A CRITIQUE OF PLATO’S CONCEPTION OF MORALITY WITH REFERENCE TO THE TEACHERS’ EXPECTED EXAMINATION INTEGRITY IN KENYA EDWARD MAINA ANDAFU A THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI 2019 DECLARATION This thesis is my original work and it has not been presented for any award of a Degree or Diploma in any other University. ……………………………… ……………………… Edward Maina Andafu Date REG. No. E84/52028/2017 This thesis has been submitted for examination with our approval as the University Supervisors. Signature………………….. Date ……………………. Dr Atieno Kili K’Odhiambo Senior Lecturer in Philosophy of Education Department of Educational Foundations University of Nairobi Signature…………………… Date ……………………. Professor Samson Okuro Gunga Professor of Philosophy of Education Department of Educational Foundations University of Nairobi II DEDICATION This work is dedicated to all the members of my immediate family: my wife Dorcus Ofuyo, my sons, Lewis Andafu and Wesley Andafu, for their everlasting love; also to my late father Julius Andafu, and my late mother Ketry Andafu, who always had confidence in me. III ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I hereby acknowledge the following for their immense contribution to my work. My first thanks go to my very able supervisors, Dr Atieno Kili K’Odhiambo and Professor Samson Okuro Gunga who have mentored me through this work. I thank members of the Department of Educational Foundations, University of Nairobi whose positive criticism put me on the right track in pursuit of my studies. I am grateful to Dr Wycliffe Amukowa (Machakos University) for his moral and intellectual support towards the accomplishment of this work. I thank the Chairperson, Department of Educational Foundations of Kenyatta University, Dr Peter Mugo Gathara whose continuous advice and guidance kept me focused in my studies. I thank my colleague, Dr Hardley Sogoni Musiega, without whose moral support the journey would have been quite challenging. I sincerely thank the Deputy Director in charge of the Discipline Department at TSC, Mrs V. J. Kihara, for allowing me to obtain relevant data to facilitate my research. To the rest who contributed variously to this study, I thank you all. Finally, I sincerely thank the Almighty God for his love, care and blessings throughout the period of my studies. IV ABSTRACT Teachers’ indulgence in examination malpractices is a global phenomenon that taints their integrity. In Kenya, such vices have persisted despite the teachers’ awareness of the expected examination integrity, as spelt out in the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Code of Conduct and Ethics and the Code of Regulations. This study examines Plato’s theory of morality with reference to the teachers’ expected examination integrity. Plato’s theory of morality gives prominence to possession of knowledge as a prerequisite of informing right actions. The study seeks to establish why some professional teachers in Kenya engage in examination dishonesty despite their awareness of the expected examination conduct. It employs the philosophical methods of inquiry namely the critical, logical analysis and speculation. The study uses Immanuel Kant’s Deontological Theory of morality as the theoretical framework, which presupposes reason as a guide to moral conduct. The critical method examines Plato’s theory of morality and the Kenya National Examinations Council’s (KNEC) initiatives to combat examination malpractices. The analytic method clarifies concepts, statements and terms relating to the study; the speculative method establishes the conflict between knowledge and action. The study analyses cases of teachers’ involvement in examination malpractices in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations and the effectiveness of the empirical approach in combating examination malpractices. It finds out that the strategies employed by KNEC to curb examination vices do not enhance the teachers’ internalization of moral and professional virtues regarding examination integrity. This culminates in the manifestation of akratic tendencies among teachers whereby they persistently indulge in examination vices. The study proposes the use of metaphysical approach in facilitating teachers’ adherence to examination integrity, based on the stages of the examination life cycle. Such approach activates the individual’s faculty of reason, which is key in actualizing moral judgments. V TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ................................................................................................................. ii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iv ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ v TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... vi ABBREVIATIONS/ACRONYMS .................................................................................... ix LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. x LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background to the study .................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Statement of the problem ............................................................................................... 10 1.3 Purpose of the study ....................................................................................................... 11 1.4 Objectives of the study................................................................................................... 11 1.5 Research questions ......................................................................................................... 11 1.6 Significance of the study ................................................................................................ 12 1.7 Justification of the study ................................................................................................ 12 1.8 Assumptions of the study ............................................................................................... 13 1.9 Limitations of the study ................................................................................................. 13 1.10 Delimitations of the study ............................................................................................ 13 1.11 Theoretical framework ................................................................................................. 13 1.11.1 The divine command theory ................................................................................. 15 1.11.2 The natural law theory .......................................................................................... 16 1.11.3 The Kantian ethics ................................................................................................ 16 1.12 Conceptual framework of the study ............................................................................. 19 1.13 Operational definition of terms .................................................................................... 20 1.14 Research methodology ................................................................................................. 21 1.14.1 The critical method ............................................................................................... 21 1.14.2 The speculative method ........................................................................................ 23 1.14.3 Logical analysis .................................................................................................... 23 VI 1.15 Organization of the study ............................................................................................. 26 1.16 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................. 28 ANALYSIS OF PLATO’S THEORY OF MORALITY .................................................. 28 2.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 28 2.1 Plato’s conception of morality ....................................................................................... 28 2.2 Plato’s conception of the soul as the origin of virtue..................................................... 41 2.3 Plato’s theory of morality .............................................................................................. 45 2.4 Plato’s theory of education in relation to morality ........................................................ 56 2.5 The concept of teaching ................................................................................................