The Maasai girl child is vulnerable to poor menstrual hygiene, teen pregnancies, early marriages, domestic violence and female genital mutilation (FGM). Schools had temporarily offered the girls a shelter towards these challenges. However, covid-19 pandemic led to indefinite closure of schools forcing the girls back home to the full glare of these predicaments. Additionally, there was fear of the health pandemic which had also affected the economy. This study aimed at examining how covid-19 pandemic had affected the welfare of the Maasai girl child in Narok county, Kenya. A cross-sectional design of study was used. Data was collected using questionnaires and by observations. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings indicate that frustrations over lack of basic needs coupled with numerous domestic violence incidences caused the girls to engage in ‘sex for sanitary towels’. 83.1% of the girls did not use any sex protection means while majority of the rest used ineffective methods. FGM was at its peak as there was abundant time to practice it and less government interference. In conclusion, the Maasai girls’ welfare was in dire need for external assistance. Government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) should urgently intervene to rescue the Maasai girl child.
National exams in Kenya have been seen as the bridge to better livelihoods. Passing the exams translates to more chances of selection to quality schools and professional courses. On contrary, failing these exams is perceived to render the candidate 'a community failure', with little chances of making it in life. The exams therefore carry a lot of weight in the minds of candidate students. The covid-19 pandemic resulted to indefinite closure of learning institutions. This closure affected many dynamics responsible for candidates' performance in their national exams. A study was hereby conducted aiming to assess how the pandemic had affected candidates' (class 8 and form 4) perception towards national exams in Narok county, Kenya. The research used a mixed design involving a casestudy and cross-sectional design of study. Questionnaire guides were used. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the findings. The findings indicated that the candidates' perception of passing in essential subjects were completely altered. The pandemic had also made the learners to switch their dream professions. The study found out that there was little online learning activity with numerous excuses for the same. Most of the learners indicated that their perception on school resumption largely dependent on how the government would contain the pandemic. In conclusion, the pandemic had significantly ruined how the learners perceived national exams. The authors recommend all education stakeholders to move with speed in ensuring the candidates are engaged with learning activities either online or through community-based learning platforms.
Sign language is a system of communication that uses manual alphabets, hand gestures, facial expressions and finger spelling to convey meaning. It is used in communication as well as instructional language during teaching and learning process. However, there are variations in sign language worldwide and Kenya is no exception. The variations in sign language may affect academic performance among students in secondary school for the hearing impairment (HI). This study aimed at to identifying the sources of variations and the effects of variations on academic performance of students in HI schools. The study was guided by the ecological system theory of human development. Descriptive research design was employed. The target population of the study was 17 secondary schools for HI students, 589 form four students and 189 teachers. Two questionnaires were used, one for the teachers and the other for the HI students. A pilot study was conducted to assess the validity and reliability of research instruments. Data was analyzed descriptively with the help of SPSS version 25. The results were presented in tables and figures in form frequencies and percentages. Results from the respondents established that there were variations in the KSL which were brought about by the family background, the teachers’ interactions, peers and friends, the curriculum and also regional variations. It was also established that the variations affected the way the students receive and respond to various concepts during teaching and learning process which affected their academic performance. The study concluded that there were variations in the KSL, which influenced students’ academic performance. The researcher recommends that curriculum developers should consider these findings and align the curriculum to reduce variations. Curriculum developers to use the media to teach the community on the appropriate signs used for communication in Kenya more in service courses for the trained teachers to all other teachers to get the basic sign languages used in Kenya.
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