Relationship between Tutor Confidence and ICT Integration in Primary Teacher Training Colleges in Kenya

Despite increases in computer access and technology training, ICT is not adequately being used to support instruction in teacher education institutions. Unless teachers improve their ability to use existing technology, they will encounter various difficulties. One of the most notable of these difficulties is that they cannot respond to the expectations of their students. Research has shown that the self-confidence of teachers affects their use of technology in instruction. The study assessed the confidence of tutors in primary teacher training colleges regarding the integration of ICT in the teaching and learning practice in Kenya. There are a number of ICT projects that are equipping Kenyan institutions of learning with computers and establishing internet connectivity. But the body of literature on studies among tutors is so scanty, leaving a noticeable gap in the literature about tutors’ level of ICT integration in instruction. The study sought to establish the relationship between tutor confidence and their level of ICT integration teacher training colleges in Kenya. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to investigate tutors’ confidence in the use of ICT in teaching. The simple random sampling technique was used to select six teacher training colleges in Kenya and 169 respondents who participated in the study. Data was collected using a questionnaire and an interview schedule. The data collected was analysed descriptively for frequencies, means, standard deviation, and percentages. The significance of relationships and differences of variables were tested using Pearson moment Correlation and Regression analysis. Results indicated that there is a low level of ICT integration in teaching in all teacher training colleges. A significant relationship was found between the tutor's confidence and their level of ICT integration in teaching (β3= 0.535, p<0.05). It was thus recommended that: College tutors should be given adequate exposure for them to be able to utilize ICT facilities in their classrooms. Colleges should also computerize most activities by buying computerized software within departments. This will compel most tutors to acquire the requisite skills. The ministry of education should also embrace ICT and demand professional documents from college tutors be typed and sent online.

The Impact of Colonial Policies on the Waata People of Kilifi County, Kenya, 1895-1963

The Waata community is among the indigenous Kenyan communities whose social, political, and economic organization has not been adequately studied. The objective of the study was to examine the impact of colonial policies on the history of the Waata people of Kilifi County in the period 1895-1963. The study was guided by the cultural interaction and identity formation theory. The study was conducted using the descriptive research design which offered a chronology of events as they unfolded over time. A qualitative approach was significant because it allowed an in-depth collection of data to ascertain the attitudes, feelings, and opinions concerning the theme under study. The study site was Kilifi County. The study targeted both males and females above 18 years within Kilifi County who were knowledgeable about the existence of the Waata people. Purposive and snowballing sampling techniques were used to select the sample for the study. One hundred and twenty-two participants were interviewed. The study used both primary and secondary data. Primary data was derived from the one-on-one interaction with participants using interview schedules and Key Informant Interviews, oral interviews, and focus group discussions. Question guides and questionnaires with open-ended responses were also used. Secondary data was obtained from critical analysis of books, articles, papers, thesis, and dissertations. Additionally, archival sources, particularly colonial documents, annual reports, correspondents, letters, diaries, and political record books related to the area under study were consulted. The findings of the study revealed that colonial policies impacted significantly on the history of the Waata forcing them to adapt to different lifestyles in order to survive cultural extinction. This adaptation was informed by the colonial labelling of traditional hunting communities like the Waata as poachers and the progressive government efforts to stop them from their traditional source of livelihood as well as their eviction from their indigenous habitats and creation of National Parks.

Utilisation of Budget as a Monitoring and Evaluation Tool and Sustainability of Community Agricultural Projects Supported by Caritas in Meru County, Kenya

The objective of the study was to establish the influence of utilisation of project budget as a monitoring and evaluation tool and sustainability of community agricultural projects supported by Caritas in Meru County, Kenya. A pragmatic research paradigm was adopted and a descriptive survey research design was utilised. A pragmatic research paradigm was adopted and a descriptive survey research design was utilised. The target population was 59 smallholder farmer groups and 24 Caritas Meru staff. The sample size was 51 smallholder farmer groups and the total sample size was 177 respondents. The data collection tools were questionnaires and interview guides. The collected data were coded and entered into the SPSS version 26 program for analysis. The qualitative data was analysed by way of grouping similar responses together and identifying the main themes from them. The linear regression and Pearson’s correlation (r) methods were utilised to evaluate the link between various variables. The multiple linear regression models determined the link between dependent and independent variables together with the moderating effect of the moderating variable. It is also used as the inferential statistics that inform the decision to reject or not reject the alternative hypothesis for the research study. The study found out that an increase in the utilisation of project budgets leads to an increase in the sustainability of the community agricultural project by Caritas in Meru County and vice versa. The study concludes that there is a significant relationship between utilisation of project budget as monitoring & evaluation and sustainability of community agriculture projects. The study recommends that to ensure the sustainability of community-based agricultural projects, the organisation should train farmers’ group leaders on leadership and management skills. The organisation should train farmers on best farming practices, record keeping and conflict management practices to avoid the collapse of groups.

Role of Character-Leaders in Development as Depicted in Swahili Literary Texts

It has always been believed by the majority that elected leaders are a necessary component in the development of any country and more so in the developing world. This is so strong in that leaders are elected by their people through a competitive election because they believe they will influence economic development positively. Writers of literature are born and bred in the communities where they equally participate in the process of electing their leaders. Thus, when they write about the maxima or minimal roles played by these leaders in impacting economic development, they are believed to portray a true and to some extent a believable picture of the state of development in their respective communities. In this respect, this paper analyses the role played by the elected leaders in the realization of economic development in the third world as portrayed in selected Swahili literary texts. To achieve our main objective, the paper surveys the challenges of the third world and shows how the elected leaders tackle them to realize economic success. The paper concludes that elected leaders have downplayed their role in enhancing economic development and the result is underdevelopment experienced in the third world worse than that of the colonial leaders

The Influence of Family Leadership on Girl- Child School Dropout

Family leadership is one of the vital aspects that influences and determines both the wellbeing and successful education of a girl-child. Unfortunately, the role of family leadership in ensuring girls' education is oversimplified into getting girls enrolled in school rather than warranting their perseverance in learning and successful completion. As a result, many communities in Tanzania, especially those in rural and marginalized areas are experiencing persistent girl–child school dropouts. It is against this standpoint that we sought to find out how family leadership may influence secondary school girls’ dropouts. We also explored possible measures which should be employed to eliminate girl-child school dropouts. In conducting this study, we employed a mixed research approach and convergent parallel design. We collected data through interviews and questionnaires involving 143 respondents including girl students, teachers, heads of schools, and district educational officers. Our findings from this study indicate that while the government of Tanzania has made remarkable efforts to ensure girls’ continuity and successful completion of secondary education, there are a number of factors hindering girls’ continuity and completion of secondary education. Weak family leadership, the improper raising of the children, less emphasis and interest on the importance of girls’ education, limited cooperation between family leadership were among the reason for continuous girl-child school dropout. Hence, based on our findings and the significance of girl’s education as well as the role which parents should play in ensuring girls achievement of education, we appeal to various educational leaders, to make strategic efforts in raising more awareness among rural and marginalized communities about the importance of educating girls and the role of family leadership in bringing to an end the phenomena of girl-child school dropout which is catastrophic to the long-awaited sustainable development. Moreover, we call upon all parents, to make intentional efforts in mentoring and influencing girls to strive towards achieving formal education

Psychosocial Challenges Facing Orphaned Children and Caregivers in Tanzanian Institutionalized Orphanage Centres

This study investigated psychosocial challenges facing orphaned children and caregivers as well as possible intervention strategies that could be adopted to mitigate these challenges in the institutionalised orphaned children centres in Ubungo Municipal, Dar es Salaam. The study used a qualitative research approach and a descriptive research design. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select six orphanage centres. The study had a sample of 67 participants including children receiving orphanage care at the institutionalised orphaned children centres, caregivers and directors of the centres who were selected through purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and a non-observation method and were sorted and coded based on themes and presented according to the research questions. Thematic analysis was used in qualitative data. Findings from the study revealed that orphaned children were supported with various services including food, clothes, accommodation, health services, spiritual and educational support, life skills, sports and games. It was found further that the orphans were faced with a lack of adequate health facilities including health insurance coverage, educational materials, sports gear and in some centres inadequate clean and safe water. Caregivers lack counselling knowledge and skills. Therefore, the study recommends community participation in providing care to orphaned children and equipping caregivers with relevant knowledge and skills to perform their duties competently

Understanding African Socio-Cultural Context: Contemporary Challenges to Christian Missions in the 21st Century.

Heuristically, the paper seeks to understand the religious perception of Africans otherwise regarded as the indigenous people and their contact with the missionary message. It adopts a historical, hermeneutical, and critical interpretation of some preconceived ideas about Africans as well as their reactions to the gospel message. It discovers that the introduction of the faith was done with clear intentions; slavery and economic exploitation, prejudices, and hence the demeaning attitude and bastardisation of the rich socio-cultural background of the people. However, the wisdom of the continent paved the way for the accommodation of messages. The paper concludes by recommending the following as some of the way forward: the messenger bearing the message should seek to know the socio-cultural background of African tradition, the Jesus’ attitude of non-condemnation should be adopted as a global standard for all missionary volunteers to present-day Africa in order to put on record the right perspective about the people and lastly, African charismatic which has played a dominant role in the daily lives of the people has been enculturated into the life of the churches in Africa as evidenced in the dance pattern and gospel music, these should be greatly encouraged.

Deconstruction as a Functional Tool in Decolonizing Nigerian Educational System: A Biblical Response.

The paper examines the role of deconstruction in the Nigerian educational system vis-à-vis its functionality to the growing needs and challenges be devilling the nation. Arguably, the content of the system has been commonly viewed sometimes as dysfunctional, tilted toward the needs of the colonial agenda. This phenomenon did only leave the endeavour handicapped but also totally reliant on foreign ideology; a system that estranged the people. The paper adopts hermeneutical, historical, and critical approaches to the phenomenon. From a biblical perspective, while searching for relevance, there has been the need to decolonize certain aspects which otherwise have alienated the people, with the aim of targeting functionality and acceptability among Africans. The need to contextualize a foreign curriculum that will bring about a total overhauling of the system to achieve a vibrant curriculum remains a necessity in order to service the needs of the people. As in the decolonisation exercise among biblical scholars, chances are that we can achieve a great feat in our nation’s education sector. It concludes by resounding that the present educational system is deconstructed with the aim of removing dysfunctional elements; with full integration of a rich indigenous knowledge base that serves the people’s uniqueness amidst conflicting curriculum, the government should be proud to introduce into the educational system a fresh idea that meets the needs as posited by biblical scholars.

An Iconic Pillar of Hope in a Rural Township: The Emergence, Growth and Development of AIC Kapsowar Mission Hospital

The article is about the emergence, growth and development of AIC Kapsowar Mission Hospital, the hospital that was central to the development of Kapsowar town since its establishment in 1934. The hospital was so iconic in the sense that it opened Marakwet District to the rest of the world. The hospital created employment opportunities for Kenyans who flocked the town in their thousands in search of jobs. Kapsowar which was once a frontier town transformed into a medical town making it display many signs of prosperity. However, it was not easy for the Africans living in Kapsowar to let go of their lands. They had to fight back and protect what according to them was given to them by their deity ASIS. Among the Marakwet, land was communally owned and its use was decided by the community elders. Individuals did not own land as the sole owners but the land was in the custody of clans. This factor made it very hard for the missionaries to acquire land to establish the mission hospital when they first arrived at the place. The locals were only convinced after a series of successful surgeries were conducted by the mission doctors and that was when they allowed them to settle in their land. That move marked the beginning of a new civilisation among the Marakwet. Many women began to visit the hospital for child delivery, and child mortality rate reduced drastically owing to the good works of the mission doctors. All the good things brought about by the mission Hospital including the development of the town, employment opportunities, improved infrastructure among others notwithstanding, challenges never seized to hit the Mission hospital and the latest challenge was posed by the outbreak of the novel corona virus in 2020 causing a lot of fear and panic to both the doctors and the patients.

Evaluation of Occurrence of Crime Rates in Kenya within the Years 2014-2020

Controlling crime continues to be a big problem probably because crimes are on the increase and there is little probability for a drop in crime rates anytime in the near future. Kenya has shown a marked increase in the contemporary years in the occurrences of lawbreaking and violations. The rate is alarming and has attained an epidemic proportion in Kenya that everyone has gradually become not only concerned but also worried. It is evident in the empirical data, audio-visual electronic, newspapers, and print media which highlight criminal activities in numerous parts of the country, most of which are stated to have happened in big towns. United Nations surveys in Kenya have revealed that over half of the inhabitants worry about crime constantly. Roughly 75% feel unsafe while at home. Notwithstanding these continuous reports of criminal actions, the problem of crime continues, in effect escalates and fewer crimes are stated. Only up to 45% of urban crimes are normally informed. When crimes are not reported to the police, victims may not be able to get necessary services to cope with the persecution, offenders may go scot-free, and law implementation and community resources may be misdirected due to a lack of precise information about local crime complications. Accepting the characteristics of crimes unknown to police, victims who do not report crimes, and the reasons these crimes are not reported may help identify gaps in the provision of criminal justice services and inform police practice and policies. Common motivations for reporting a crime include punishing the offender a lesson and discouraging other offenders