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Presenter: Francis Likoye Malenya School of Education, Kenyatta University)
UKFIET 2015 Conference held on 15th to 17th September 2015 at University of Oxford, UK.
LEARNING FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURES IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION AMONG SECONDARY
SCHOOLS STUDENTS IN KENYA
Introduction• Conflict is a characteristic of human life as it pervades all
institutions (political/economic/social e.t.c) but which must be managed constructive whenever it occurs
• This paper maintains that the best practice would entail possession of skills for managing this conflict in a sustainable manner.
• The paper focuses on conflict in secondary schools in Kenya amongst/by students (SV)
• In Kenya, this problem has been there since 1908 and has been changing in terms of frequency and nature of occurrences (from a few to hundreds and from boycotts and walkouts to destruction of property and even death
Cont: Introduction
Various task forces have been formed, however, these taskforces:
• Appointed at the peak of a wave of Student violence hence a hasty response
• Often allocated a short period of time (usually 3 weeks) to cover the entire country
• Methodology purely empirical and without much critical reflection and sufficient scrutiny of the findings
• The lack of a genuine commitment to full implementation of the recommendations of the taskforces
Theoretical Orientation
• Reflections in the paper done within the existentialist paradigm (sees students as conscious individuals searching for ‘who’ they are through their actions and making choices based on their experiences, values and outlook
• In particular, guided by Frantz Fanon’s therapeutic theory of violence and Paulo Freire’s theory of violence based upon dehumanization within power structures
Approach
Proceeded in the following steps:• Identified the ultimate sources of conflict in secondary schools• understand the relative dispositions of the students/learners
through analysis of their experiences• Identify skills knowledge competencies and values learners
require for purposes of addressing such conflicts as a move towards the creation of sustainable society
However, considering the weaknesses of the antecedent efforts• the paper holds that the causes so far identified are just but the
‘general causes’ and so employed experiential analysis to discover the underlying/ultimate causes.
• The identification of the kinds of skills knowledge competencies and values learners require is therefore based on these experiences and the subsequently generated dispositions in learners.
Genesis of Student Violence in Secondary schools in Kenya
• The general causes commonly identified include: improper exercise of power and authority, the prefect system, communication breakdown, manner of enforcing rules and regulations, punishment and examinations
The underlying causes• Analysis of experiences (mainly) of students located the
discontent within a range of experiences that include: humiliation, oppression, alienation, disempowerment, denial of rights and freedom, anxiety, hopelessness and disillusionment (absurdity), all of which engender dehumanization.
The root/underlying causes were deduced as: (a) Alienation of the students from their process of self-
determination, (b) Absurd (unfair) conditions of existence(c) An affront (real or perceived) to students’ values,
rights and freedom, • But according to Paulo Freire, the solution to this
dehumanization lies in the liberation of not only (the students as) the oppressed but also the (school administrators, teachers and other stakeholders as) oppressors, in an effort that engenders a process of humanization.
cont…genesis of SV
So, what competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Values do learners need to enable them address these challenges without necessarily becoming violent?
Reflections done in this paper culminated in the following:
1. Knowledge and understanding the fundamentals of use of Dialogue (including skills and values such as negotiation skills, self-control and respect (for others) as persons as well as respect for their values and general well being (respect for human dignity).
Cont…2. Knowledge and understanding of the ultimate nature
of rights and freedom that rights have limits and must not be exercised in ways that interfere with the well-being of others. Skills here include those that help build capacity in matters of making choices as well as values such as responsibility.
3. Knowledge and Skills for interpreting and even reviewing School rules and regulations
4. Knowledge and Understanding of the Value of Education
(that undue value seems to be placed on the passing of exams and the subsequent promise of a better future)
How then can these skills knowledge and values be integrated in the process of Curriculum Development
for Sustainable Futures in Conflict Resolution in Schools?
Notably, efforts put in place to address the problem of student violence in Kenyan secondary schools have been: - rather disjointed haphazard and uncoordinated - Lacking in critical reflection needed in order to make authentic recommendations. - Lack of commitment to full implementation of recommendations of taskforces
Cont…• This paper therefore holds that: Curriculum
development agencies and institutes should:- Take an active role in the critical study of the circumstances of conflict in schools identifying the gaps in knowledge, skills, competencies both on the part of the teachers and the learners. - Consider providing guidance in the coordination and packaging these skills, knowledge, competencies and values for learners.
(NB: the process of curriculum development must, however, be consultative - bringing on board all the relevant stakeholders).
Cont…• Be keen develop a curriculum out of all these, be it
for infusion into other already existing subjects or as a stand-alone subject.
• Target both learners and teachers in terms of dissemination of these skills, knowledge and values (for teachers - in-service training in seminars and workshops).
• Work in collaboration with curriculum implementers to ensure that this dissemination surely happens.
