The spread of Covid-19 pandemic in East Africa has greatly undermined the daily economic activities of the motorbike operators in the region during its first phase. The motor bike riders (boda boda) have been condemned for the fast spread of Covid-19 due to the nature of their business of moving people from place to place and deep into communities. Boda boda transport system has been embraced by most people in East Africa since it is fast, flexible and cheap and has become more popular among the poor segments of the society. However, with the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic the East African governments have put spotlight on the motorbike transport industry as a weak link in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. In Uganda for instance President Yoweri Museveni had to ban boda boda operators from carrying passengers for the fear of community-to-community spread of the pandemic. The consequences of the negative perception against the boda boda operators carried psychosocial as well as economic repercussions with it such as intense fear, obsessive behaviour, anxiety and stigma. The purpose of this study was to investigate Covid-19 pandemic and its psychosocial as well as economic challenges on the motorbike transport in Kimilili Sub County, Bungoma County, Kenya. The study population comprised of all the motorcycle riders within Kimilili town. The sample size comprised of 24 motor bike riders sampled from the 12 main town stages from which 2 participants were selected through simple random sampling. The study adopted qualitative research design where descriptive survey was employed. The study employed Focused group Discussion (FGD) tool for data collection. The FGD involved the participants in a discussion on common psychosocial problems affecting the boda boda operators. Data was collected and analyzed qualitatively then presented in prose. The results revealed that motorbike riders had faced numerous challenges ranging from reduced income and stigma to police harassment and corruption. The study recommends reforms that can restore sanity and dignity to the boda boda public transport industry such as financial empowerment, social protection, training of staff and counselling services.
Information communication technology use has become a key instrument in many fields and sectors of economies and more importantly in the educational sector. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which technological infrastructure for learning had motivated learners and led to the enhancement of Student Centred Learning (SCL) skills in public secondary schools in Bungoma County. The focal area of the study was the evaluation of the available tools used and how they had impacted on learner motivation and achievement of SCL.The study adopted mixed methods design. Data was collected through observations, questionnaires and interview schedules. Results revealed that computers were the main tool used in most schools and had disadvantaged most learners. The study recommended for diversification of technologies used for learning especially cheap technologies which appeal more to the needs of the learners. 2. Background to the Study Infrastructural motivation is the motivation derived from ICT infrastructure, which comprises of both hardware and software facilities such as computers, radios, laptops, electricity, telephony, rooms, network and implementation. The availability of relevant and adequate ICT infrastructure for learning in schools has motivational potential that can drive learners to achieve their educational goals and self efficacy. In most schools that offer ICT in Bungoma County Kenya, tools used in the teaching and learning process such as computers, projectors, flashes, radios and laptops were present but not enough as per the needs of the learners. According to a study in Malaysia on the extent of ICT use among students in secondary schools, teachers and students made use of ICT infrastructure to a moderate extent; however it was observed that teachers were not fully ICT literate and did not fully use ICT for teaching. The most common tools were projectors and computers (Bee & Chia, 2014). The distribution of these tools to learners was challenging due to their inadequacy. Therefore the key area of consideration before installation of ICT in schools is to ensure that appropriate rooms are available for the housing of technology. This would motivate learners to learn in comfortable and conducive environments. This was however found to be a challenge in most developing countries where unsuitable rooms were used to house technologies and which also lacked reliable supply of electricity (White et al., 2010). In most rural areas of Africa wireless technologies such as handheld computers, tablets and smart phones which are confirmed to be the best for fast technology access and whose potential for learner motivation is high are yet to be
The objective of this study was to establish student online activities and their impact on learning motivation among public secondary school students in Bungoma County, Kenya. The target population was 600 respondents in 71 schools. The sample size was 234 student respondents selected from 19 schools. Tools used for data collection were questionnaire and interview guide. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used. The study’s findings revealed that student online activities had insignificant impact on learning motivation to enhance student self-driven learning. The study’s recommendations were: availing of adequate tools to learners and emphasis on use of digital technologies such as tablets and mobile phones by school authorities. Internet services were necessary to allow learners connect with experts on global perspective in such a dispensation as this one.
Most urban centres and cities globally are vulnerable to the fast spread of Covid-19 due to their high population and many interactive activities including movement of people. The transport industry has been targeted in many parts of the world in the effort to curb the spread of pandemic as it is believed to be the main conduit of the spread of the pandemic. However, the lockdown of major cities all over the world has led to the development of under ways to facilitate illegal movement of people in and out of the lockdown epicentre cities. In Kenya for instance Nairobi and Mombasa which are believed to be the main epicentres of the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic were put under lockdown by the government of Kenya for three months. Consequently, the government through the ministry of health banned motorists especially public transport vehicles from entering and leaving the epicentre cities. During the lockdown motorcycle became the major mode of public transport illegally sneaking people in and out of these cities thus endangering lives of many Kenyans as they aided in the spread of the pandemic. The lifting of the lockdown of Mombasa and Nairobi has seen tremendous rise in infections and even deaths doubling the previous statistics. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate Covid-19 pandemic and its influence on the social risk behaviour change among motorcycle riders in the transport industry in Kimilili Sub county Bungoma County Kenya. The study population were all the motorcycle riders within Kimilili town. The sample size comprised of 60 motor bike riders selected through simple random sampling from 12 motorcycle stage points in Kimilili town. The study adopted quantitative research design where descriptive survey was employed. Simple structured questionnaire was developed and administered to the respondents. Data was collected and analyzed through descriptive statistics and presented in tables of frequencies and percentages. The results revealed that motorbike riders had failed to comply with the ministry of health guidelines in the transport industry to help fight the spread of Covid-19 pandemic. The extent to which the respondents complied with the government regulations was generally low. Therefore, the noncompliance behaviour of bike motorists to the government directives was a serious social health risk behaviour that the ministry of health should address to minimise the spread of Covid-19 through motorbike transport system in Kenya.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.