Positioning Diversity in Kenyan Schools

Malve von Möllendorff

Description

Education is considered key for societies to achieve greater social cohesion and equality. Yet, schools, as the main providers of formal education, have increasingly come into question concerning their role in manifesting and perpetuating social categorisations, inequalities and discrimination instead of decreasing existing fragmentations and challenging power relations and hierarchies.

As a diverse society, Kenya is faced with power struggles and rivalries between different groups - for instance, along ethnic lines, often constructed deep in colonial history. This affects teaching and learning in school and the result is that Kenya is faced with vast disparities in terms of educational access and success - rendering some social groups marginalised and others favoured.

Positioning Diversity at Kenyan Schools explores the ways in which teachers in Kenyan primary and secondary schools experience and deal with social categorisations and diversity in terms of ethnicity, gender, wealth, culture, religion, etc. in their professional practice and in the current education system. Using critical pedagogy and diversity theory as a lens for positioning diversity in Kenyan schools, the questions that this book sets out to answer are: In what ways do the teachers' and schools' practices lead to transformation in terms of more social equality and less discrimination? In what ways do the practices manifest existing group categorisations, hierarchies and discrimination? How can schools and teaching practices in postcolonial Kenya become more inclusive and foster social cohesion and equality?

List of tables and figures

Acknowledgements

1 Introduction

2 Diversity in Education

3 Education and Diversity in Kenya

4 Diversity Experiences and Interpretations: Biographical Perspectives

5 Diversity Experiences and Practices as Professional Teachers

6 A Grounded Theory of Diversity in Kenyan School Contexts

7 Final thoughts and prospects

Notes

References

Sujets

• EDUCATION
• Social cohesion
• Multicultural education
• Philosophy
• Inclusion (education)
• Education in Africa

Informations

• Publié par: African Minds
• Date de parution: 01 juin 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781928502340
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 6 Mo

Extrait

POSITIONING DIVERSITY IN KENYAN SCHOOLS Teaching in the Face of Inequality and Discrimination

Malve von Möllendorff

Posîtîonîng Dîversîty în Kenyan Scoos Teacîng în te Face o ïnequaîty and Dîscrîmînatîon

Mave von Möendorf

AFRICAN MINDS

Pubîsed în 2022 by Arîcan Mînds 4 Ecceston Pace, Somerset West 7130, Cape Town, Sout Arîca îno@arîcanmînds.org.za www.arîcanmînds.org.za

Arîcan Mînds îs a not-or-proIt, open-access pubîser. ïn îne wît our goa o deveopîng and osterîng access, openness and debate în te pursuît o growîng and deepenîng te Arîcan knowedge base and an Arîca-based creatîve commons, tîs pubîcatîon orms part o our non-peer revîewed îst, te broad mîssîon o wîc îs to support te dîssemînatîon o knowedge rom and în Arîca reevant to addressîng te socîa caenges tat ace te Arîcan contînent.

hîs work îs pubîsed under a Creatîve Commons Attrîbutîon 4.0 ïnternatîona îcense (CC-BY).

ïSBN Paper 978-1-928502-33-3 ïSBN eBook 978-1-928502-34-0 ïSBN ePub 978-1-928502-35-7

Orders Arîcan Mînds 4 Ecceston Pace, Somerset West 7130, Cape Town, Sout Arîca îno@arîcanmînds.org.za www.arîcanmînds.org.za

For orders rom outsîde Sout Arîca: Arîcan Books Coectîve PO Box 721, Oxord OX1 9EN, UK orders@arîcanbookscoectîve.com www.arîcanbookscoectîve.com

Fundîng statement: hîs open access pubîcatîon was sponsored by te Arîcan Exceence Programme o te German Academîc Excange Servîce (DAAD) wît unds rom te Federa Foreîgn Oice (Project-ïD: 57457894).

Contents

îst o tabes and Igures Acknowedgements

1 2 3 4 5

6

7

ïntroductîon Dîversîty în Educatîon Educatîon and Dîversîty în Kenya Dîversîty Experîences and ïnterpretatîons: Bîograpîca Perspectîves DîversîtyExperîencesandPractîces as Proessîona Teacers AGroundedheoryoDîversîtyînKenyan Scoo Contexts Fîna tougts and prospects

Notes Reerences

iii

îv v

1 11 45

101

151

214 255

269 271

List of tables and figures

Tabe 1eyrv012mînoSucayneocEKcaduE9:îaontîîtutîtsnsno by category 2014–2018 Tabe 2 ïdentîIcatîon wît etnîc group în Kenya Tabe 3 Unaîr treatment accordîng to etnîc group Tabe 4 Experîences o dîscrîmînatîon based on etnîcîty Tabe 5 Preerence o specîIc socîa groups as neîgbours

64 81 81 81 90

Fîgure 1:7201portgReorînMnotînoudEîtacGaob ower secondary competîon rate – gender dîsparîtîes 74 Fîgure 2GobaEdRngorep20t:17tacunoîînoMîrot Tertîary competîon rate – gender dîsparîtîes 74 Fîgure 3îoatMonbaucEdpeRtrootîngnîr20o17G: Never been to scoo – gender dîsparîtîes 75 Fîgure 4 Pupîs wo can do Cass 2 work 76 Fîgure 5 Teacers’ caenges în te cassroom 92 Fîgure 6 Vîsuaîsîng etnîcîty: Types o bîograpîca experîences 104 Fîgure 7 Vîsuaîsîng gender: Types o bîograpîca experîences 125 Fîgure 8 Vîsuaîsîng socîo-economîc background: Types o experîences 138 Fîgure 9 Organîsîng sceme or te study o dîversîty în educatîon în Kenyan scoo contexts 214 Fîgure 10 ïmposed îerarcîsatîon: Context and causa actors 219 Fîgure 11 Teacers’ strategîes respondîng to dîversîty as împosed îerarcîsatîon 236 Fîgure 12 Anaytîca mode: Dîversîty în educatîon în Kenyan scoo contexts 249

iv

Acknowledgements

Researc projects îke te one tîs book îs based on requîre sîgnîIcant efort, resources and support rom varîous speres. ï wîs to express my sîncere gratîtude to a wo ave contrîbuted to makîng ît appen. ïn partîcuar, ï tank my academîc supervîsors, Proessors Karsten Speck, Rudo eîprect and Matabo Kau, or teîr support, guîdance and encouragement trougout te researc process. ït was a great experîence to ave you as supervîsors, teacers, mentors and rîends at te same tîme. hank you so muc. ï am aso deepy îndebted to my wonderu researc partîcîpants wo sared teîr persona and teacîng experîences, teîr vîews and însîgts wît me – wîtout you, tîs project woud ave never succeeded. ï ave earned a ot rom you, and ï admîre your strengt and resîîence. Furtermore, ï want to tank my amîy and rîends wo eped me în so many ways to compete tîs project: by ookîng ater te cîdren or takîng tem on a oîday (eavîng me aone wît my researc), sarîng îdeas, îstenîng, encouragîng troug teîr musîc and augter. hanks especîay to Bernd, Muttî, ïke, Aaron, Fak, Rafa, Anna, Markus, Hotte, Fabîan, ïsa, Joscî, auau, Gerda, Hartmut, Oscar, Sabîne, Katja, Wîebke, Ute, Sara and Rucsandra. hîs researc woud not ave been possîbe wîtout te East and Sout Arîcan Centre o Exceence în Educatîona Researc Metodoogîes and Management (CERM-ESA) amîy and rîends at Moî Unîversîty, Neson Mandea Unîversîty, Uganda Management ïnstîtute, te Unîversîty o Dar es Saaam and te

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POSïTïONïNG DïVERSïTY ïN KENYAN SCHOOS

Unîversîty o Odenburg. Feow coordînators, project eaders, acuty members, students, rîends and advîsory board members – tank you! ï ee prîvîeged to be part o tîs strong Centre o Exceence în Arîca, wîc as grown rom decades o cooperatîon between te Odenburg and Neson Mandea unîversîtîes. he ate Proessors Wogang Nîtsc and Nevîe Aexander taugt us to work togeter across te contînents or socîa justîce, peace and umanîty and, wîtout tem, ï am sure tîs project woud not be were ît îs în our endeavour or meanîngu, crîtîca and empowerîng educatîon. On my journey troug varîous cooperatîon projects durîng te past 20 years, ï especîay beneIted rom dîscussîons and excange wît dear coeagues and rîends: Pro. ogan Atîemooam, Pro. Raymond Auerbac, Pro. aban Ayîro, Pro. Bîrgît Brock-Utne, Kaîroonîsa FoLonker, Pro. Yazîr Henrî, Pro. Caterîne Odora Hoppers, Dr Eugenîa Kaanabo, Dr Susan Kurgat, Pro. Naydene de ange, Dr James Mars, Dr Mukî Moeng, Pro. Proscovîa Namubîru, Pro. Vîoet Opata, Koîsa Papu, Dr Bernadeta Rusau, Pro. Mîcae Samue, Marcus Soomon, Dr Davîd Ssekamatte, Pro. Meîssa Steyn and Pro. Pau Webb. hank you or sarîng your însîgts wît me. Our cose cooperatîon, partnersîp and excange ave been generousy supported troug undîng by te German Academîc Excange Servîce. ï am partîcuary grateu to Dr Dorotee Weyer and Eva Rotenpîeer-Dîone or teîr unwaverîng support and trust în our work în CERM-ESA. Fînay, yet împortanty, ï woud îke to tank Moîra Rîcards or edîtîng my work and Arîcan Mînds or teîr cooperatîon and proessîonaîsm în pubîsîng te book.

vi

CHAP TER ONE Introduction

‘ï aways say tîs: A teacer can cange a socîety.’ (Researc partîcîpant)

1

Educatîon can pay a centra roe în provîdîng opportunîtîes and în împrovîng îe or a peope. Hence, great eforts ave been made to reaîse te Unîted Natîons’ Educatîon or A agenda and to ‘ensure încusîve and equîtabe quaîty educatîon’ or a (as 1 stated în Sustaînabe Deveopment Goa 4). ïn teAgenda 2063: he Arîca We Want(Arîcan Unîon Commîssîon 2015) educatîon îs îgîgted as key or empowerîng te yout and cîdren (and or deveopîng teîr potentîa) and or te we-beîng o a peope. However, scoos, as te maîn provîders o orma educatîon, ave încreasîngy come înto questîon concernîng teîr roe în manîestîng and perpetuatîng socîa înequaîtîes rater tan reducîng ragmentatîons, socîa categorîsatîons and îerarcîes. 2 he Unesco Word ïnequaîty Database on Educatîon reveas te vast dîsparîtîes în countrîes concernîng access to (and success în) educatîon between, or exampe, rura and urban, emae and mae, rîc and poor, cîdren and yout. he Unîted Natîons Deveopment Programme poînts out tat înequaîtîes oten start beore bîrt and ‘accumuate troug îe, oten reLectîng deep power îmbaances’ – wît educatîon, educatîon poîcy and

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POSïTïONïNG DïVERSïTY ïN KENYAN SCHOOS

înstîtutîons payîng a key roe în reproducîng or transormîng înequaîtîes ‘ormed deep în îstory’ (2019: 10). ïn Kenya, severe dîsparîtîes în educatîon acîevement exîst between dîferent socîay and geograpîcay posîtîoned groups 3 (Ng’asîke 2019; Unesco 2020 ). Monîtorîng reports sow tat te best and te worst perormîng dîstrîcts în East Arîca are în 4 Kenya. Because o îts socîa dîversîty, înequaîty and dîsparîtîes în educatîon, Kenya was a partîcuary înterestîng case or tîs study, wîc puts teacers at îts centre. Teacers’ experîences and proessîona practîces în deaîng wît dîversîty and înequaîty and, tus, teîr potentîa or redîrectîng socîety towards equaîty, are te ocus o tîs book.

Social diversity and inequalities as a challenge For education

Questîons o socîa dîsparîty and socîa coesîon are debated extensîvey by educatîonîsts around te word wo seek ways or educatîon systems to respond to te socîa înequaîty and încreasîng socîa ragmentatîon tat destabîîse democracîes (Banks & Banks 2019; Spreen & Vay 2006; Wagenbac 2017). Over te past decades, tese debates ave încreasîngy empoyed te notîon o dîversîty as an anaytîca perspectîve tat as been generated în scîentîIc and pîosopîca contexts as we as în poîtîca and socîa movements sînce te 1960s. Dîversîty emerged as a concept cosey înked to te strugge or recognîtîon and partîcîpatîon by margînaîsed socîa groups, and înerenty connected to questîons o socîa (în)equaîty. Reerrîng to îts orîgîns, Vertovec states:

Contemporary scoarsîp on dîversîty condenses and buîds upon decades o sîgnîIcant empîrîca and teoretîca work surroundîng key concepts îke race, gender and sexuaîty as we as subjects suc as dîscrîmînatîon, socîa movements and socîa înequaîty. (Vertovec 2014: 1)

ScîentîIc înterest în dîversîty în educatîon settîngs reates to te empîrîca and teoretîca anaysîs o socîa categorîsatîons regardîng

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ïNTRODUCTïON

îdentîtîes and aiîatîons and teîr înterpay. hus, group-centred dîversîty approaces oreground ow educatîon systems and scoos dîscrîmînate and mîsrepresent specîIc socîa groups, and ow tese structures and mecanîsms can be transcended to acîeve equaîty, more socîa justîce and ess dîscrîmînatîon (Banks 2015; adson-Bîîngs 2014; Sayed & Amed 2011; Wagenbac 2017). hîs încudes eforts to equîp scoos and teacers to cater or groups o earners wo do not meet wat îs consîdered te ‘norm’ în a partîcuar scoo or educatîon system. Specîa needs educatîon, cuturay responsîve pedagogy, reugee, gîr-cîd or mutîcutura educatîon approaces ave, among oters, saped some o te tînkîng around eterogeneîty and dîversîty în scoos în past decades. ookîng rom anoter ange at dîscrîmînatîon and înequaîty în educatîon, power-crîtîca approaces ocus on te socîa mecanîsms, încudîng te power reatîons and dîscourses, tat (re)produce înequaîty between dîferent socîeta groups – aîmîng to deconstruct tese mecanîsms and dîssove boundarîes. hese deconstructîonîst or power-centred approaces înterrogate te ways în wîc dîferences concernîng, or exampe, gender, etnîcîty, cuture, sexua orîentatîon or abîîty are constructed and become sîgnîIcant wît regard to educatîon and socîa înequaîty. ïntersectîonaîty provîdes a ramework to întegrate mutîpe axes o dîference în teîr sîmutaneous and înterconnected efects. ït serves as a ens to vîew group constructîons as Luîd, temporary and Lexîbe rater tan essentîaîsed and omogeneous. Wen ocusîng on te contested space o dîstorted power reatîons and on te oppressîve systems and dîscourses tat produce axes o dîference în a socîety, scoos and teacers cannot be regarded as neutra payers; tey must be seen as entanged în tese conIguratîons tat produce socîa înequaîty. Synergîstîcay, te two maîn concerns o dîversîty în educatîon are, Irst, to airm dîferent socîa îdentîtîes and categorîes reerrîng to etnîcîty, cass, gender, (dîs)abîîty, sexua orîentatîon, age and so ort – and to acknowedge tat tese are poweru în sapîng educatîona processes. hîs încudes rearrangement o

3