EDUCATING MODERN KENYANS: DR. GEOFFREY WILLIAM GRIFFIN AND STAREHE BOYS CENTRE AND SCHOOL A dissertation presented to the faculty of the College of Education of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Peter C. Ojiambo June 2007 This dissertation titled EDUCATING MODERN KENYANS: DR. GEOFFREY WILLIAM GRIFFIN AND STAREHE BOYS CENTRE AND SCHOOL by PETER C. OJIAMBO has been approved for the Department of Educational Studies and the College of Education by Najee’ E. Muhammad Associate Professor of Educational Studies Renée A. Middleton Dean, College of Education ©2007 Peter C. Ojiambo All Rights Reserved Abstract OJIAMBO, PETER C., Ph.D., June 2007, Cultural Studies EDUCATING MODERN KENYANS: DR. GEOFFREY WILLIAM GRIFFIN AND STAREHE BOYS CENTRE AND SCHOOL (508 pp.) Director of Dissertation: Najee’ E. Muhammad The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the person of Geoffrey William Griffin, identify and examine forces that accounted for his involvement in Kenyan youth education, interpret how the establishment of Starehe Boys Centre and School reflects Kenya’s educational historical context of the time and to obtain an understanding of Griffin’s insights on the Kenyan youth education. The study took the design of an interpretive educational biography. The research participants were those individuals with whom Griffin had interacted with in various youth educational programs that he was involved. These included alumni, administrators, colleagues, staff, and friends. Thirty-six participants took part in the study. Data were collected from both secondary and primary sources using a qualitative inquiry approach.The methods used in collecting data from the primary sources were life histories, open-ended interviews, participant observation, document, archival, and audiovisual analysis. Analysis of the data was done through biographical techniques of: consolidation, description, reduction, and interpretation. Among the major findings, the study revealed that the forces that propelled Griffin to be involved in the development of Kenyan education were: his early childhood experiences, early encounters with Africans in his work as a Survey Cadet, effects of the Mau Mau War, his experiences as an intelligence and rehabilitation officer at both Manyani and Wamumu, his activities as a youth colony organizer, and his leadership at the National Youth Service and Starehe Boys Centre and School. The findings also revealed that Griffin’s establishment of Starehe Boys Centre and School reflects Kenya’s educational historical contexts in both colonial and postcolonial periods in terms of its accessibility, equity, and quality. In addition, it illustrates aims and objectives of Kenya’s educational reviews during this period and its future prospects in both secondary and tertiary education. With regard to Griffin’s insights on Kenya’s youth education, the findings revealed that Griffin advocated for an education system that was international, pragmatic, democratic, character and benefit-based, attitude-changing, relational, wholistic, collaborative, and service-centered. From the findings of the study, the policy implications drawn were: The Kenyan Ministry of Education is required to formulate policies that allow: continuous reinvigoration and reviews of its educational programs, school administrators to use innovative leadership approaches that are collaborative and yield success.There is need for the Kenyan government to invest more in tertiary youth education. The study recommended further research in the following areas: historiographic significance of various African educators and their contributions to the growth of African education; quality of African education and its ability to address societal needs; partnering in educational leadership; and the place of relationality in education. Approved: _____________________________________________________________ Najee’ E. Muhammad Associate Professor of Educational Studies DEDICATION This work is dedicated to: My sister Cammy Abby Otiato and my brother, the late Steve Harmas Ojiambo who from my early childhood introduced me to the dance of academics and relentlessly provided all that I required with abundant love without complaining and encouraged me to stay on course even in situations where we all felt as a family we had reached a cul-de-sac. AND To all Stareheans who- like those early Christians in the book of Acts –look at who they are now and who they’ll never be, and what they can do now and what they’ll never be able to do and still ask God for the world. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS These acknowledgments must perform double duty. In writing this dissertation, I have depended upon countless acts of support, generosity, and guidance. But perhaps more important, in engaging with the challenges of educational thought, theory, pedagogy, and praxis in a deeply polarized educational process, I have depended upon steadfast colleagues, educators, leaders, mentors, friends, and family.This is an important opportunity for me to thank them for a lifetime of collegiality and support. I naturally begin with my family, Allie, Cammy, Connie, Goretti, Steve, Claire, and Hilda without whom none of this would have been possible. This has been a family effort, through many years of labor, support, love, encouragement and sacrifice, all of us coming together to mourn in our family tragedies and at the same time rejoicing in the presence and company of each other. Their understanding, unreserved veneration over the years and wonder of what an academic inquiry can do to both an individual and society has been my inspiration on this academic pilgrimage. Cammy has been my guide, inspiration, and educator of differential diagnosis and partner in educational issues. In her good hands we all thrived despite the early tragic death of my father at a central stage of our lives. Cammy held us together and ensured we were fed, clothed, and educated. Connie, I am proud to say, has been with me in all my academic experiences and took up both my financial and logistical planning, balancing between her family and, profession and my academic pursuits. In this family effort, the wisdom of my late brother, Steve Ojiambo; the good, quiet, and prayerful sense of my mother, Hellena Ojiambo; and avid interest of my brother Allie Ojiambo, all played a tremendous role in keeping me on the right track. I have also had the enduring moral compass of my late father, Silvanus Ojiambo, who devoted his great business gifts and energies to ensure that all of us got a fair start in education, constantly reminding us to aim for the best in all our undertakings and to strive for the “middle path” in life. Although he is absent in body, I have always felt his spirit guiding me in my academics. He has been the wind beneath my wings. I would like to register my deep, sincere, warm, and loving thanks to my dissertation committee: Drs. Najee Muhammad, Rosalie Romano, Diane Ciekawy, and Francis Godwyll for all the energy and time they devoted to see this work to its successful end. Their generous readings, diverse and critical comments, patience, and friendship provided the guidance I needed to complete this work. Without their support, skill, rigor, passion, and commitment this work would not have found its way to paper and it would have been impossible for it to assume its present scope and shape. Each of them provided keen professional guidance, personal encouragement and challenge to excellence. Together, they assisted in building a broad-based foundation on which the study was eventually done. Although I am grateful to all of them, I would like particularly to extend my heartfelt thanks and admiration to Dr. Muhammad, chair of the committee who tirelessly read various drafts of this work, provided analytical insights, incisive criticism, and wisdom, and most importantly, gave me a shoulder to lean on during some of those long, dark days of writing. He offered unflagging leadership, guidance, advice, support and a literal and metaphorical haven for me during the entire process. Every graduate student should have an advocate like Muhammad, who pushes students with such grace and zeal. He is truly a spiritual educator and mentor. I am so thankful that the academy brought us together. Special gratitude goes to Dr. Godwyll. It was in his Advanced Seminar in Comparative Education, in summer 2004, that this study mushroomed. As a great intellect, he inspired by example while doing his best to temper the regenade intellect of his graduate students. It was Godwyll, who was convinced of the importance of this study and the need for me to be careful and exhaustive in my research; it was he who insisted that I delve deeper into African educational biographies, provide plenty of room for African voices, generate “thick” data, and be part of its steady and slowly evolving process. As I was writing this dissertation, his hand guided me many times and left an imprint on many a page. He was not only an inspiring educator but also a wonderful true friend and steadfast intellectual partner. May God lift His countenance on his family. I am greatly indebted to the African Studies Program at Ohio University and the Department of Linguistics for having generously granted me various scholarships which enabled me to undertake this work. Without their support, it would have been practically impossible to undertake my doctoral studies or my research and writing, let alone complete it on time. Theirs was a gesture of endless love, for four straight years they ensured that I was secure financially; even in situations where the budget cuts were so threatening, they faithfully squeezed me in.They not only funded me but they also gave me an opportunity to share my Kiswahili skills and experience with their students through teaching, a gesture for which I will be forever grateful. The staffs at several archives and libraries were instrumental at various stages of this work. Special thanks go to Musila Musembi and the entire staff at Kenya National Archives, Nairobi.