Effect Of Post Election Crisis To Education: Case Study Of Rift Valley Schools

Abstract

The announcement oftl1e presidential election resnlts' in 30th December 2007 led to an escalation of posts in various parts of Kenya. The post-election violence experienced in Kenya since 30th December 2007 has resulted in a number of deaths and displacement of people from their homes in various parts of the country. Various sectors of the Kenyan society have been affected. This paper examines the effects of the post election crisis on education in Kenya with reference to the learners, teachers, schools, access to quality education, psychological trauma, on going recovery efforts, fue role of edncation and civil society in peace building. The paper finishes with short and long term recommendations that can be used to enhance education in the near future. EFFECTS OF POST ELECTION CRISDS ON EDUCATION The education sector has been adversely affected by the destruction of learning institutions, displacement people including school going children and even teachers. Sometimes it is difficnlt to measure the impact of conflict or violence on education. It might be easy to attach numbers to physical aspects such as fue number of children or students and teachers killed, displaced, the number of learning institutions destroyed by the violence. There are non physical aspects that numbers can not help to reveal the full extent of the impact There are psychological effects fuat may not be apparent at the beginning which may have long term effects on the children's social, emotional and cognitive development. The effects of violence on education can be measured using various indexes. Nicolai and Triplehom (2003, pp 2-3) identify three measures of the impact of conflict in education. The first one is attacks on schools or teaming institutions. This is the most easily quantifiable way of measuring the effect of violence on education. It involves counting the number of schools or learning institutions attacked or destroyed. The second measure is reduced or increased enrohnent and attendance at schools. This is caused by internal displacement of children from the homes. A third measure is the access to quality education during times of crisis. When there is conflict the child who attends schools fuat may be set up in camps do not get quality education due inadequate human and material resources, continued fear of possible attacks that may lead to closures of schools that have been set up. There are also indirect measures such as disruption of the learning process resulting from dislocation of teachers and the personnel that support education. The following sections examine the effects the crisis has had on education using some of the measures identified.