[…] In Kenya secondary education is still very problematic, as it is cost school fees and this money is often too much for the low-earning families. Therefore only 30% of the eligible studets are going to secondary schools in Kenya (Aduda, Daily Nation, 14.06.2007). […]During a three-month stay in Kenya I had the chance to conduct an interview with parents, who send their girls to a secondary school in Mabungo, a village next to the city of Ukunda. My aim was to find out, why parents decided to send the girls to school and what they expect from those investments in the future.
Four leading hypotheses were established before the interviews took place, namely:
1. Families that have the choice of sending boys or girls to school prefer the boys. […]
2. Only parents who are educated themselves also care about education for their children.
3. The work that has to be done around the house prevents parents from sending their children to school, since their working skills are needed in order to feed the family
4. Parents see the investing in their children as a step into a secure future for themselves, which is often the main reason why they send their children to school.
In order to find out whether those hypotheses apply, the interview was constructed around those questions.[…]
The set-up of the paper will reconstruct the approach, which was taken in order to find answers to the hypotheses. In the first part the methodology, which was chosen in order to construct and implement the interview, will be described. After this the answers will be described and it will be shown that especially the fourth hypothesis is true and of crucial importance for parents that send their girls to secondary schools. In the following section it will be checked if the results of the interview are in line with other research practices or if the results differ from what other scientists found out. The special circumstances, which maybe lead to differences, will be described in the next section, and therefore it is of importance to closer, describe the area of the coast in Kenya and the city of Ukunda.
The fifth section will take one finding of the paper under closer investigation. Most parents answered that they send their children to school so that the children can ensure a better future for themselves and for the whole family. It seems like the education of the children can serve as a kind of “retirement fund”. […]
Table of Content
1. Introduction
2. The Interview
2.1 Prior Thoughts to the interview
2.1.1 The directors/sponsors of the school
2.1.2 Teachers
2.1.3 Students
2.1.4 Parents and Guardians
2.2 Set-up of the Interview
2.3 Methodology used by creating this Interview
2.4 Implementing of the Interview
2.5 Results of the Interview
3. Comparisons with other studies
3.1 Other studies about Education in Eastern Africa
3.2 Studies about Kenya with special emphasis on secondary education
3.3 Common findings of all studies
3.4 Differences between studies
4. Possible Explanations of differences between studies
4.1 Kenya
4.1.1 The coast of Kenya
4.1.2 Ukunda
4.2 Possible mistakes by conducting the study
4.3 Special features of the Diani Maendeleo Academy
4.4 New trends after the change in government?
5. Kenyan compared to German attitudes concerning the family
5.1 Social systems in Kenya and Germany
5.2 The family in the German system
5.3 Attitude towards the family in Kenya
5.4 Resulting Effects in both countries
6. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Themes
The primary objective of this study is to investigate the motivations of Kenyan parents for sending their daughters to secondary school, specifically within the context of the Diani Maendeleo Academy in Ukunda, and to explore the expectations they hold for these investments in the context of their family backgrounds and the wider socioeconomic landscape of Kenya.
- Factors influencing parental decision-making regarding secondary education for girls.
- The role of family structure and socioeconomic status in access to secondary education.
- Comparative analysis of family attitudes and retirement support systems in Kenya and Germany.
- Impact of the Kenyan governmental educational changes since 2002 on school access.
- Challenges within the labor market and their influence on parental expectations.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1.4 Parents and Guardians
The last group, which was finally chosen as target group for the interview, were the parents of the students. They are the ones who are mostly responsible for sending their children to secondary schools and they also have to carry the financial weight of the school education. Secondary schooling in Kenya is never free of charge and reach from 150 Euro per year up to 600 or even more Euro for the best schools in the country. For most Kenyans this sum is a very big investment. Therefore parents who send their children to secondary schools must have a severe interest in their education. One of the questions, which were of interest for me, was whether the parents expected certain topics, which need to be covered in school, or if they are just satisfied that their children go to school and that they have no further expectations since they have trust in the school system. If they have certain expectations it would be interesting to establish them in order to see what would be necessary in order to motivate even more people to send their children to school.
Another aspect, which I wanted to research, was the background of the families of our students. A common hypothesis is that only sons and daughters of educated people go to secondary school themselves and that an elite system is manifested through this.
Chapter Summary
1. Introduction: Outlines the research problem regarding the high cost of secondary education in Kenya and sets forth hypotheses concerning parental motivations, focusing on education as an investment for the future.
2. The Interview: Details the rationale for choosing parents/guardians as the primary target group, the methodology behind the interview design, and the implementation process conducted in Ukunda.
3. Comparisons with other studies: Synthesizes findings from previous academic literature on education in Eastern Africa, highlighting common themes such as gender disparity and the challenging job market for secondary graduates.
4. Possible Explanations of differences between studies: Examines specific contextual factors including the geography and economy of Kenya and the unique socio-educational model of the Diani Maendeleo Academy to explain research discrepancies.
5. Kenyan compared to German attitudes concerning the family: Compares the role of the family as a "retirement fund" in Kenya versus the institutionalized social welfare system in Germany to understand long-term motivations for education.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes key findings, confirming the importance of secondary education as a long-term investment while noting the persistent influence of financial barriers and the necessity of aligning curricula with job market requirements.
Keywords
Secondary education, Kenya, parental motivation, family background, Diani Maendeleo Academy, Ukunda, girl's education, social welfare, retirement fund, labor market, socioeconomic status, gender equality, employment, field study, vocational skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research study?
The study investigates the underlying reasons and motivations of Kenyan parents in Ukunda for sending their daughters to secondary school, despite significant financial burdens.
What are the primary themes discussed throughout the work?
Key themes include parental decision-making, the impact of socioeconomic status on education, gender differences in school access, and the cultural perception of education as an economic safety net.
What is the central research question or goal?
The goal is to determine why parents invest in their daughters' education and what expectations they hold, particularly concerning their children's ability to support the family later in life.
Which methodology was employed to gather data?
The researcher conducted qualitative and quantitative interviews with parents and guardians of students at the Diani Maendeleo Academy, supplemented by literature review and field observations.
What topics are covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers the interview design, comparisons with other studies on Eastern African education, contextual analysis of the Kenyan coast, and a comparative analysis of Kenyan and German family attitudes.
Which keywords best characterize the research?
Secondary education, Kenya, parental motivation, family background, employment, and socioeconomic status are among the primary identifiers for this work.
How does the Diani Maendeleo Academy differ from typical Kenyan schools?
The school is uniquely characterized by its social dimension, as it actively seeks European sponsors to support students from poor families, thereby lowering financial barriers for enrollment.
What role does the "family as a retirement fund" concept play in the study?
It acts as a critical motivation for parents; in the absence of a comprehensive state pension system in Kenya, parents view their children's education as essential for future financial security.
How did the researcher address the language barrier during fieldwork?
The researcher utilized a translator for interviews conducted in Kiswahili and prepared both English and Kiswahili versions of the interview questions to ensure accurate communication.
- Quote paper
- Daniel Schmidt (Author), 2007, I want my daughter to take care of me - A study about secondary education in Kenya with special emphasis on the family background of the students, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/91674
