Support to Children’s Education in the Urban Slums of Nairobi: Community and Parents’ Perceptions with an Expanded Phase of an Education Intervention Program
https://doi.org/10.17583/qre.2018.3240
Keywords:
Downloads
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to examine the perceptions of community elders and parents on their roles regarding support to their children’s education. Data come from the qualitative component of a baseline survey conducted in Korogocho and Viwandani, two urban informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. Data were collected in April-May 2016 through in-depth interviews, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Results demonstrated that community elders internalized their role as the face of government in their respective communities, and enforced the implementation of education policies on behalf of all children. The community leaders also saw as part of their role the need to encourage parents to be active participants in their children’s education. Female parents with boys in the program perceived that parental monitoring and follow-up was important to ensure that their children attended school, and completed work assigned by the teachers, more so in Korogocho. Overall, parents recognized the importance of the role they played in their children’s education. This is a good entry point as parental support will ensure the success and sustainability of the intervention to improve educational outcomes for children, which in turn will help their children navigate the challenging period that adolescence presents.
Downloads
References
Abuya, B., Oketch, M., & Musyoka, P. (2013). Why do pupils dropout when education is ‘free’? Explaining school dropout among the urban poor in Nairobi. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 43(6), 740-762.
Google Scholar CrossrefAbuya, B. A., Ngware, M. W., Hungi, N., Mutisya, M., Mahuro, G., Nyariro, M., . . . Mambe, S. (2015). Community participation and after-school support to improve learning outcomes and transition to secondary school among disadvantaged girls: A case of informal urban settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved from http://aphrc.org/publications/improving-learning-outcomes-and-transition-to-secondary-school-through-after-school-support-and-community-participation/
Google Scholar CrossrefAbuya, B. A., Onsomu, E. O., & Moore, D. (2012). Educational challenges and diminishing family safety net faced by high-school girls in a slum residence, Nairobi, Kenya. International Journal of Educational Development, 32(1), 81-91.
Google Scholar CrossrefAPHRC. (2002). Population and health dynamics in Nairobi's informal settlements.
Google Scholar CrossrefAPHRC. (2014). Population and Health Dynamics in Nairobi’s Informal Settlements: Report of the Nairobi Cross-sectional Slums Survey (NCSS)
Google Scholar CrossrefRetrieved from Nairobi:
Google Scholar CrossrefBryan, J. (2005). Fostering educational resilience and achievement in urban schools through school-family-community partnerships. Professional School Counseling, 219-227.
Google Scholar CrossrefCastro, M., Expósito-Casas, E., López-Martín, E., Lizasoain, L., Navarro-Asencio, E., & Gaviria, J. L. (2015). Parental involvement on student academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 14, 33-46.
Google Scholar CrossrefChristenson, S. L. (2004). The family-school partnership: An opportunity to promote the learning competence of all students. School Psychology Review, 33(1), 83.
Google Scholar CrossrefComer, J. P. (1996). Rallying the whole village: The Comer process for reforming education: Teachers College Press.
Google Scholar CrossrefEmina, J., Beguy, D., Zulu, E. M., Ezeh, A. C., Muindi, K., Elung’ata, P., . . . Yé, Y. (2011). Monitoring of health and demographic outcomes in poor urban settlements: evidence from the Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance System. Journal of Urban Health: Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, 88(Suppl. 2). doi:10.1007/s11524-011-9594-1
Google Scholar CrossrefEpstein, J., & Van Voorhis, F. (2010). School counselors' roles in developing partnerships with families and communities for student success. Professional School Counseling, 14(1), 1-14.
Google Scholar CrossrefEpstein, J. L. (1995). School/family/community partnerships. Phi delta kappan, 76(9), 701.
Google Scholar CrossrefFan, X., & Chen, M. (2001). Parental involvement and students' academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational psychology review, 13(1), 1-22.
Google Scholar CrossrefGreen, C. L., Walker, J. M., Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., & Sandler, H. M. (2007). Parents' motivations for involvement in children's education: An empirical test of a theoretical model of parental involvement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(3), 532.
Google Scholar CrossrefHenderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement. Annual Synthesis 2002. National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools.
Google Scholar CrossrefHill, N. E., & Taylor, L. C. (2004). Parental school involvement and children's academic achievement pragmatics and issues. Current directions in psychological science, 13(4), 161-164.
Google Scholar CrossrefHill, N. E., & Tyson, D. F. (2009). Parental involvement in middle school: a meta-analytic assessment of the strategies that promote achievement. Developmental psychology, 45(3), 740.
Google Scholar CrossrefHoover-Dempsey, K. V., & Sandler, H. M. (2005). Final performance report for OERI Grant# R305T010673: The social context of parental involvement: A path to enhanced achievement.
Google Scholar CrossrefMaxwell, J. A. (2004). Using qualitative methods for causal explanation. Field Methods, 16(3), 243-264. doi:10.1177/1525822X04266831
Google Scholar CrossrefMcNeal, R. B. (1999). Parental involvement as social capital: Differential effectiveness on science achievement, truancy, and dropping out. Social forces, 78(1), 117-144.
Google Scholar CrossrefMelhuish, E., Quinn, L., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., . . . McCrory, M. (2001). Cognitive and Social/behavioural Development at 3-4 years in Relation to Family Background.
Google Scholar CrossrefMiedel, W. T., & Reynolds, A. J. (1999). Parent involvement in early intervention for disadvantaged children: Does it matter? Journal of School Psychology, 37(4), 379-402.
Google Scholar CrossrefMiles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis: An Expanded Sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Google Scholar CrossrefMurphy, E., & Carr, D. (2007). Powerful partners. Adolescent girls, education and delayed child bearing. Population Reference Bureau, Washington, DC, 15, 2010.
Google Scholar CrossrefOketch, M., Mutisya, M., Ngware, M., & Ezeh, A. C. (2010). Why are there proportionately more poor pupils enrolled in non-state schools in urban Kenya in spite of FPE policy? International Journal of Educational Development, 30(1), 23-32.
Google Scholar CrossrefPutnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling alone: America’s declining social capital Culture and Politics (pp. 223-234): Springer.
Google Scholar CrossrefRepublic of Kenya. (2015). The Kenya Gazette. Nairobi, Kenya.
Google Scholar CrossrefRihani, M. A. (2006). Keeping the Promise: Five Benefits of Girls' Secondary Education. Academy for Educational Development.
Google Scholar CrossrefSchorr, L. (1997). Common purpose: Strengthening families and neighborhoods to rebuild America. Pages xiii and, 19.
Google Scholar CrossrefSchorr, L. (2011). Common purpose: Strengthening families and neighborhoods to rebuild America: Anchor.
Google Scholar CrossrefSimon, B. S. (2004). High school outreach and family involvement. Social Psychology of Education, 7(2), 185-209.
Google Scholar CrossrefVan Voorhis, F. L., Maier, M. F., Epstein, J. L., & Lloyd, C. M. (2013). The Impact of Family Involvement on the Education of Children Ages 3 to 8: A Focus on Literacy and Math Achievement Outcomes and Social-Emotional Skills. MDRC.
Google Scholar CrossrefWalker, J. M., Wilkins, A. S., Dallaire, J. R., Sandler, H. M., & Hoover-Dempsey, K. V. (2005). Parental involvement: Model revision through scale development. The Elementary School Journal, 106(2), 85-104.
Google Scholar CrossrefWesthorp, G., Walker, B., Rogers, P., Overbeeke, N., Ball, D., & Brice, G. (2014). Enhancing community accountability, empowerment and education outcomes in low and middle-income countries: A realist review. University of London, Institute of Education, EPPI-Centre, London.
Google Scholar CrossrefDownloads
Published
Almetric
Dimensions
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
All articles are published under Creative Commons copyright (CC BY). Authors hold the copyright and retain publishing rights without restrictions, but authors allow anyone to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute, and/or copy articles as the original source is cited.