Islamic Education in Kenya a Case Study of Islamic Integrated Schools in Garissa County
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ISLAMIC EDUCATION IN KENYA A CASE STUDY OF ISLAMIC INTEGRATED SCHOOLS IN GARISSA COUNTY BY ADAN SAMAN SHEIKH C/80/82222/2011 A Thesis submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies, in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, University of Nairobi. July, 2013 i DECLARATION This Thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other University. Adan Saman Sheikh This Thesis has been submitted for examination with our approval as University Supervisors __________________________ ________________________ Prof. J.N.K Mugambi Prof. N.W. Ndungu Date__________________________ Date_________________________ ii ABSTRACT This thesis explores the challenges facing Islamic education in Kenya with specific reference to Islamic Integrated schools that combines the national secular public school curriculum and Islamic education curriculum as taught in Madrasas and Qur‘anic schools. Throughout history, Islamic education has continued to adapt to the different environments and Islamic Integrated schools are not an exception. As indicated by the study, despite the many challenges, the schools have continued to provide a wholesome education, and in some areas by-passed the secular public schools in both enrolment attainment. The study has utilized the phenomenological approach to capture and describe the essence of Islamic Integrated Schools as a social phenomenon and the challenges they face in providing two different types of knowledge with different values. This study on the challenges facing Islamic Education in Kenya had four objectives: a) to identify the rationale for the establishment of Islamic integrated schools in Kenya b) to examine the curriculum of Islamic Integrated schools in terms of the number of subjects taught and the amount of content to determine curriculum overload c) to investigate the role of Islamic Integrated Schools in the education of Muslim children d) to explore the challenges facing Islamic Integrated schools. Field data from Garissa County was used to confirm the findings of the study. While the traditional Madrasa‟s are still growing, there are more students attending secular education with Madrasa‟s and Qur‘anic schools, attended in the afternoons, evenings and during weekends. The Madrasa‟s are autonomous institutions outside the control of the education authorities and were not therefore supervised as to the quality of education provided. Concerns have been raised about the amount of time children spend in the Islamic Integrated schools but the schools were found to cover two broad curricula which obviously calls for more time. Finally, the study has identified the urban and ethnic bias of the Islamic Integrated schools phenomenon. The founders and more than 80 percent of the learners were found to be of the Somali ethnic group. This is an area that requires further study as iii it would be of interest to Sociologists and Anthropologists. There will also be need to study the implication of teaching two foreign languages and a national language to pre-school and lower primary school children. The study also has implications for further research for planning and policy making in the field of education. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION…………………………………………………………………..…ii ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT…………………………………..………………………xi ACRONYMS………………………………………………………………………xii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION……………………………………….…...……1 1.0 Background to the Study………………………………………………….….……1 1.1 Statement of the Problem………………………………………………………….3 1.2 Objectives of the study…………………………………………………..………...5 1.3 Justification of the study…………………………………………………………..5 1.4 Scope of the study……………………………………………………………..…..6 1.5 Limitations of the study………………………………………………………..….7 1.6 Literature Review…………………………………………………………..……...7 1.7 Theoretical Framework………………………………………………………..…26 1.8 Methodology………………………………………………………..……………29 REFERENCES…………………………………………...………………………….36 CHAPTER TWO: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION…...39 2.0 Introduction……………..……………………………………………………….39 2.1 Historical Development of Islamic Education………………..………………….39 2.2 Education in Kenya………………………………………………..……………..48 2.3 The Development of the Madrasa System…………………………..……….......54 2.4 Types of Islamic Institutions……………………………..………………..……..57 2.5 Conclusion……………………………..………………………………………...67 REFERENCES………………………………………………..…………..…………68 CHAPTER THREE:EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE IN ISLAM..……………71 v 3.0 Introduction……………………………………………………………..………71 3.1 Education as a Function………………………………..…………..……………71 3.2 Education as Utility………………………………………...……….……………73 3.3 Education as Reproduction………………………..………….………………….74 3.4 Knowledge……………………………………………………………………….76 3.5 Islamic Education ……………………………………………........……………..78 3.6 Education Theories…………………………………………………..…….…….79 3.7 Contemporary Islamic Education…………………………….......……………...82 3.9 Faculties For Acquiring of Knowledge………………………….....…………….83 3.10 Learning Techniques……………………………..…………………….……….84 3.11 Gender in Islam………………………………………………..……..…………87 3,12 Conclusion……………………………………………………..……………….90 REFERENCES………………………………………………..………..……………92 CHAPTER FOUR: AL-IBRAHIM ACADEMY AND AL-FAROUQ ISLAMIC SCHOOL…………………………………………………………………………....4.0 Introduction……………………………………………………….…..………….…..95 4.1 Al-Ibrahim Integrated Academy…………………………………………………96 4.1.1 Nurturing an Islamic Environment………………………………………….....97 4.1.2 Curriculum ……………………………………………….…..……….……...103 4.1.3 Islamized Curricula…………………………….........……..…………………105 4.1.4 Performance………………………………………..…..……………………..107 4.1.5 Language………………………………...……………..……………………..108 4.1.6 Parental Choice and Economic Investment…………………………………..110 4.1.7 Parental Involvement…………………………..……………..………………111 4.1.8 Continuity Between Home and School……………………………….....……111 4.2 Al-Farouq Islamic School………………………………..……..………………112 vi 4.2.1 Al-farouq Islamic School's History History……………………....…………..113 4.2.2 Learning Resources…………………………………………….....…………..114 4.2.3 The Role of Arabic in Al-Farouq School……………………….…………….115 4.2.4 Practices and Values…………………………………...…………..…………118 4.2.5 Education and Spiritual Objectives………………………….....…………….120 4.2.7 Conclusion……………………………..………………..……………………126 REFERENCES..........................................................................................................128 CHAPTER FIVE: ISLAMIC EDUCATION IN SELECTED COUNTRIES……129 5.0 Introduction…………………………………………………......……………...129 5.1 Components of Islamic Education Curriculum………………………..………..130 5.2 Education in Selected Countries……………………………..…………………131 5.2.1 Islamic Education in Nigeria………………………………..………………..132 5.2.2 Islamic Education in Tanzania and Uganda……………………….…………141 5.2.4 Islamic Education in Malaysia………………………..………………………149 5.2.5 Islamic Education in Indonesia……..………………………………………...152 5.3 Conclusion………………………………………..…………………………….157 REFERENCES..........................................................................................................159 CHAPTER SIX: FINDINGS OF THE STUDY………………………..……..……163 6.0 Introduction……………..………………………………………………………163 6.2 Rationale for the Establishment of the Schools………………………..……….164 6.1.1 School Environment…………………………………..……….……………..166 6.1.2 Acceptable Peer Groups …………………………………….………………..166 6.1.3 Gender Separation……………………………………..………………….......167 6.2 The Role of Islamic Integrated Schools…………………………..…………….169 6.3 Curriculum in the Islamic Integrated Schools………………………..………...170 6.4 Challenges of Islamic Education…………………………..…………………...180 6.5 Conclusion …………………………………...………………………………...190 vii CHAPTER SEVEN: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS…………....191 7.0 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………...191 7.1 Recommendation……………………………………………………………….196 7.2 Suggestions for Future Studies…………………………………………………198 GLOSSARY OF ISLAMIC TERMS ………………………………………………199 Bibliography……………...………………………………………......…………….203 Appendix i: Brochure of an Islamic Integrated…………………….....……….……216 Appendix ii: Interview Guide for Head Teachers…………………….....…...……..222 Appendix iii: Interview Guide for Teachers…………….....………………..……...224 Appendix iv: Discussion Guide for Focus Group with Pupils…………..…....….…226 Appendix v: Semi-Structured Interview Guide with Parents/R. Leaders…….….....227 Appendix vi:Semi-Structured Interview Guide with M.o.E Officials.......................228 Appendix vii: Plates…………………………………………...……………………230 TABLES Table 1: Purposive Sample of Ministry of Education Officials..................................30 Table 2: Purposive Sample of Islamic Organizations in Kenya..................................31 Table 3: Islamic Integrated Schools Enrolment for the year 2012............................168 Table 4: Comparison of Curriculum Load between a Public school and an I.I.S.....172 Table 5: Comparison in Performance between Public and I.I.S...............................174 Table 6: Curricula used in Islamic Integrated Schools..............................................177 Table 7: Fee Structure for an Islamic Integrated School in Nairobi..........................181 Table 8: Teachers in I.I.S. by level of Education and Training.................................184 viii PLATES Plate A: An Islamic Integrated School in Mombasa. Girls are in Hijab. Boys and girls do not mix even in the playground........................................230 Plate B: One of the oldest Madrasa Institutions in Kenya.........................................231 Plate C: Girls in class and sitting separate from the boys..........................................232