Review

A systems approach to education in Kenya: Implications on educational media program development

Elizabeth S. B. Abenga

Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, P. O. Box 190 50100, Kakamega, Kenya. E-mail: esabenga@yahoo.com . Tel: +254726846769.

Accepted 5 August, 2009

Abstract

Education is the driving force of any nation and like any other organization or enterprise, efficiency, effectiveness and quality ought to be the cornerstones. Development of educational media programs is a means of enhancing these cornerstones in a teaching/learning process. Systems’ thinking requires that all components of a system interact in a complementary manner to support the functioning of the whole. The objective of this paper is to analyze the education sector in Kenya, examining the roles and relationships of its sub-sectors by application of systems approach, in order to determine their functions or dysfunctions. This paper further discusses the impact of absence of a functional system of education on media program development in Kenya. This discussion leads to a conclusion as to whether there exists a functional education system that can satisfactorily support development of educational media programs in Kenya. The implications of the conclusion made on media program development in Kenya are discussed and a way forward for improvement of media program development suggested.

Key words: Systems approach, educational media program, media program development.