Kenya’s First National Children’s Government:
Implications for Educational Research, Policy and
Practice
Andrew JC Cunningham
DPhil Candidate Department of Education
Oxford University
Children in a Changing Society
11 | November | 2014
ABOUT ME
Duke University
WISER Director
Muhuru Bay,
Kenya
MSc. Oxford &
UNICEF Intern
‘Policy Analyst’
DPhil Oxford &
UNICEF
Consultant
‘Embedded
Doctoral
Researcher’
OVERVIEW
PART 1: Understanding Quality Education in Kenya –
The Basics
PART II: Measuring Quality Education in Kenya –
Some New Thoughts
PART III: Advancing Quality Education in Kenya –
Kenya’s 1st National Children’s Government
PART IV: Discussing the Future of Quality Education
in Kenya – Kenya’s Children’s Government and
Possible Implications for Educational Research, Policy
and Practice
Part 1: Understanding Quality Education in
Kenya – the Basics
Part I
Tanahashi’s (1979) model for effective service coverage provides a range
of ways to analyse constraints of why an intended service fails to meet its
target audience and level of quality provision.
Part I
Part 1
Double bottleneck for quality education. One of the ‘best’ education
systems in the region with 95% net enrolment rate, but…
Availability Coverage and Effectiveness Coverage remain obstacles.
PART II: Measuring Quality Education in
Kenya – Some New Thoughts
Part II
‘Why do we care about what we can
measure, rather than measure what we care
about?
Part II
Global
(21st Century Skills)
National
(Kenya)
Local
(Kenyan School)
Part II
Global
(21st Century Skills)
Part II
Core Subjects
1. English/Reading2. World
Languages3. Arts4. Mathematics5. Economics6. Science7. Geography8. History9. Govt/Civics
21st Century
Themes
1. Global Awareness
2. Financial, Economic Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy
3. Civic Literacy4. Health Literacy
5. Environmental Literacy
Civic Literacy
Participating
effectively in civic life
through knowing how
to stay informed and
understanding
governmental
processes
Exercising the rights
and obligations of
citizenship at local,
state, national and
global levels.
Understandi
ng the local and
global implications of
civic decisions.
Part II
Skill 1. Creativity and Innovation
Think creatively
• Wide range of idea creation techniques
• Elaborate, refine, analyse and evaluate their own ideas
Work Creatively with Others
• Incorporate group input and feedback into work
• Demonstrate originality and inventiveness
Skill 2. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Reason Effectively
Use Systems Thinking
• Analyse how parts of a whole interact with each other to produce overall outcomes
Make Judgements and Decisions
• Analyse and evaluate major alternative points of view
Solve Problems
• Solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both conventional and innovative ways.
Skill 3. Communication & Collaboration
Communicate Clearly
• Articulate thoughts and ideas in variety of forms and contexts.
• Listen effectively to decipher meaning, including knowledge, values, attitudes, values.
Collaborate with Others
• Assume shared responsibilities
• Make necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal.
Part II
1. Flexibility and Adaptability• Adapt to Change
• Be Flexible
2. Initiative and Self-
Direction• Manage Goals and Time
• Be Self-Directed Learners
3. Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
• Interact Effectively with Others
• Work Effectively in Diverse Teams
4. Productivity and Accountability
• Manage Projects
• Produce Results
5. Leadership and Responsibility
• Guide and Lead Others
• Be Responsible to Others
Part II
National
(Kenya)
Peace
Tolerance
Citizenshi
p
Part II
National
(Kenya)Inclusive Classrooms
Safety and Protection
Equity and Equality
Nutrition and Health
Community Partnerships
Child-Friendly Schools
KEPSHA Annual Delegates Conference: Mainstreaming the Child-Friendly School Concept into Child-Friendly Education System: Our Opportune Time for Advancing Children’s Government Nationwide (2013)
Question 4 – Acting on data to improve quality education. Part II
Local
(Kenyan School)
Part II
Local
(Kenyan School)
Part II
# 1 - Provide adequate number of proper classrooms for pupils.
Part II
# 2 – Provide pupils with adequate school feeding.
Part II
# 3 –Identify and enrol out-of-school children.
Part II
# 4 – Provide adequate number of qualified teachers.
Part II
# 5 – Provide pupils with clean water for drinking at school.
Part II
# 15 – Establish a children’s government to enable children to
elect their own leaders and engage in school leadership.
PART III: Advancing Quality Education in
Kenya –Kenya’s 1st National Children’s
Government
3 questions.
1. What constitutes a children’s government in a Kenyan school?
2. What was the structure of the 1st
National Children’s Government in June 2014?
3. What were the steps for operationalizing a children’s co-
design process for policy making in education?
1. What constitutes a children’s government in a
Kenyan school?
21 Elected Officials for each School
4 Executive Governing OfficialsPresidentDeputy PresidentSpeakerDeputy Speaker
6 Cabinet OfficialsEducation Cabinet Secretary (CS) Sports and Culture CS Justice, Peace and Cohesion CSEnvironmental, Health and Sanitation CS Children Welfare and Special Needs CSICT and External Relations CS
3 Senators Lower Primary Senator (Pre-Unit – Class 3)Middle Primary Senator (Class 5 & 6)Upper Primary Senator (Class 7 and 8)
8 Members of Parliament One Member of Parliament for each Class
*Only Executive and Cabinet Officials continue onto sub-county, county and national elections.
Bringing Young Kenyans to the Decision-Making Table: The Road to Kenya’s First National Children’s Government
Part III
The Judicial Branch – The Pupils’ CourtChildren’Government
30,000 School Elections
208 Sub County
Elections
47 County
Elections
1 National Election
680,000
Pupil Leaders
2,080
Pupil Leaders
470
Pupil Leaders
10
Pupil Leaders
Jan. & Feb. Mar., Apr., May June 16 2014 June 16, 2014
Part III
2. What was the structure of the 1st National
Children’s Government in June 2014?
32
‘Empowering Children to Lead Innovation in
Achieving Quality Education for All’
Saturday: National Campaigns and Elections
Sunday: Parliament and Law Making
Monday: Inauguration and Declaration of Priorities
Part III
Part III Nominations and Speeches
Part III Campaigning
Part III Voting
Part III Counting Ballots
Part III Transmission of Results in Real-Time
TRANSMISSION OF RESULTS
145
205
104
231
159
174
191
143
152
180
211
125
0 50 100 150 200 250
ACHIENG USLER
ABDI AZIZ
NEEMA AKINYI
AMIN YUSUF
ABDULLAHI ZAHARA
ANNE STEPHA…
FADHILI MANYASA
PATRICIA KAVULANI
FAITH WAIRIMU
SALAT ABDI
CLINTON CHASE
EMILY RAWAYO
AchiengUsler
Abdi Aziz Neema Akinyi Amin YusufAbdullahiZahara
AnneStephanie
FadhiliManyasa
PatriciaKavulani
Faith Wairimu Salat AbdiClintonChase
EmilyRawayo
No. ofVotes
145 205 104 231 159 174 191 143 152 180 211 125
No. of Votes
Part III Transmission of Results in Real-Time
Part III. Victory is Declared
Bringing Young Kenyans to the Decision-Making Table: The Road to Kenya’s First National Children’s Government
Part III: Parliament and Policy Making
Part III: Inauguration of Children’s Government
Part III: Inauguration of President Danny Kinaro
Part III - Inauguration of Inclusive Cabinet
CS for Children’s Welfare, Salat Abdi used sign language
for his campaign.
Deputy Speaker Patricia Kamene challenged the
Cabinet Secretary for Education to increase budget
allocations for special needs children.
Deputy President Fatma and Speaker Halima
3. What were the steps for operationalizing a
children’s co-design process of policy making
for education?
9 STEPS FOR CHILD
CO-DESIGN IN
POLICY MAKING FOR
QUALITY EDUCATION
IN KENYA
Step 1: Draw Your School
Step 2: Label Parts of Your School or
Step 3: Role play as a Visiting School Inspector asking WHY or .
Step 4: Ideation – Stop | Start | Improveernment
Step 4 (up close)
Step 5: Clustering into CFS Categories
Step 6: Policy Making – Each County’s Top 10 Priorities (2 per CFS Theme)
Step 7: National Parliament Debate
Step 8: National Parliament Voting
Step 9: Presentation of Top 10 Priorities to National Decision-Makers
INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS
We must sensitise all of Kenya’s pupils on
the need to give love, care and priority in
advocating for the needs of fellow pupils
with special needs.
We must provide more classes for both the
abled and disabled with both computers
and braille machines included.
EQUITY AND EQUALITY
We must promote peace and love by
starting peer counseling and school courts
for all pupils across Kenya (a school court
is defined as a pupil council who can judge
their fellow pupils fairly during times of
indiscipline).
We must promote an end to gender
favouritism by giving equal access to equal
shares of educational materials for all
pupils; both boys and girls.
SAFETY AND PROTECTION
We must introduce school security clubs
overseen by the children’s governments to
safeguard all pupils, teachers and school
resources throughout the country from
those who wish to steal our opportunity to
learn.
We must provide proper fences to be put in
place in all schools to reduce drugs and
other negative influences from entering into
our school compounds and disrupting our
learning environment.
HEALTH AND NUTRITION
We must call upon all pupils to participate in
open forums to give education on the importance
of proper sanitation and hygiene. We must also
talk to parents during parent meetings on the
need to give their children balanced diets and
support school feeding programmes. And finally,
we must have all schools put up posters
addressing issues on HIV/AIDS and other
diseases that could threaten our future.
We must ensure that all pupils can eat a
balanced diet by giving all schools the
equipment needed for planting vegetables and
fruits in a school farm.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND LINKAGES
We must encourage all schools to form a pupils’
disciplinary committee to address pupils’ discipline
cases for and by their peers. We must also
formulate an appropriate language policy to help
our pupils on the command of global languages.
Finally, the children’s government officials must talk
to pupils on the need to maintain peace within the
school and the neighboring community at all times
throughout the country.
We must advocate for all schools that are in need
of water to encourage their communities to raise
funds to build adequate boreholes for all children
so we can have access to safe drinking water for
all.
Part III
Majority Leader Hon. Adan Duale promised to invite the
Children’s Government to the Kenya Parliament
Part III
…And he kept his word! The Children’s Government were the first visitors to be given the privilege to sit in the Speaker’s Box and the ten priorities were adopted as an official resolution in Kenyan parliament
PART IV: Discussing the Future of Quality Education in
Kenya – Possible Implications for Educational Research,
Policy and Practice
Part IV: Research, Policy and Practice
Global
(Research)
National
(Policy)
Local
(Practice)
Part IV: Global Research Focus
Part IV: National Educational Policy
Inclusive Classrooms
Safety and Protection
Equity and Equality
Nutrition and Health
Community Partnerships
Child-Friendly Schools by
Children
How do the 10 Children’s
Priorities Compare and
Contrast with the Child-
Friendly School Indicators for
Quality Education
Bringing Young Kenyans to the Decision-Making Table: The Road to Kenya’s First National Children’s Government
Part IV: National Education Policy
Children’s Voices in
Kenya
Ministry of Gender, Children and Social
Development
Children’s Assembly
(2 girls, 2 boys from each county)
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
(10 Elected Officials from School, District, and County Levels)
Part IV: Local Educational Practice
KEPSHA’s Flagship Program
Commonwealth Youth
Parliament in Zambia
Child-Centred Design
Teaching
3 THOUGHTS FOR DISCUSSION
WHAT COULD THE Kenyan CHILDREN’S GOVERNMENT MEAN FOR future of…
1.CHILD RIGHTS - POWER VS. PARTICIPATION
2.FUNDING bucket - CHILD PROTECTION VS.
QUALITY EDUCATION,
1.SCHOOL LEADERSHIP – MANAGERIAL VS. TRANSFORMATIONAL VS. DEMOCRATIC