Primary Education Experience of a Maasai Woman in Kenya : The long-term impact of schooling beyond subject knowledge

Sawamura Nobuhide

Utsumi Seiji

Sifuna Daniel

CICE叢書5 Africa-Asia University Dialogue for Educational Development : Final Report of the Phase II Research Results : (2) Education Quality Improvement and Policy Effectiveness

The current discourse on EFA has a tendency of focusing on learning subject knowledge and completing primary school. Thus, dropping out of school has always been negatively regarded. This study examined the impact of primary school education on female students who dropped out of school due to pregnancy and marriage. They were unsuccessful in completing school and proceeding to secondary education, but have more than several years of learning experience. This study aimed to identify whether their learning experience has made a difference in their lives. It further sought to discuss the long-term impact of schooling beyond subject knowledge. In this initial attempt, the research focused on a particular Maasai woman who dropped out of school at Grade 7, without completing 8 years of full primary education, in Narok. She has been traced over 12 years and was regularly interviewed. Five aspects were identified which enabled her to help improve her life because of schooling: (1) expanding her social network, (2) learning offi cial languages, (3) being conscious about hygiene and health, (4) establishing more equal relations with her husband, and (5) acquiring soft skills of management. It can be said that primary schooling enhanced the capability of dealing with livelihood and bettered her quality of life in the rural community.

Education [ 370 ]

eng

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