BOOK TITLED INCORPORATING CULTURE IN EDUCATION FOR DEVELOPMENT LAUNCHED IN NAIROBI AS PROF JACOB KAIMENYI TOLD OFF RADICAL FROM EDUCATION

ILAHAKA FRANCIS

Cabinet secretary ministry of education. Science  and technology Prof Jacob T Kaimenyi had defended  Kenya education system, saying that it is useful during this  21 century.

He  said that the government major objective is to produce thinkers and job creators but not job seekers

He warns that the govement will not allow politics and radicalism in the education sectors  but instead appealed to experts to  contribute to wards the improvement of the system for better..

Prof Kaimenyi was speaking at German Culture Center in Nairobi during the official launching of abook on incorporating  culture in education  for development which is ajoint project between Kenyans writers Scholars and German through Goethe Institute Nairobi.

While praising the center for protect he appealed to other groups and center to work with Kenyans Scholars’ in order to improve education system in the Country.

 He took issues with  those saying that the government is offering  baseless education adding that education matters cannot be tickled on the street but instead both teachers and those concern should come on round table

The social pillar of Kenya’s blueprint for development, dubbed “Vision 2030”, emphasizes investment in education and training, mainstreaming of gender, children and social development as well as support for the youth, sports and creative industries. My ministry therefore takes a keen interest on matters relating to the improvement of education.

It is for this reason that my ministry supports this initiative to discuss the importance of culture in education for sustainable development. On one hand, we are cognizant of the fact that all the cultures of our communities, both oral and written, form the basis of our identity and collective memory as a nation. On the other hand, we also know that development projects designed without consideration of the cultures of the communities involved are neither effective nor sustainable.

While perusing the publication being launched and listening to the panel discussion on the role of culture in development, it was not lost on me that the speakers underscored the need to integrate Kenya’s oral culture into the mainstream education curriculum by encouraging our children and the youth to take a keen interest in subjects such as music, fine arts, theatre and literature. Not only do these subjects form a medium for propagation, dissemination and preservation of our culture; they also enable our youth to develop their talents and contribute to the development of our country by being productive in the creative industries.

The Ministry of Education Science and Technology has in the past invested and still invests money and other resources to facilitate the organization and smooth running of the school music and drama festivals at regional and national   levels as a way of encouraging the children and youth of this country to embrace and appreciate the diversity of our local cultures.

I have noted with keen interest that the use of music as well as participatory education theatre (PET) as a tool for education in our schools and in local communities was widely discussed in different forums prior to the publication of this book.

My ministry will continue to work together with other stakeholders to make Kenya’s education sector more vibrant and relevant to the needs of the 21^st century. As we integrate new information and communication technologies in the education curriculum, we must also ensure that the content is appropriate, wholesome and suitable to the needs of our country. The Radio, Television and Internet are ‘revolutionary’ ICTs in education and reinforce pedagogical practices.

The Radio is useful as an effective and interesting tool in both formal and non-formal situations within a wide variety of instructional design contexts and subject areas. The radio is a suitable medium due to its low cost and reliability in all climates and terrains. Lessons from the radio are so designed to permit and encourage listeners’ reaction and comments. Evaluations of lessons are also immediate.

It is no idle forecast to say that Television is an eminent tool in learning by communicating messages on a massive scale to various audiences. At the policy formulation and implementation stages in the education sector, the Television is a shaper of attitudes among stakeholders, reaching the “neediest of the needy”. In addition, educational aspirations, scientific, mathematical and analysis of other facts about life are transmitted through the Television. The Television act as motivator for critical thinking that is so essential in the current global dispensation.

It is easy to see the impact of the Internet in our society and the education and training sector in Kenya. The Internet has made it possible for educators and learners to communication with one another over vast geographical distances, thereby raising their levels of knowledge and  image. On the other hand, teachers can contact the entire class by sending one e-mail through web pages where students get content outline or assignments. Our focus is now on empowering communities at the grassroots and training technical staff to drive these ICTs in education.

ENDS