type of administration and the education system acountry adopts. It underlines the
content and the component of education system operates and functions, the details of
the curriculum, educational finacincing and functional training of citizens.The study
will be resourceful tothe state department of education, international governmental
and nongovernmental organizations, educational historians, educational policy
planners, political player’s andall the othereducational stakeholders.