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.