Preparedness for Implementation of Mother Tongue Education Policy in Public Lower Primary Schools in Meru County, Kenya

Abstract

The Kenya Basic Education Curriculum Framework introduced Indigenous languages as a subject in early years of education in 2017, recognizing their crucial role in education. Despite its implementation, the effectiveness of this policy remains unclear. The purpose of the research was to investigate the implementation preparedness for the execution of the MTE policy in the public lower primary schools in Meru County, Kenya. The main objectives of the study were to assess teacher preparedness, instructional materials preparedness, institutional preparedness, and the extent to which the attitude of teachers moderated the execution of the MTE policy in Meru County, Kenya. Paul Sabatier’s Advocacy Coalition Framework, Chomsky’s Linguistic Theory, Cummins Underlying Proficiency Theory, and Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory underpinned the study. The study used a descriptive survey design and adopted the mixed methods approach. A sample of 20% of the population was deemed adequate for the study. Data were collected from Grade 3 teachers using questionnaires and focus Group Discussions collected data from head teachers and sub-county Quality Assurance Standards Officers, Curriculum Support Officers, and the County Director of Education data were collected using interviews. The research permit was sought from NACOSTI after clearance by the Kenya Methodist University Directorate of Postgraduate Studies. The authority to conduct the pilot study in Tharaka Nithi County and the main study in Meru County was granted by the County Directors of Education. The instruments were tested for reliability by use of Cronbach alpha coefficients which yielded a P> 0.7 and the content, construct and face validity were confirmed by experts and supervisors. Quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics where the mean, mode, and percentages were computed. Additionally, inferential statistics were analyzed through Spearman’s correlation and Ordinal logistic regression. The research hypothesis was tested through correlation and regression. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and data was presented in tables and graphs in line with the study objectives. Overall findings of the study confirmed that teacher preparedness, instructional resource preparedness, and institutional readiness were key for a successful implementation of the MTE policy. The attitude of teachers fairly moderated between teachers, instructional resources, institutional preparedness, and MTE policy implementation. Areas of further research included the impact of using MT on performance, the influence of learners’ attitudes on the implementation of MTE, and a comparative study on performance in subjects taught in MT. Recommendations included prioritizing teacher training and in-service training, sufficient and relevant instructional materials adequate resources, and infrastructure to support MTE policy implementation.