A philosophical study of teaching as a profession with specific reference to Kenya

Abstract

The teaching occupation is central to any education system. This thesis wants to look at the phenomenon of teaching with special reference to Kenya. In doing so, it wants to critically evaluate the various views held on teaching and notably teaching as a profession. The thesis starts by examining different views held on teaching in Kenya. It begins with the traditional society, then moves to the colonial era, and from the colonial era to the contemporary erao It looks at the traditional notion of teaching which was gradually replaced by one in the colonial time that saw teaching as a vocation. This eventually led to the idea of teaching as a profession. Currently, teaching in the formal sense in Kenya is viewed as a profession. This has some direct practical and theoretical implications. To understand the implications of holding teaching as a profession, the thesis starts with a historical perspective. It attempts to unearth certain historical data and fundamental concepts assumed to be related to teaching. It looks at the formalization, and westernization of teaching and the growth of professions. It also looks at the modern development of the idea of a profession. Within this context, it evaluates the various definitions of a profession. Eventually it takes Jackson's definition of a profession as most representative. Jackson's definition is reduced into a number of criteria that an occupation must fulfil so as to qualify as a profession. Using Jackson's criteria of a profession, the thesis attempts to apply them to teaching in general and to teaching in Kenya particularly. After a critical analysis it arrives at the conclusion that certain dimensions ~f a profession are not accounted for in theory and in practice - within the teaching occupation. It finds that present day practice and eheory hold teaching as a technique. The idea of a technique which arises out of specialisation, itself is a new dimension of a profession that is receiving great emphasis today. Evaluate ting this trend the thesis finds there 1S no way we can go back to the ideal of the past, but concludes there 1S urgent need to reconsider

and re-examine the idea of teaching as a profession. It states that rather than look at the specialisation (technique) aspect as the only criterion of a profession we should look at what the thesis considers as a more fundamental aspect of a profession. Thus, we should focus our attention on one dimension that was implied in the traditional view of a profession, which is the idea of truthfulness and altruism, but which in recent times has lest significance. The thesis finds this would lead to the human dimension of teaching, which it considers ought to form an essential part of teaching, if a teacher is to act as a guide - a pointer in lifeo The thesis ends by stating some implications of this "new" view or dimension of teaching.