Abstract: Retrogressive cultural practices upheld by the community living in West Pokot County affect provision of quality learning to primary school learners. This study aimed at finding out how these practices hindered the teaching and learning in public primary schools in West Pokot County. Its objective was to find out: how retrogressive cultural practices contributed to poor school attendance of learners. Its target population was 6,357 people, composed of grade 6 learners represented by their respective class-prefects, grade 6 parents represented by class representatives, all primary school head teachers, teachers, Sub-County Directors of Education (S/C DEs), Curriculum Support Officers (CSOs) and the County Director of Education (CDE). A representative sample of 914 respondents was selected from the target population to participate in the study, using random and purposive sampling procedures. Questionnaires, Semi-Structured Interview Schedules and document analysis guide were used to collect information from the selected respondents. It used descriptive survey design. Analyzed quantitative data were presented in tables, while qualitative data were presented in narrations form. The study found out that: the retrogressive practice of FGM hindered girl child’s education. The study recommended that: local leaders should educate the Pokot community to shun FGM, and more low-cost Boarding Primary Schools should be built in West Pokot County to keep children in school for a long time and avoid harsh Home Environment that hindered their learning.

Abstract: To attain quality education, teacher education has to undergo transformational teacher practices commensurate with the new trends in education. This paper seeks to assess whether the current teaching practice models and assessment instruments achieved desired skills that are in line with global and national priorities of Competency Based Education, Education for Sustainable Development and 21st century skills for Quality Education. The research design employs a qualitative case study, focusing on two university institutions in Zimbabwe that were purposively sampled. The total sample was 20 with 5 chairpersons coming from applied teaching departments of the two from universities, 3 teaching practice programme co-coordinators and 12 lecturers randomly selected from applied education departments which assess students on teaching practice. The instruments utilized were interview schedules for teaching practice programme coordinators and chairpersons, a questionnaire for lecturers and an analysis of teaching practice policy documents along with teaching practice assessment instruments. The results revealed that teaching practice policy documents and assessment instruments remained misaligned with global and national priorities of competence based education, education for sustainable development and 21st century competences. The respondents confirmed that the current teaching practice assessments failed to provide the aspiring teacher and their learners with lifelong skills and context-specific heritage-based abilities. TP has remained traditional confining student teachers and their learners to the classroom. The TP assessment instruments tested classroom instruction prowess. The study recommends a re-visit to traditional models of teaching practice assessment in-order to transform them to address the 21st century challenges by equipping teacher educators, student-teachers and learners with sustainable life skills for present and future use.

Abstract: The government pricing guidelines has led to upsurge of enrolment in various secondary schools. This has fueled congestions in the classrooms and laboratories. Further, it has become difficult for teachers to offer individualized instruction due to chronic teacher shortages as the available ones deal with bloated classes. This has further interfered with assessment processes, which therefore, affects quality of education. For a county like Busia, with high poverty index of 69.3%, there could be challenges of resourcing schools for quality attainment. The purpose of this study was to determine the pricing guidelines that ensure optimal price for quality education in sub-county public secondary schools in Kenya. Stratified random sampling was used to select 60 schools out of 114, and purposive sampling to select 7 Sub County Directors of education, for the study. Questionnaires for principals, interview schedule for sub county directors of education; observation checklist and document analysis guide were used to collect data. The researchers pre-tested the instruments through a pilot study using 10 schools in the study population and obtained a reliability of 0.8 for Principals’ questionnaire. Quantitative data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics involving percentages, mean scores and multiple linear regressions. The pricing guidelines did not avail optimal price for quality education, thus for quality to be attained day scholars should be charged sh.48843 and boarders’ sh.65843. This study might help education economists and planners to come up with effective methods of pricing secondary education for quality purposes

Abstract: The academic performance of public secondary schools in Busia County has been declining for the past three consecutive years below the national mean scores with 3.80 in 2018, 3.68 in 2019 and 3.51 in 2020, the worst affected being Sub County schools. Pricing guidelines issued to schools from the government are dependent on the economic status of the parents for success. For a county like Busia with high poverty index of 69.3%, there could be challenges of resourcing schools for quality attainment. The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of development fund pricing guidelines on the availability of adequate infrastructure to public sub-county secondary schools in Busia County. Stratified random sampling was used to select 60 schools from 114, and purposive sampling to select 7 Sub County Directors of education, for the study. Questionnaires for principals, interview schedule for sub county directors of education; observation checklist and document analysis guide were used to collect data. The researcher pre-tested the instruments using 10 schools in the study population and obtained a reliability of 0.8 for Principals’ questionnaire. Quantitative data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics involving percentages, mean sco res, correlations. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. The findings indicated that the development fund pricing guidelines did not avail adequate infrastructure to schools with a weak positive Pearson’s correlation index (R2=0.003); This study might help education economists and planners to come up with effective methods of pricing secondary education in Kenya for quality purposes.

Abstract: This research identified management challenges facing Secondary Education Quality Improvement Program (SEQUIP) in provision of quality education in Bariadi District. The research engaged a mixed research approach with convergent parallel research design. General system theory developed by Ludwig Von Bertalanffy in 1950s guided this study. A sample of 86 respondents, including 75 teachers, 5 Head of School (HOS), 5 Ward Education Officer (WEO) and 1 District Secondary Education officer (DSEO) was employed. Both probability and non-probability sampling were employed where Head of School, Ward Education Officer and District Secondary Education officer and obtained through purposive sampling, while teachers were derived through stratified sampling. The data was gathered through questionnaires for teachers and interview guide were for administrators who own special information. A correlation coefficient of 0.75 demonstrated that the instruments were valid and reliable for data collection. Quantitative information was coded using descriptive statistics , which involved frequencies and percentages with the support of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21. Qualitative information was organized and analyzed thematically and presented in narrations and quotations. The findings revealed that poor teaching and learning environment, inadequate teaching and learning materials, lack of teachers’ professional development, large class size, lack of teacher motivation, long students’ travel distance from home to school and students’ dropout program were the challenges that face SEQUIP. The study recommends that before the implementation of program such as SEQUIP begins an assessment of other factors like improvement of teaching environment, teacher professional development, large class size and motivation must be considered in order to find out the best way of handling in preparing conducive environment of the program implementation.

Abstract: This study sought to examine contribution of School Boards for effective teaching and learning. The study also explored challenges which School Board members face and how to mitigate them. A mixed research approach and explanatory sequential design were employed. Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews. A sample of 93 respondents, which included 56 teachers, 29 School Board members, 5 Heads of school, 1 District Secondary Education Officer (DEO) and 2 Quality Assurance officers were involved. Quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics using SPSS version 20. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The findings indicate that School Board members play crucial roles in ensuring effective implementation of the core functions of the school through regular monitoring of school plans and their implementation. Additionally, the findings indicate that school boards face a number of challenges resulting from lack of experience and appropriate training as well as political influence. The study recommends school board members to be provided with appropriate orientation and adequate support for effective implementation of their roles. Moreover, the study advises the ministry of education to establish a formalized mandatory short course on school leadership which will enlighten school board members on not only their core responsibilities but also on general management of schools. Finally, the study maintains that school boards matter because they are the voice and eye of the community and local government, hence, their role should never be taken for granted for at the helm of every successful school is an efficient school board.

Received March 12, 2020; Reviewed April 20; Accepted April 22, 2020

Abstract: Achieving quality education is the Rwanda’s aim and it is seen as the driver to turn Rwanda into the middle income earner by 2035. This quality education has to be achieved through proper planning and designing of school facilities and learning resources. Despite efforts of the government to succeed in achieving this amid insufficient funds, there are challenges. These challenges are related to the EFA (Education For All) program,whose successful attainment in 2015 led to high enrollment rates causing classroom overcrowding. This has also led to demand for the learning resources and facilities as the available ones have become inadequate, and affect the quality of education.In this paper, we assessed how quality education can be ensured in the selected Rwandan primary schools in such a situation. The research questions employed were: How can quality education be ensured in overcrowded primary school classrooms? How can quality education be achieved in poorly resourced primary school classrooms? The study was qualitative and data was collected using interviews that involved 22 participants from selected schools in Gasabo district, Rwanda. Data was analysed thematically. Findings indicated that quality education can be ensured through the concerted efforts of education stakeholders and the application of various innovative approaches. The implications of the findings is that innovations in curriculum design, pedagogy, school administration and supervision would lead to quality enhancement in primary schools in Rwanda. We recommend that efforts be put in family planning and providing adequate learning resources.

Received October 17, 2018; Revised November 25, 2018; Accepted November 30, 2018

Abstract: Education is a key resource in society which encourages innovative approaches towards societal transition and sustainability through formal education systems, non-formal and informal learning settings. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocate for all learners to have knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development. As the United Nations is advocating for that, many developing countries are still struggling to attain quality education for sustainable development. Therefore, the study assessed the effect of education on sustainable in East African Universities. Kampala University and University of Technology and Arts of Byumba participated and 44 respondents were purposively selected to participate in the study. Data was collected through interviews and checklists from education leaders’ and practitioners’ perspectives on the need for quality education in sustainable development. The validity of the instruments was assured through discussion and verification by experts in education to ensure their validity. Data was analyzed using content value analysis through triangulation and transcription to generate results. The study findings revealed that learners’ understanding of sustainable development is enhanced, the wider knowledge gap among the learners is reduced, hands-on skills and practices for sustainable development are attained too. Therefore, the study recommended that, universities should rethink to broaden the notion of lifelong education, implement culturally-relevant and locally appropriate education in society, apply action-oriented and problem based learning as strategies to quality education for sustainable development.