ABSTRACT
Over a period of three decades, perennial ethnic based attacks have been experienced in Sigowet Sub County that have affected the people living in the area. Focusing on loss of breadwinners, displacement of parents and teachers, property destruction and how provision of security influences learners’ access to public primary education. The study used descriptive survey research design due to its ability to collect data in a systematic way. The target population comprised of classes 7 and 8 pupils, head-teachers, teacher counselors, educational officers, and parents. Cluster sampling was utilized to sample those who participated in the study whereby the Sub-County was divided into zones as defined by the Ministry of Education. Quantitative data was collected through the use of a questionnaire and data analyzed using SPSS computer software version 20. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate frequencies and percentages while inferential statistics were used to establish cross- tabulation of data. Analyzed data was presented in forms of tables. Qualitative data was collected through the use of interview guide analyzing it thematically and presented in form of narratives. The study found out that loss of family breadwinners, displacements of parents and teachers, destruction of property and lack of security influence negatively learners’ access to primary education in the sub- county. The study established that it was the responsibility of the central government through the Ministry of Internal Security, the county government, local political leaders, stakeholders, area chiefs and their assistants to ensure there is a long-lasting peaceful coexistence and security amongst the communities living along the borders of Sigowet sub-county. The findings of this study are expected to bring an understanding on how ethnic conflicts influence learners’ access to primary education whereby school administrators and board of managements are expected to use the findings of this study to create awareness on effects of ethnic conflicts on learners’ access to education and the importance of maintaining sustainable peace in the society which will enhance provision of quality education in schools. The study recommends that further research be done on the psychological impact of ethnic animosity on pupils and teachers in Sigowet sub-county and suggests that a similar study be replicated focusing on other areas in Kenya that are prone to ethnic animosity
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Ethnic conflict is one of the major threats to international peace and security,Conflicts in the Balkans Rwanda Chechnya Iraq Indonesia SriLamka India and Darfur as well as in Israel The West Bank and the Gaza Strip are among the best-known and deadliest examples from the late 20th century and early 21st century.The destabilization of provinces states and in some cases even whole regions is a common consequence of ethnic conflict.Ethnic conflicts are often accompanied by gross human rights violations,such as genocide and crimes against humanity and by economic decline state failure environmental problems and refugee flows.Violent ethnic conflict leads to tremendous human suffering.
According to United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization,UNESCO(2003) education is critical for all children but it is especially urgent for the tens of millions of children affected by emergencies,be they man-made or natural disasters. Yet, for millions of children are affected by disaster and crisis,the right to education remains an unfulfilled promise:Approximately 75 million children are out of school worldwide more than half of these children are living in conflict- affected states. Millions more are living in situations affected by natural disasters.The world faces a shortfall of 18 million primary school teachers in the coming decade and the areas most in need of education personnel are countries affected by emergencies and disasters. In particular, conflicts have a devastating effect on children, pupils, teachers and the overall education system (Buckland, 2005). Every child has a right to education as recognized in the Education for All declaration that says that all children in difficult situations should have access to free and compulsory quality education (UNESCO, 2015). Conflict disrupts the education of children through damages to school
property, absence of teachers and general fears of insecurity (Reisman and Janke, 2015). As a result, affecting aspects such as student enrollment levels which is largely due to lack of access by to the schools, teacher turnout and the education quality. There is a lack of a safe and peaceful environment which fosters quality education. Consequently, sustainable peace is but a mirage in conflict prone areas.
Ethnic conflicts persists in various parts of the world such as Africa and the Middle East. In Africa, ethnic conflicts has been experienced since the colonial period (Onyemelukwe-Waziri, 2017). Majhanovich and Geo-JaJa, (2013) observe that ethnic conflicts in Africa is characterized by violent warfare between tribes in a bid to achieve ulterior motives that are many times self-centred. The underlying causes of conflicts can be political, social, economic and structural. In an ethnic conflict situation, people who are most severely affected are civilians. Globally, since the 1990s, 90 per cent of the conflict-related deaths have been civilians the majority of whom have been children (Otunnu, 2002). Ethnic conflict results in destruction of lives and properties and damages a society’s social fabric. Conflicts also weakens the social togetherness that is found in most societies which have adverse effects on children.
According to Okoli (2014), Ethnic related conflicts is not a new phenomenon especially among pastoral communities in Africa. Traditionally, various pastoral communities used raiding as a cultural practice for restocking of herds after long periods of drought, deaths resulting from diseases, paying dowry as well as prestige and wealth among other cultural practices. However, in recent years, livestock raiding leading to ethnic conflicts has become more frequent, violent and destructive because of acquisition of arms and commercialization of the same.
Loss of human life and properties, reduction in livestock numbers, limited access to water and pasture resources, and forced migration of people, demonstrates the direct effects of ethnic conflicts. Indirectly ethnic conflicts resulting from cattle raids creates a strong perception of insecurity that could result into poor access to education in the affected regions, ineffective resource utilization, food insecurity, closure of schools and markets among others. The above factors undermine coping strategies by communities concerned, thus the inhabitants in the regions experiencing increased levels
of ethnic conflicts need the mitigation of the issue to address the specific motives behind the animosity experienced in these regions according to Ngang’a, (2012).
The education system from the colonial period was affected by the ethnic conflicts that existed which meant that unlike other parts of the world, Africa lagged behind in the access of Western education. In today’s context, not much has changed. Educational goals of teaching and learning are hard to be achieved in an area which is marred by conflicts and ethnic tensions (Onyemelukwe-Waziri, 2017). The ethnic conflicts in the 1990s in Rwanda affected the education sector so much that it took a number of years to rebuild the sector in the country (Kehoe, 2016). The morale of the teachers had been greatly affected and fear had affected them so much that they could no longer go to teach. Similarly, when children are caught up in the conflict and subsequent low teacher morale, they too lose interest in education. Anxiety is an emotion that takes over the desire to get education.
Ethnic conflicts creates emergency situations that are very complex. Examining and attending to education issues becomes a fundamental issue which is difficult to address because of the costs of disruptions that are associated with the conflicts. There is an increase in out-of-school proportions. Vulnerabilities during conflict situations are frequently focused on girls. Peters (2014), notes that in Nigeria, schoolgirls are the most vulnerable in times of conflict situations. This has affected access to schools. However, during emergency situations, education is excluded from many interventions for emergency relief.
In Rwanda,before the 1994 Tutsi genocide the media was used to spread hate messages against the Tutsi and this played even a bigger role to fuel the inter-ethnic conflicts in Rwanda that claimed lives of more than 800,000 people.For instance Radio and Television Libre des Mille Collines(RTLM)oppsed peace talks between President Habyarimana and the Tutsi led rebels of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)which formed the government.After the downing of the President’s plane RTLM called for “final war”to “exterminate the cockroaches”During the war that followed RTLM broadcasted list of names of people to be killed and whwre to find them.This made the genocide worse as the media house was seen as giving specific instructions to killers on who to kill and where to find them.
The 2007/8 Kenyan post-election tribal conflicts that broke out had an ethnic intonation which has a bearing in the disruption of pupils’ education and the evidence suggests that there were many children who dropped out of school while others relocated to other areas. This affected the milestones that had been afore-achieved in the education system. The quality of education also dippened. Education has the power to facilitate or reduce ethnic-based conflicts (World Bank, 2005). Quality education is a public good and a human right that each person is entitled to. Etnic-based conflicts affects the quality of education that is provided to the children and this affects the potential of the child.
In Kericho County, ethnic conflicts have mainly been experienced along the borders of the County. In the past three decades, there have been major incidents of ethnic conflicts being experienced on the border of Kericho and Kisumu counties. The main areas that have been affected are Sigowet and Nyakach areas, and the clashes between the two communities have led to the loss of lives and properties. These conflicts have been driven by electoral tensions, boundary disputes, and cattle rustling. Ultimately, this has affected education dimension in the area (Nyongesa, Wakhungu, and Maragia, 2016a).
Based on the Daily Nation, April (2013), Sigowet in the North and Sondu-Nyakach areas contains some of the most prone regions to ethnic conflicts. In the past, more than twelve people among them police officers had lost their lives and more than ten thousand people displaced from their homes in Sigowet and Nyakach regions due to ethnic conflicts.Agro-pastoralists that include the Kipsigis to the south, southeast and southwest, the Luos to the north and the Kisii to the west inhabits the three regions.In Sigowet region, the attacks have in the past led to about ten thousand goats and about five thousand head of cattle stolen within Sigowet, Sondu and Kisii regions and their environs,
© 2013 Human Rights Watch,Daily Nation ( April 2013).
Statement of the Problem
Safety in education is an important aspect that should be upheld by all governments and schools. This is an observation that was made in a two-year study on violence by the UN Global led Commission on Human Security advocating for all children accessing education as a driver for the Education For All movement Mertaugh, et, al. (2009). In the year 2014, some of the areas hard hit by ethnic clashes in Sigowet Sub County in Nyanza and Rift Valley regions were Kaplelartet, Kapsitan, Tabaita and Kamolok. As a result of this conflict, dozens of people were killed and 2,816 people
displaced. Many schools were closed and children and parents displaced to safer zones according to Red Cross, (2014); Oudia, (2014); and Ondiek, et al, (2014). Adverse effects of conflict such as displacement, destruction of property, death or injury of caregivers limits their capacity to pay fees, buy learning materials and monitor academic progress thus leading to poor academic achievement of pupils.
Traumatized learners will in most cases end up performing poorly academically as is the case in most parts of Sigowet Sub County. An analysis that was done in 2014, revealed for example during the 2014 KCPE results, Tabaita Primary had a school mean score of 198 marks out of 500 and was ranked last in the whole of Sigowet/ Belgut Sub County against a previous mean score of 238 in the year 2013 (Sigowet Sub County Educational Report, 2014). Children, in particular, represent one of the most vulnerable segments of the civilian population in situations of armed ethnic conflicts. During armed ethnic conflict, children not only suffer from the direct consequences such as recruitment in the armed groups, physical injury or death but are also indirectly affected by displacement, loss of relatives, and the trauma associated with witnessing acts of violence (Justino, 2014)
