Exploring Parents' and Teachers' “Educational Enthusiasm” in Kenya: Insights from a Rural Area and an Urban Slum

Abstract

Since its independence in 1963, Kenya has rapidly expanded school education with strong support from international organizations and Western countries. However, market-driven policies have widened educational disparities, leaving economically and geographically disadvantaged families behind. Despite these challenges, parents and teachers in such areas have shown increasing enthusiasm for education. Yet, little research has explicitly examined this enthusiasm.

This study explores the realities of educational enthusiasm among parents and teachers in rural areas and urban slums in Kenya, focusing on the role of schools in maintaining educational enthusiasm under difficult circumstances. Field work was conducted in Kibera, an urban slum in Nairobi, and a rural community in Machakos County for approximately five weeks in September 2023 and 2024. Participants included 19 teachers from a low-fee private school in Kibera and a public school in Machakos, as well as 15 parents from each school. Research methods involved participant observation and semistructured interviews.

Findings indicate that, despite difficulties caused by educational reforms, parents and teachers actively engaged in educational activities and demonstrated a remarkable level of commitment to school education. Their enthusiasm was found to include an awareness of a credential-oriented society but, more importantly, a strong desire to ensure a better future for their children. Furthermore, living in the same community fosters mutual support and altruistic behavior, reinforcing educational enthusiasm.

These results suggest that the educational enthusiasm of parents and teachers in disadvantaged regions stems from a community-oriented “passion” inspired by hope in the potential of education. Moreover, the presence of a “school as community,” which functions as a central node connecting teachers, parents, and children residing within the same community, strengthens mutual support networks among stakeholders. This, in turn, enables the sustained development of educational enthusiasm, even under adverse conditions.