The social origin of primary school student-teachers in Kenya

Abstract

This is a study of the social origin of primary school student-teachers in Kenya's Primary school Teacher Training Colleges. Students in this study were drawn from Kagumo, Kigari, Machakos and Thogoto Teacher- Training Colleges. A questionnaire on several socioeconomic and educational aspects of these students was administered. The data was analysed by regression analysis of seven variables to see the nature of correlation and clustering of socio-economic and educational factors. This study is divided into four chapters namely the introduction, theoretical background, hypotheses of the study, definition of terms, method and analysis 'y of data. In introduction, we discuss the nature of the status which have been accorded to teachers in various societies. A general observation, here, is that historically the status of teachers has been low. We take the low status associated with primary school teaching as our point of departure for the study of social origin of those attracted to this level of teaching profession. (V). --The chapter on theoretical background discusses how teaching has been associated with working class. Studies done in Western societies on choice of teaching as a carefer suggest that teaching as a career facilitates upward social mobility of the working class over two or three generations. Studies done on African secondary school students educational and occupational aspirations tend to support Western findings. Teaching, in most cases, is chosen by students from low socio-economic backgrounds. A general summary of the study is that primary school student-teachers in Kenya are mostly drawn from parents who have little or no western education. Female students, in our sample, came from more educated families than their male counterparts. The parents of students in the sample, were mostly small-scale farmers. The findings of V the study support what has been found in other societies concerning teaching as a career - it is mostly chosen by students from low socio-economic background and provides an avenue for upward social mobility over one or two generations.