Institutional factors influencing implementation of adult basic education curriculum in Isiolo central division, Isiolo county, Kenya

Abstract

Education is a basic need to all citizens as proclaimed by the universal charter of Human Rights of 1948. Adult Basic Education (ABE) is a major component of Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) sub-sector of Education. The implementation of ABE curriculum in Kenya has had a lot of challenges. Despite all the government’s effort to fight illiteracy in Kenya, recent studies reveal that there are many Kenyans who are illiterates. Isiolo Central Division suffers the problem of learners dropping out of school due to early marriages, search for the green pasture for their animals among other reasons. However, there have been low enrolment rates in adult literacy classes in Isiolo Central Division. The study investigated the institutional factors influencing the implementation of Adult Basic Education curriculum implementation in Isiolo Central Division, Isiolo County, Kenya. The study in particular sought to determine the influence of teaching/learning resources, professional qualifications of the Adult Basic Education facilitators, supervision of ABE and availability of funds on the implementation of ABE curriculum in the Division. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. The target population comprised of one (1) Adult Education Officer, thirty two (32) adult facilitators and 1016 adult learners making a total of 1049 respondents. The study used Purposive sampling to sample one ABE officer and thirty two ABE facilitators while stratified random sampling was used to sample one hundred and two ABE learners. Questionnaires and focus group discussion were used to collect data. A pilot study and discussion with experts was used to realize instrument validity. Instrument reliability was obtained using a pilot study. The researcher established that most of the facilitators utilize teaching/learning resources and that the teaching/learning resources are valued by both learners and facilitators. The study found out that teaching/learning resources in ABE centres are provided by learners, government, religious groups and NGOs. The study established that learners value supervision. The study established that ABE centres are financed by private institutions/individuals, government, NGOs and religious groups. The researcher further found that the funds are used to acquire teaching/learning resources, to pay for salaries and pay for rent of the premises used. The study recommended that adequate teaching/learning resources should be provided in ABE centres; the ministry of education should hire professionally qualified ABE facilitators in ABE centres; ABE supervisors should visit and supervise ABE centres regularly and the government, private sector, NGOs and religious groups should increase the funds they provide to ABE in order to enhance the process of ABE curriculum implementation. The researcher suggested that study should be carried out to establish the impact of institutional factors on the performance of ABE learners in national examinations and another one on establish the impact of academic/professional qualification and experience of facilitators on the performance of ABE learners in national examinations.