Politics and education in Kenya: the emergence and development of the Nomiya Luo mission schools 1911 - 2018

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.