Ngumbi, Elizabeth Accepted Dissertation 05-04-11 Sp 11
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Educational Experiences of Young Maasai Women in Kajiado District, Kenya: A Phenomenological Case Study of Enoomatasiani Girls Secondary School A dissertation presented to the faculty of The Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education and Human Services of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Elizabeth K. Ngumbi June 2011 © 2011 Elizabeth K. Ngumbi. All Rights Reserved. 2 This dissertation titled Educational Experiences of Young Maasai Women in Kajiado District, Kenya: A Phenomenological Case Study of Enoomatasiani Girls Secondary School by ELIZABETH K. NGUMBI has been approved for the Department of Educational Studies and The Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education and Human Services by Francis E. Godwyll Assistant Professor of Educational Studies Renée A. Middleton Dean, The Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education and Human Services 3 Abstract NGUMBI ELIZABETH , Ph.D., June 2011, Curriculum and Instruction, Cultural Studies Educational Experiences of Young Maasai Women in Kajiado District, Kenya: A Phenomenological Case Study of Enoomatasiani Girls Secondary School Director of Dissertation: Godwyll E. Francis The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the educational experiences of young Maasai women in Kajiado District, Kenya. Despite the many difficult circumstances impacting their education, the young Maasai women in Kenyan high schools are striving to excel against all odds. They come from rural, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) of Kenya where pastoralism is practiced. The study privileges these Maasai women’s voices, which are a cry for help in improving their educational conditions. This study was a phenomenological case study. The participants for the study were in two categories: secondary/ high school students drawn from Enoomatasiani Girls Secondary School and key informants working as government and civil society education officers in Kajiado District, totaling to twenty (20) participants. Data were collected using both secondary and primary sources including: interviews, focus group, observation and document analysis. Data were organized, coded, categorized and analyzed using themes to make deductions, and interpretations. This study found that the education of young Maasai women was influenced by socio-cultural factors in Kajiado District. They are: out-of-school factors and in-school 4 factors which included: environmental factors including nomadic lifestyle, Female Genital Mutilation/ Cutting (FGM/C), early marriage and early pregnancy. In school, young Maasai women suffered home sickness, had to make a tough choice of remaining in school, fear of examinations, math and sciences as challenging subjects, learning in rescue centres, and inadequate learning resources. Athough not all of the above factors are unique to the Maasai women, specific issues concerning nomadic lifestyle and rescue centers for girls are distinctive to this group. The study revealed that being in school for young Maasai women had different meanings for them. While some were in school to escape early marriage, poverty and to learn some skills, others wanted to gain respect in society as women. Basically, the major objectives of remaining in school included: social, educational (knowledge), economic, and political reasons. High school participants felt that the future of a woman in education would remain miserable, if they failed to recognize it as a form of empowerment. Therefore, in order to claim education, participants had to fight for gender equity. They learned to say not to those factors that obstruct access to education.They had to become the solution to their own problems while embracing new opportunities. Generally, the study found that education is very important to the study participants. Therefore, families do not need to educate the boys only. Based on the study findings, I recommend that the Ministry of Education needs to device ways and means of achieving gender equity in the ASAL regions in Kenya. Additionally, the government needs to reinforce laws that criminalize the practice of 5 forcing under-age girls into early marriage. In order to retain young Maasai women in school, parents and relatives should stop the practice of early marriage. Suggestions made for further study include carrying out a similar study in another district where pastoral communities are found in Kenya for purposes of comparison. Further, expanded research needs to be carried out incorporating parents, students, education officers and the civil society. Approved: _____________________________________________________________ Francis E. Godwyll Assistant Professor of Educational Studies 6 Acknowledgments In my studies at Ohio University, I have depended on the strong support of different people including: my family members, friends and mentors. Mentioning each of them by name will call for another piece of dissertation. To all of you, thank you very much. May God bless you all. I also want to thank all my study group members. Alex Wilson, Debra Rayford, Shariff Osman, Malcom Ebenezer, Eny Winarti, and Yenny Ngan. Others who contributed in ideas and encourangement include Rosemary Hayes for editing, Dr. Peter Otiato, Dr. Winsome, Chunu, Dr. Collins Annin (departed) and Fanta Diamanka. With all my heart, I appreciate your support. I also wish to recognize my Kenyan brothers and sisters for support and reading my work. Joyce Muthoni, Peter Nderitu, Kaltuma Sheikh, Rashmi Sharma, Aggrey Otieno and Doreen Woahwireng. To you all Asante sana. Again, I wish to thank the Ford Fellows, Ohio University Chapter for being there. Your support and constant probing about my progress made a lot of difference. To you all, Thank you. I also acknowledge and thank all professors in Ohio University who I have taken classes with. Special reference to Dr. Peter Mather, who helped me to undertake a study abroad program to Honduras. In a special way, I appreciate any ideas learned from you. I acknowledge all the sponsors., Ford Foundation officers in New York and Nairobi for finding me worthy of your sponsorship for further studies. You will always remain part of my legacy. Two colleges in Ohio University were also helpful to me economically including: Patton College of Education and Human Services and College 7 of Health Sciences and Professions. Your funding support cannot go unmentioned. To you all, I remain grateful. I sincerely thank all my committee members. I begin with Dr. Francis Godwyll, who burned the midnight oil with me when the going got tough. Prof. I value your calming me down when the deadlines were approaching. I appreciate your calm assurance and believing in me even when I doubted. Dr. Adah Ward Randolph. Your research classes, methodology guidance and listening to me any time I visited your office made my work possible. I thank you very much. Dr. Elizabeth Edna Wangui for reading through my work and asking critical questions. I thank you very much. Dr. Peter Githinji. You personally took it upon yourself not only to read and pose important questions, but to cousel me as a sister. This was quite helpful because giving up was not an option. Thank you very much. To you all, the word ‘thank you’ is not enough. Kindly know that each of you made me endure this academic process. May God bless you and your families. I thank all those people who made my data collection possible. I will forever remain indebted to my interviewees, who gave me their time and their stories without reservation. I thank them too for being patient with me and for ‘leaving the door open for me’ to ask additional questions even over the phone. To you all, Asante sana. Above all my gratitude to the Most High God, Father of all wisdom and knowledge with whom nothing that is, could have been. 8 Table of Contents Page Abstract.............................................................................................................................3 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................6 List of Tables ..................................................................................................................14 List of Figures.................................................................................................................15 Chapter One: Introduction ..............................................................................................16 Background .............................................................................................................16 Statement of the Problem........................................................................................22 Purpose of the Study ...............................................................................................32 Research Questions .................................................................................................32 Significance of the Study ........................................................................................32 Delimitations of the Study ......................................................................................33 Definition of Terms.................................................................................................33 Organization of the Study .......................................................................................36 Chapter Two: Literature Review ....................................................................................38