Nv character Development through Edueation in Kenya: A Pragmatic Perspective Johnstone Onyino Akanga ***1 if [»* < T '^ y A project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements tor the Degree of Master of Education (Philosophy of Education) of the University of Nairobi August 2014 Declarations Student’s Declaration This Research Project is my original work and has not been presented to any other university for examination or award of any degree JOHNSTONE ONYINO AKANGA DATE O&j '2-3 SIGNED....................... Supervisors’ Declarations This Project report has been submitted with our approval as University of Nairobi Supervisors PROF. SAMSON O. GUNGA, DATE Department of Educational Foundations University of Nairobi \ * \ s ] SIGNED....... DR. REGINALD M.J. ODUOR DATE Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies University of Nairobi SIGNED..............V H ................... 11 Dedication To my wife Violet Nasenya, who always encourages me to pursue important goals. iii Acknowledgements I am most grateful to Prof. Samson O. Gunga and Dr. Reginald M.J. Oduor, who jointly supervised my work. They read the many drafts and offered invaluable advice. I wish to recognize Mr. Edalia Obote of the Department of Educational Foundations and Mr. Robinson Nzoka of the Student Welfare Authority, both of the University of Nairobi, for encouraging me to further my studies in Philosophy of Education. Last but not least, I thank my wife Nasenya, daughter Sandra, sons Gramwel and Grevis, and my parents and siblings for their keen interest in university education. IV Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which the pragmatic theory of education can be employed as a basis of character development in Kenyan schools. It proceeded from the assumption that for children of school going age, education is the dominant agent of character development. The study adopted the pragmatic theory of education as its theoretical framework, and employed the critical, phenomenological and historical philosophic methods to gather and analyze relevant information. The study concluded that the poor state of discipline in Kenyan schools is attributable to the methods thus far employed for character development in the said institutions, hence the need for a new approach to this important endeavor. Consequently, the study recommends a pedagogical strategy designed in line with the tenets of the pragmatic theory of education to guide efforts at character development in Kenyan schools. v tw il^ Contents Declarations............................................................................................................................ii Student’s Declaration........................................................................................................ii Supervisors’ Declarations.................................................................................................ii Dedication..............................................................................................................................iii Acknowledgements...............................................................................................................iv Abstract....................................................................................................................................v Chapter 1: Introduction..........................................................................................................1 1.1. Background to the study 1.2. Statement of the Problem..........................................................................................5 1.3. Purpose and Objectives of the study......................................................................5 1.4. Research Questions..................................... 1.5. Justification and Significance of the study 1.6. Scope and limitation of the study............... 1.7. Structure of the study.................................. Chapter 2: Literature Review................................. vi 2.1. Introduction.................................................................................................................9 2.2. The Concept of Character Development.................................................................10 2.3. Worldviews on character development...................................................................13 2.4. Methods of character development through education..........................................18 2.5. Pragmatic approaches to character development...................................................22 2.6. Character development through education: a Kenyan perspective......................23 2.7. Summary and Conclusion of the Literature review...............................................27 Chapter 3: Theoretical Framework...................................................................................28 3.1. Introduction...............................................................................................................28 3.2. The Pragmatic theory of education.........................................................................29 Chapter 4: Research Methodology....................................................................................32 4.1. Introduction...............................................................................................................32 4.2. The Critical Method.................................................................................................32 4.3. Phenomenological Method.......................................................................................34 4.4. The Historical Method.............................................................................................36 4.5. Conclusion.................................................................................................................37 vii Chapter 5: A Pragmatic Perspective of Character Development through Education in Kenyan Schools...................................................................................................................38 5.1. Introduction.............................................................................................................38 5.2. The School as an Agent of Character Development............................................39 5.3. Application of the Pragmatic Theory of Education to Character Development in Kenyan Schools...............................................................................................................40 5.4. Enhancing the Pedagogy of the Social Education and Ethics Programme in Kenyan Schools...............................................................................................................42 (a) Knowledge.............................................................................................................44 (b) Comprehension......................................................................................................45 (c) Application.............................................................................................................45 (d) Analysis..................................................................................................................45 (e) Synthesis.................................................................................................................46 (f) Evaluation...............................................................................................................46 5.5. Enhancing the Pedagogy of Religious Education for Character Development in Kenyan Schools...............................................................................................................47 5.6. Threats to Character Development in Kenyan Schools.......................................52 5.7. Conclusion................................................................................................................53 vm Chapter 6: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations 55 6.1. Introduction...............................................................................................................55 6.2. Summary of the Findings.........................................................................................55 6.3. Conclusions...............................................................................................................57 6.4. Recommendations....................................................................................................58 6.5. Areas for further research.........................................................................................59 References............................................................................................................................60 ix Chapter 1: Introduction In this chapter a plan of the whole research is set out. In doing this, the background to the study, the statement of the problem, the purpose and objectives of the study are presented. 1.1. Background to the study This study is a philosophical inquiry into the teaching of character development in schools in Kenya. Battistich (2008) defines character development as the realization of one’s positive development as a person, intellectually, socially, emotionally and ethically. Good character includes being committed to making a positive contribution to one’s community and promoting a democratic way of life based upon justice, equality and respect for all people. Battistich goes ahead to define character education as the deliberate use of all dimensions of school life to foster optimal character development. In this light, education is viewed as the whole process by which one generation transmits its culture to the succeeding generation, or as a process by which people arc prepared to live effectively and efficiently in their environment (Battistich 2008, 2). According to Mugambi (2003), the significance of development of character through education in Kenya has been captured in the Kenyan government policies on education. The Report of the National Committee on Educational Objectives and Policies of 1976 (“The Gachathi Report") made the observation that religious education as taught then 1