CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
This study will establish the determinants of successful adult education programs in Kenya. The
study consists of different sections, which are the background of the study, statement of the
problem, justification of the study, objectives of the study and the research questions.

1.1 Background to the Study

Adults Education is an undertaking meant to bring about learning and instilling knowledge
among those whose age, social roles or self-perception define them as adults. (Merriam &.
Brockett, 2007).Adult Education is a set of well cut activities practiced by different institutions
for the purpose of accomplishing certain educational objectives on adults. As such, Adult
Education can be defined as a process where people who do not attend school on a regular basis
go through organized activities with the sole purpose of increasing their knowledge, enhance
their understanding of information, gain skills, appreciation and attitudes towards different
perspectives in life issues .Education for All (EFA) targets for education include; enhancing
learning and life skills for young people and adults through equitable access to appropriate
learning and life skills programs and to reduce adult illiteracy levels by 50% by 2015.

In the developed world, the problem of adult education was solved by the introduction of
compulsory schooling. In these countries most adult education is provided by local authorities,
businesses and industries and private institutions such . China for example realized that
education is a powerful driver for poverty eradication and sustainable development by 1950’s.
They emphasized on education, industrialization and modernization of rural areas. The
government of China is highly focused and committed towards achievement of education for
all. The greatest philosopher and practitioner of adult education in the 20 th century Paulo Freire,
stressed the importance of adult education to the masses for poverty eradication and human
empowerment.
According to World Bank (2003) Australia, Canada, Chile, Brazil and Malaysia now device
financial schemes funded by the mortgage institutions, government and individuals to lifelong
education. This encompasses non-formal education and adult education. Most adult education
campaigns started in Nigeria and were not closely linked to adults working life or their basic
need. It was for economic and local development and empowerment. Rather than provide adults
with functional adult education skills which would have stimulated positive future perspectives,
the programs were reduced to basic adult education which failed to provide them with
knowledge for self-fulfillment and improved living standards. A 2019 survey by the Learning
and Work Institute showed that adult participation has fallen by 10% since 2010, from 43 per
cent down to 33 per cent.

In addition to poverty, ignorance and diseases, lack of adult education in Kenya was pointed at
independence as a hindrance to the country’s development. As a result people were therefore
assisted to gain knowledge through adult education. Skills impartation was designed for adults
to enable them participate in socio- economic activities that was development oriented.

Kenya’s national philosophy of education underscores the need to develop the human resource
so as to attain the country’s development goals (Republic of Kenya-ROK, 2012). Accordingly,
education in Kenya should be geared towards developing one’s potential fully. Among others,
this will help produce individuals who are intellectually, physically and emotionally sound.
Specifically, an educated person should be rational in his thinking and decision making, loving
to his nation, fair to all, respectful and morally upright. Indeed, the current national policies and
Constitution take cognizance of the fact that all citizens have a right to basic education. This is
in line with international education commitments as well as conventions, including the
Millennium Development Goals to which Kenya is a signatory (ROK, 2007b). Adult
Continuing Education (ACE) provides a lee-way for those adults who are not within the formal
school system to benefit from education. Other than improving one’s professional
qualifications, ACE also seeks to achieve civic, social, moral and cultural attitudes as well as
skills that are necessary in human life development..

According to Ndiku, Muthamia, Ipara and Obaki (2009), lifelong learning is vital, especially in
coping with the global trends in technology, politics and the economy. This, they assert,
ensures citizens fit well in society and harness the environment sustainably. Since
independence, Kenya has made effort to reduce adult illiteracy so as to enhance its socio-
economic development (UNESCO, 2007). The milestones towards achieving adult literacy
were recognized soon after independence in 1963 when the aims of adult education were
identified, including to: curb illiteracy, impart relevant knowledge, skills and attitude for
survival, foster self-esteem and inculcate desirable behavior in as far as life and society are
concerned. With these objectives in mind, the initial subject matter in the adult education
program included literacy, health and nutrition, family life, agriculture, environmental studies
and civics (Ndiku, 2009; Kibera, 1997).
According to Ndiku, (2009), poor enrolment in literacy classes involving adult learners in Kenya
is due to the failure to hire sufficient and qualified teachers. This scenario is compounded by the
fact that there is higher turnover of staff and volunteer teachers in ACE facilities. The study also
revealed that a number of social factors discourage some adults from attending classes.
Accordingly, adult learners either come late or miss school altogether due to participation in
such social functions as circumcision, marriage and funerals. Related reasons that prevented
learners from attending classes involved cases where the young and older learners as well as
husbands and wives were mixed in the same learning facilities,
while Muslims did not want to be taught by female instructors. Some learners, the study
revealed, dropped out because of language barrier due to ethnicity or dialects and being taught by
what they considered to be very young teachers. This requires communities to be sensitized so as
to discard those cultural beliefs and practices which are retrogressive. Other learners remained
absent or came to class late due to engagement in such economic activities as trade, planting and
harvesting crops or parenting responsibilities.

The hope was that the ACE curriculum, if well implemented would lead to transformation of
the lives of the many otherwise illiterate adults. In 1979, the Department of Adult Education
was established in the Ministry of Culture and Social Services to, among others, spearhead a
national adult education program (UNESCO, 2007). This bold step saw the establishment of
adult education centers in most parts of the country. In 2002, the coordination of adult
education was moved to the Ministry of Education. A key outcome of housing adult education
in the Ministry of Education was a gradual increase in enrolment in adult learners. For
example, there were about 250,000 such learners in 2007 and 291,000 of them in 2012. While
the country reforms the different social institutions, it will be required to provide the requisite
education, including ACE to the target groups. Among others, such a venture should embrace
progressive management and leadership styles, attitude change as well as fostering a
knowledgeable and cohesive society with a tradition of national ideals and basic human rights
(ROK, 2012). Further, education and training should be directed towards enabling society to
cherish science, technology and innovation, preserve and sustainably harness the environment
for development. In other words, the education and training sector should enable society exploit
opportunities and take responsibility.

Adult education has an added benefit because literate parent values the education of their
children (Republic of Kenya, 2007). Adult basic education (ABE) is one of the major
components of the adult and continuing education (ACE) subsector of education. It provides
basic education and training opportunities to adults and out of school youth aged 15 years and
above who have either missed their chances in the formal education system during their
childhood or dropped out of school before obtaining sustainable education.

According to Population and Housing Census (1999), adult basic education program targets an
estimated 4.2 million illiterate adults and another 2.2 million out of school youth. According to
vision 2030 the overall goal for 2012 is to reduce adult education by increasing access to
education, improving the transition rate from primary to secondary schools and raising the
quality and relevance of education. Other goals include achieving 80 percent adult education
rate, increase the net enrolment rate to 95 percent which can only be realized after eliminating
all the barriers hindering full participation of adult education learners.

The Kenya national adult education survey indicates that the government of Kenya is a
signatory of educational to all framework for action adapted at the world education forum in
Darkar, Senegal. Karani (1996) noted that there is a decline in adult education enrolment for
the case in Kenya. She identifies factors that contribute to this decline as inability to recruit
adequate and qualified teachers, social factors which discourage some adults from attending
classes, lack of adequate classes enough to attract adults and non-availability of appropriate
reading materials in some ethnic language.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Illiteracy levels in Kenya has been high following low rate of school enrollment and high
dropout rates during the Late president Kenyatta and Moi regimes. Based on that, efforts towards
development were hindered by this factor but this trend changed on commencement of the free
primary education( FPE) during the Retired president Mwai Kibaki’s regime. The people who
enrolled in the FPE are at the ages of between 16- 20 years some in their final years of high
schools and others in colleges. This predicts that Kenya’s adult illiteracy rate is at about 18.5% .
The ideal situation is that all persons be literate or at least be able to read, write and do simple
arithmetic which requires a huge input by the stake holders..

The government of Kenya is committed to see the success of adult basic education program and
it recognizes its importance in both economic, social and even political development,
Nevertheless, the program is experiencing poor participation in most regions in Kenya. This is
supported by Kenya National Adult education Survey which revealed that despite adult
education program being inexistence for many years there are loopholes within the adult
education program system that needs to be sealed for it to be successful. Most of adult education
centers in Kenya are experiencing low enrolment and poor participation leading to drop outs.
According to Nyatuka, Ndiku 2015 Adult education has been on Kenya’s development agenda
since independence aimed at reducing adult illiteracy. As such, the Kenyan government has put
in place policies that addresses various factors in order to create a well-informed human resource
capable of impacting positively on the country’s development

However a report by the Kenya National Adult education Survey Report of March 2007 indicates
that (38.5%) of Kenya’s adult population is still illiterate with notable disparities between
various regions and across gender. There is also evidence of relapsing into adult education of
those who had earlier been through primary level of education. This state of affairs depicts a
worrying trend especially on government policy towards implementation of adult education
program. In some cases the youths and adults are opting to join formal systems of education
instead of enrolling in adult education program. Kajiado North Constituency is an electoral
constituency in Kenya. It is one of five constituencies in Kajiado County. The constituency was
established for the 1966 elections. The constituency is represented in Parliament by Joseph
Manje. The Kenya National Adult education Survey conducted in 2007 indicated that Kajiado
County had an adult education level of 50.2%. The adult education level among the male
population was 48% compared to 52% among the female population. Statistics available from
the County Adult Education Office indicated that enrolment of adult learners in year 2015 was
more than seven thousand for the whole county while Kajiado North Sub-County had the lowest
enrolment learners compared to the other four Sub-Counties in the year 2015. Kajiado North
Sub-County contributed only 10.5% of those who enrolled in the whole county in the year 2015.
This shows an underlying problem in enrollment in Kajiado North Sub-County.

This study therefore will be carried out with the aim of examining the determinants of successful
adult education programs in Kenya; a case of Kajiado North Sub County, Kajiado County.

1.3 Justification of the Study

According to the World bank report 2020 Kenya’s literacy stand at 81.54% Following this
report, It is clear that illiteracy levels in Kenya are at about 18%. As such there is need to
improve on the situation and create conducive environment for adults who missed the
opportunity to go to school to learn. Kajiado is a pastoral area with Nomadic life styles. Based on
this education absorption is low and stigma on adults going to school is high; Due to patrimony
(male dominance) Men find it threatening when their wives go to school and therefore lack of
moral support especially for women from their spouses when seeking for knowledge through
education. Culture is another factor that has contributed to low absorption of education in
Kajiado North where women are perceived as home keepers hence are denied opportunities to go
to school for their personal development.

With the incoming of technology in communication, business transactions such as Mpesa, tax
returns there is need to address adult education enrolments and ways to improve learners
participation, create basic awareness and promote campaigns on adult education to enable all to
productively participate in development activities in and beyond Kajiado North Subcounty;
hence a comprehensive empirical study is required to fill the gaps. It is with this that the present
study is deemed essential.
Equally, this study will benefit the education planning committees in Kajiado North Sub County
in assessing the successful adult education programs in the Sub County and the findings will
assist all the education bodies, Quality Assurance and Standard officers both at the Sub County
and the national levels in enhancing adult education programs and making adjustments where
necessary to make these programs successful and beneficial to both the learners and the
education facilitators. The findings also will propel the management body on improving the
practice approaches and methodology. The findings will also contribute additional in-depth
information which will provide the ministry of education with better ways of planning and
implementing out adult education curriculum in future. Additionally the findings will hopefully
be used to improve the performance in terms of enrollment and completion of adult students in
adult education centers in Kajiado North Sub County and beyond.

1.4 Objective of the Study

1.4.1 General Objective
The objective of this study will be to establish the determinants of successful adult education
programs in Kenya.

1.4.2 Specific Objectives.

i. To determine the enrolment rate of adult education learners in successful adult education
programs in Kajiado North Sub County.
ii. To establish the dropout rate of adults students in successful adult education programs in
Kajiado North Sub County.
iii. To establish the factors that explain the enrolment and the dropout rate of adult education
learners in Kajado North Sub County.

1.5 Research Questions

i. What is the enrolment rate of adult education learners in adult education programs
in Kajiado North Sub County?
ii. What is the dropout rate of adult education learners in adult education programs at
Kajiado North Sub County?
iii. What factors explain the enrolment and the dropout rate of adult education
learners in Kajiado North Sub County?