NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY
THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION
AND LANGUAGE SCIENCES MASTER OF EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT & EDUCATION Primary Education and Entrepreneurship in
East Africa: A case study of private schools for the poor in Kibera
(Kenya)
Eric Nodem Keunne
089108996
Supervisor: Dr Pauline Dixon
September 2010
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE
SCIENCES
I certify that all material in this Master's
dissertation which is not my own work, has been identified and that
no material in included which has been submitted for any other award or
qualification.
Signed:
Date: Friday 3rd September
2010
This dissertation is dedicated to my Supervisor Dr
Pauline Dixon who helped me throughout these years to keep on smiling in
spite of the abyss in which I was plunged...
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Holding this precious piece of work at hand at this particular
moment still gives the deep impression that I am not yet awake from the dream
in which I have been plunged into for the past two years. Indeed reaching the
completion point of my master degree has not been easy at all and I humbly feel
that I have definitely made a great step ahead in the accomplishment of my
goals. All the way from Cameroon my home country to the UK via Belgium, the
path has been dotted with so many obstacles. These unbearable moments in my
life could have led to a total surrender of the project, but yet I was still
able to stand and «fight for my future» as Dr Dixon would say.
It is not only my responsibility but my utmost pleasure to
extend my first feeling of heartfelt and warm gratitude to all the scholars and
people who have in one way or the other one contributed to make this dream come
true. My tremendous gratitude is extended to Dr Pauline Dixon who has been my
first support as well as an unquantifiable resource from day one at Newcastle
till date. As my personal advisor, supervisor and pathway leader of the
International development and education master's programme, Dr Dixon has
nurtured me indefatigably with perseverance, hardworking, patience and
particularly hopes for a better future ahead. Dearest Pauline, may you find in
the significance of these words the true and sincere recognition of my
gratitude. You have helped me to realise this dream and i shall always be
indebted to you.
My gratitude and recognition go to the Master of Education
staff of Newcastle University for their enormous support in accompanying all
the students throughout the academic year. I hereby acknowledge and salute the
job carried on by the program director, the program secretary, all the
lecturers and staff of the EG WEST CENTRE. All my friends and colleagues
from the programme have equally played a great role in my
social wellbeing at Newcastle in such a way that omitting to mention their
contribution will definitely look pretty unfair. From various origins at the
very beginning, we all emerged gradually and finally became one single group.
Wherever they may be, I should like thank each and every one of them. On a
particular note, I would like to single out Mr George Mikwa of the Kenyan
Independent Schools Association (KISA) for the unstinting and unconditional
assistance in the completion of this work. Through him and thanks to Dr Dixon,
we were able to carry out this research in Kibera. He acted as our main
resource person in Kenya and was very helpful in collecting our data on the
field and further channelling these at the EG WEST Centre, Newcastle
University.
Furthermore, I will like to extend my sincere and warm
gratitude to Professor Augustin, Bame Nsamenang, of the university of
Yaoundé and Director of The Human Development resource Centre (HDRC)
Bamenda, Cameroon. He initiated and guided my ways in the area of research
right from my early beginnings at the Teacher's training college in Bambili,
Cameroon and has always encouraged me to pursue my academic dreams with
conviction and enthusiasm, in spite of the difficulties that could hamper my
success. Many thanks Prof.
Finally, I extend my sincere thanks to Dr Nguendjio of the
Teacher's Training college in Cameroon, friends, family who have always trusted
and encouraged me. Without the tremendous support of all the people mentioned
above as well as so many others, this dissertation could not been as more
meaningful as it is to me now.
ABSTRACT
Primary Education and Entrepreneurship in East
Africa: A case study of private schools for the poor in Kibera
The dissertation describes and analyses the study of primary
education and entrepreneurship in Kibera, one of the largest slums in East
Africa. The research is carried out to establish the contribution of the
private educational sector in the global campaign of Education for All (EFA) in
Kenya. With the euphoria created by era of free primary education which has
taken place in most African countries in the early 2000's and the negative
impressions that have been noted as a result of this embracement , this study
set out to critically appraise the role played by private schools owners in the
provision of «quality education». The research which is a case study
uses information from 20 school owners, 25 pupils and 25 teachers from selected
schools in the slum of Kibera to answer the research question and sub
questions.
The dissertation commences with a general introduction in
which the scene is set up through background information and specific details
concerning the focus and the aim of the study. It equally discusses in a
succinct way the motives and reasons behind the exploration of private schools
in Africa. The review of literature provides a general picture of recent and
ongoing debates on private schools for the poor especially in Africa; this is
followed by related discussions on entrepreneurship and the development of the
continent. The overall method used for the study is then addressed in the third
chapter and this opens an avenue for the examination and analysis of the data
collected through the research instruments. At this point every question is
critically explored and the results being commented accordingly. All the
respondents' answers in addition to relevant documentation are given serious
concern in the quest of a response to the main question of the research and to
determine the general
satisfaction expressed for the investments in education. The
summary and suggestion section concludes the whole study.
The findings suggest that even in the context of free primary
education, many parents and pupils still prefer the private schools in spite of
the fact that these schools charge fees. Some of the pupils taking part in the
research who have been in the past enrolled in government schools deplore the
overcrowded classrooms, teachers' absence and lack of attention which is
rampant in government schools. The private schools owners, who in the majority
are familiar with the Kenyan educational system, mentioned some of the above
points as the motivations for setting up their own schools. Two recurrent
points were «inadequate schools» in the slum and the desire to focus
on HIV/AIDS orphans and socially excluded children. Both teachers and pupils
actually expressed their overall satisfaction with the investments except for
issues like infrastructures, facilities and salaries for the case of teachers.
It was found that the information about the regulations governing the opening
of private schools in Kenya is flawed given that few entrepreneurs barely knew
what they were. The action of the Kenya Independent Schools Association (KISA)
is considered extremely important for the development of the sector and
suggestions are given at the end in favour a potential support for the
association. The private schools in Kibera and certainly elsewhere in Africa
are considered a crucial partner in the achievement of Universal Primary
Education given their potential. It therefore would seem quite bizarre not to
value the contribution of the educational entrepreneurs in the overall process
of education and above all the development of Africa.
Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 4
ABSTRACT 6
1.1Presentation of the topic 13
1.2 Focus and aim of the Study 14
1.3 Why the Private educational Sector? 15
1.4 Why Kenya (Kibera)? 16
1.5 Why look at Entrepreneurship? 17
1.6 Why mixed methods? 18
1.7 The dissertation 19
Chapter Two - Literature Review 22
2.1 Introduction 22
2.2 Private education in Africa 23
2.2.1 Free Primary Education and Private school for the poor in
Sub Saharan Africa 23
2.2.2 Critics of private school for the poor 27
2.3 Entrepreneurship and development in Africa 28
2.4 The Kenyan Independent School Association (KISA) and the
Development of Private
School for the Poor 30
2.5 Summary 32
Chapter Three - Methodology 33
3.1 The research methods of the study 33
3.1.1 Theoretical framework 33
3.1.2 Research method used and description of data collection
35
3.1.3 Target population and sampling 38
3.1.4 Reliability and Validity of the research 39
3.2 Permission and Ethics 40
3.3 Conducting the research in Kibera 41
3.4 Limitation of the study 42
3.5 Data presentation and Analysis 42
3.6 Conclusion 43
Chapter Four - Analysis 45
4.1 Introduction 45
4.2 Background 45
4.2.1 School and school owners 46
4.2.2 The Slum of Kibera 49
4.3 Motivations for Investment in the field of Education 52
4.3.1 Lives within the community 52
4.3.2 Inadequate schools in the area 52
4.3.3 Focus on orphans, poor and vulnerable children 54
4.3.4 Profit motive 55
4.3.5 Equity 57
4.3.6 Regulations of private schools in Kenya 61
4.4 Have these schools suffered from the government's
introduction of 'Free Primary Education (2003)' in terms of enrolment?
63 4.5What is the satisfaction level of entrepreneur's investments as
perceived by pupils and
teachers? 66
4.5.1 Pupil Satisfaction 66
4.5.2 Teacher satisfaction 74
4.6 Factors identified as the major gaps in private provision
83
Chapter Five - Conclusion, Summary and the Way Forward 86
Bibliography 93
Appendices 99
Appendix A- Letter of permission 99
Appendix B- SCHOOL OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE 100
Appendix C- PUPILS' QUESTIONNAIRE 102
Appendix D- Teacher Questionnaire 104
Appendix E- INTERVIEW ON THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION 110
Tables of Figures
Figure 1: Year in which school was opened 47
Figure 2: Age of school owner 48
Figure 3: School ownership type 49
Figure 4: A view o the slum of Kibera 49
Figure 5: Number of adult and children living in the family home
50
Figure 6 Monthly fees 55
Figure 7: Number of girls in the 20 schools this year 59
Figure 8: The number of boys in the 20 schools 60
Figure 9 Teachers' gender 60
Figure 10: First year Enrolment 65
Figure 11: Current enrolments 65
Figure 12 - The Rating of the Class teacher's ability in their
subject 69
Figure 13 - The rating of the teacher's punctuality for lessons
69
Figure 14 - The rating of the teacher's attendance at school
69
Figure 15: Teachers' fairness for students 70
Figure 16 - The Rating of the school buildings 70
Figure 17- Rating of the school facilities 71
Figure 18 - Rating of English lessons correlated with English
scores 72
Figure 19- Rating of maths and maths scores 72
Figure 20 - English results by school 73
Figure 21 - Kiswahili means plot by school 73
Figure 22: Teachers' age 74
Figure 23: salaries' satisfaction 76
Figure 24: Teachers' salaries 76
Figure 25: Irregular salary payments 77
Figure 26: Holidays' satisfaction rate 78
Figure 27: Satisfaction with the work environment 79
Figure 28: Satisfaction with facilities 80
Figure 29: Satisfaction with the school infrastructure 81
List of tables
Table 1: School owners 47
Table 2: School owner 48
Table 3: Mum has a job 51
Table 4: Father's job 51
Table 5: The school offers scholarships for orphans 56
Table 6: The school offers scholarships for outstanding students
56
Table 7: Orphans' financial support 58
Table 8: Girls in school 59
Table 9: Boys in school 59
Table 10:Teacher's age 74
Table 11: Teachers' educational level 75
Table 12: Teachers' salaries 76
Table 13: Social status in the community 78
Table 14: First important problem 82
Table 15: Second important problem 82
Table 16: Third important problem 83
Chapter One: Background and Introduction
1.1Presentation of the topic
The increasing queries and support for primary education in
Africa in the perspective of achieving Universal Primary Education (UPE) by the
year 2015, has been for some time at the centre of many concerns both at
national and international levels. In spite of commendable strategies and
reforms adopted by governments, scholars, educational specialists,
international agencies and donors from conferences held in Jomtien (1990) and
in Dakar (2000), general reports about primary education in Africa are still
alarming. The general consensus typically agrees that the demand for education
at all levels especially in Africa and Asia has greatly outpaced supply.
(Karmokolias et al 1997:4)
This dissertation's main focus is to study primary education
in east Africa and to establish related development of educational
entrepreneurship in Kenya and their contributions to one of the most important
Millennium Development Goals (MDG), which is making basic education accessible
to all through Universal Primary Education campaigns. In the light of
information gathered through research instruments, the study discusses
variables of the trend which is currently being observed in developing
countries: That of the mushrooming of private schools catering for the poor and
the socially excluded especially in slums and remote areas of Africa Tooley et
al 2007, Watkins 2000). Moreover it sets to find out the entrepreneurs'
motivations for setting private schools in slums, the impact of their
investment on the development process of their communities as well as it
critically analyses teachers and pupils satisfaction on private schools in
Kibera, one of the largest slums in East Africa. A review of literature on
private education and entrepreneurship in Africa has been covered at
this effect so as to enable a good understanding of the topic and
relevant scientific approaches to the theme.
The study gives an interesting picture of private schools in
Kibera and the efforts undertaken by school entrepreneurs to render the quality
of these schools better. The pupils and parent's heart of this slum seem to be
beating for private schools in spite of the Free Primary Education initiated in
Kenya in the year 2003. However, some shortcomings have equally been noted
especially at the infrastructural and financial level. Nonetheless, the private
schools in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa are playing a key role in forging
ahead basic education for all especially for the poorest.(Tooley et al 2008)
This research has benefited from a logistic support of the EG
WEST centre, Newcastle University and strong collaboration from its board
members as well as we have been able to get in direct touch with private school
entrepreneurs in Kenya thanks to George Mikwa, the president of the Kenya
Independent Schools Association (KISA).
1.2 Focus and aim of the Study
In the perspective of understanding and addressing issues
related to primary education and Entrepreneurship in East Africa, the following
main research question constituted the central starting point:
`How and why do private school entrepreneurs contribute to
education for all in Kenya?'
Further, the main question was segmented into four sub areas.
This structure will provide analysis of the data to answer the overall thesis
question through the following sub questions:
· What are the entrepreneurs' major motivations for
investment in the field of education?
· Have these schools suffered from the government's
introduction of 'Free Primary Education (2003)' in terms of enrolment?
· What is the satisfaction level from their investment
as perceived by pupils and teachers?
· What factors could be identified as the major gaps in
this type of provision?
To cover all these questions, specific areas of
investigations were chosen and appropriately explored with close respect to
many critics' point of view to this type of provision (Watkins 2000, Lewin
2007, Rose 2006). These specific areas ranged from entrepreneurs motivations
for setting up private schools in Kibera, actions taken to improve the quality
of their provision including the facilities offered in the teaching process in
the selected schools, to the study of the prevailing investment climate of
Kenya. Hence, a great importance was given to various opinions expressed
concerning the satisfaction level of direct beneficiaries of this investment,
which are pupils and teachers.
The identification of the major gaps in the private schools
provision equally formed part of the research and an analysis of pupils' tests
scores was equally carried in order to establish the correlation between the
overall satisfaction expressed and the achievements in these schools.
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