Institutional factors influencing inclusive education for urban refugee pupils’ in public primary schools within Dagoretti Sub – County Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the institutional factors influencing inclusive education for Urban Refugees pupils in Public Primary Schools within Dagoretti SubCounty Nairobi. The objectives of the study are: to establish how language of instruction influences inclusive education for urban refugees pupils’ in public primary schools Dagoretti Sub-County Nairobi; to examine how government registration policy influences inclusive education on urban refugees pupils’ in public primary school Dagoretti Sub-County Nairobi; to determine how refugee pupils’ school admission process influences inclusive education for urban refugees pupils in public primary school Dagoretti Sub-County, Kenya and to determine whether teachers preparedness to handle refugee pupils influences inclusive education for urban refugees pupils’ in public primary school Dagoretti Sub-County Nairobi. The researcher used survey design. Mixed methods approach where both qualitative and quantitative methods were also applied. Words and narratives were used to add meaning to numbers. By doing so, strengths of one method covered the weakness of another. The target population included all the 23 public primary schools. These were schools within Dagoretti Sub-County which enrolled refugees. The population included teachers, refugee pupils in class six, seven and eight and all head-teachers in the 23 public primary schools. A sample of seven schools was used which was 30% of 23 schools. Purposive sampling was used to identify and pick the public primary schools with refugees. The head-teacher of the school picked was used as a respondent. Thus, head-teachers were also sampled purposefully. However, stratified sampling was used to sample of 52 teachers (that is 30% of 175) and 120 refugee pupils which is 30% of 400 from class eight, seven and six. The research instruments of choice used in the study were questionnaires which were semi-structured. Likert scale and openended questions were disseminated. Descriptive statistics such as Frequencies, Mean, Standard deviation and the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 were used to analyze the qualitative data. The findings indicated that the language used during teaching was well understood by refugee pupils, Dagoretti schools had a school language policy which was used in teaching, that teachers were sharing experiences about teaching refugee pupils and thus learning from one another on how to help and assist them learn and catch up with others. The study also found that the government registration policy required all students (refugees inclusive) to have birth certificates especially when doing national exams. This thus, enhanced documentation and proper follow up of refugees in the country. That all teachers needed training to effectively teach and handle refugee pupils. This indicated that their educational background was not enough to prepare teachers to effectively teach and handle refugee pupils. Recommendation include: There was need to train the head-teachers, teachers and other staff on how to handle refugee pupils, to train teachers on the right language of instruction and the best methods of curriculum delivery. The government of Kenya registration process needed to be simplified. The head teachers to avoid use of age to refuse admission of refugees and teachers to always utilize teaching aids as they are key to enhance understanding of different subjects. It is important to note that refuge pupils in Dagoretti Sub-County were not discriminated against either physically or by denial of educational services. Thus, education in Dagoretti Sub-County is for all. Any support offered to Dagoretti Sub-County to continue fostering this education would be of great importance.