Adult Education in Kenya: Second Chance for School Dropouts

Description

The gravest mistake in the Kenyan education system is to drop out of school. Both primary and secondary school dropouts are destined to joblessness and poverty due to lack of skills necessary in the job market. Like their parents, children of school dropouts also face a bleak future. They too are likely to drop out of school and follow the footsteps of their parents. This book examines how successive educational systems in Kenya have been blindsided towards the fate of school dropouts. In this regard, the author, proposes an educational pathway for those who find themselves in that unfortunate state of being categorized as school dropouts, by giving them a second chance. Currently, the Kenyan educational system does not have a clear policy on allowing school dropouts to rejoin school once they have been out for several years. Consequently, Dr. Simba Lombo calls for a paradigm shift where adult education is demystified and looked at positively. He seeks to differentiate adult education from adult literacy by giving examples of people who have overcome all the odds and gotten a second chance after dropping out of school. Lastly, he also challenges Kenya education policy makers to create a pathway for school dropouts to access higher education through adult education.

Dr. Lombo S. Lombo trained at Kilimambogo Teachers’ College and taught in primary schools in Mombasa, Kenya. He earned his BA from Pan Africa Christian University in Nairobi, MA from Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Seoul South Korea, and Doctor of Education (Ed. D) from Walden University in Minnesota USA. Currently, he is a Professor at Birmingham Theological Seminary in Alabama where he teaches education-related courses. Lombo worked as a Dean of Students at Pan Africa Christian University in Nairobi, and Kenya National Director/East Africa Coordinator for FEBA Radio. He continues to research on both pedagogy and andragogy approaches.