An assessment of learners’ participation in the management of adult and continuing education centres in Kenya

Abstract

This study focused on the Assessment of Adult Learners’ participation in the Management of Adult & Continuing Education (ACE) centers and was carried out in Lang’ata and Kibra Sub Counties, in Nairobi County. The study was descriptive in nature and used both probability and non-probability sampling techniques. The study established that adult learners were involved in the management of ACE centers especially through the committee meetings and this helped in improving class room management and decision making. The study did also establish that the learners were involved in the implementation of the ACE centres programmes especially the income generating activities, while for the maters to do with teaching and learning, this was a largely a responsibility of the teacher in-charge of the centre. Other key findings included were concerns on lack of proper accountability mechanism in the management of ACE centres, with a major concern being lack downward accountability from the Ministry of Education to the learners. On the other hand, low literacy levels, lack of ACE center management guidelines at the center level and inadequate time for participation, were some of the main factors affecting meaningful participation of the learners in the management of centres. To be able to improve the participation of the learners in the Management of the ACE Centres, there is need to have in place detailed government guidelines for the establishment, composition & functions of the ACE center management committees and for conducting an Induction of the ACE center management committee members.