Islamic education in Kenya a case study of Islamic integrated schools in Garissa County

215 Pages·2013·2.07 MB·English

by  Adan Saman Sheikh

ISLAMIC EDUCATION IN KENYA
A CASE STUDY OF ISLAMIC INTEGRATED SCHOOLS IN GARISSA
COUNTY

BY
ADAN SAMAN SHEIKH
C/80/82222/2011

A Thesis submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Doctor of
Philosophy in Religious Studies, in the Department of Philosophy and Religious
Studies, University of Nairobi.

July, 2013

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DECLARATION
This Thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other
University.

Adan Saman Sheikh

This Thesis has been submitted for examination with our approval as University
Supervisors

__________________________ ________________________
Prof. J.N.K Mugambi Prof. N.W. Ndungu

Date__________________________ Date_________________________
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ABSTRACT

This thesis explores the challenges facing Islamic education in Kenya with specific
reference to Islamic Integrated schools that combines the national secular public
school curriculum and Islamic education curriculum as taught in Madrasas and
Qur‘anic schools. Throughout history, Islamic education has continued to adapt to
the different environments and Islamic Integrated schools are not an exception. As
indicated by the study, despite the many challenges, the schools have continued to
provide a wholesome education, and in some areas by-passed the secular public
schools in both enrolment attainment. The study has utilized the phenomenological
approach to capture and describe the essence of Islamic Integrated Schools as a
social phenomenon and the challenges they face in providing two different types of
knowledge with different values.

This study on the challenges facing Islamic Education in Kenya had four objectives: a)
to identify the rationale for the establishment of Islamic integrated schools in Kenya b)
to examine the curriculum of Islamic Integrated schools in terms of the number of
subjects taught and the amount of content to determine curriculum overload c) to
investigate the role of Islamic Integrated Schools in the education of Muslim children d)
to explore the challenges facing Islamic Integrated schools.

Field data from Garissa County was used to confirm the findings of the study. While
the traditional Madrasa‟s are still growing, there are more students attending secular
education with Madrasa‟s and Qur‘anic schools, attended in the afternoons, evenings
and during weekends. The Madrasa‟s are autonomous institutions outside the control of
the education authorities and were not therefore supervised as to the quality of education
provided. Concerns have been raised about the amount of time children spend in the
Islamic Integrated schools but the schools were found to cover two broad curricula
which obviously calls for more time.

Finally, the study has identified the urban and ethnic bias of the Islamic Integrated
schools phenomenon. The founders and more than 80 percent of the learners were
found to be of the Somali ethnic group. This is an area that requires further study as
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it would be of interest to Sociologists and Anthropologists. There will also be need
to study the implication of teaching two foreign languages and a national language to
pre-school and lower primary school children. The study also has implications for
further research for planning and policy making in the field of education.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION…………………………………………………………………..…ii
ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT…………………………………..………………………xi
ACRONYMS………………………………………………………………………xii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION……………………………………….…...……1
1.0 Background to the Study………………………………………………….….……1
1.1 Statement of the Problem………………………………………………………….3
1.2 Objectives of the study…………………………………………………..………...5
1.3 Justification of the study…………………………………………………………..5
1.4 Scope of the study……………………………………………………………..…..6
1.5 Limitations of the study………………………………………………………..….7
1.6 Literature Review…………………………………………………………..……...7
1.7 Theoretical Framework………………………………………………………..…26
1.8 Methodology………………………………………………………..……………29
REFERENCES…………………………………………...………………………….36
CHAPTER TWO: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION…...39
2.0 Introduction……………..……………………………………………………….39
2.1 Historical Development of Islamic Education………………..………………….39
2.2 Education in Kenya………………………………………………..……………..48
2.3 The Development of the Madrasa System…………………………..……….......54
2.4 Types of Islamic Institutions……………………………..………………..……..57
2.5 Conclusion……………………………..………………………………………...67
REFERENCES………………………………………………..…………..…………68
CHAPTER THREE:EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE IN ISLAM..……………71

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3.0 Introduction……………………………………………………………..………71
3.1 Education as a Function………………………………..…………..……………71
3.2 Education as Utility………………………………………...……….……………73
3.3 Education as Reproduction………………………..………….………………….74
3.4 Knowledge……………………………………………………………………….76
3.5 Islamic Education ……………………………………………........……………..78
3.6 Education Theories…………………………………………………..…….…….79
3.7 Contemporary Islamic Education…………………………….......……………...82
3.9 Faculties For Acquiring of Knowledge………………………….....…………….83
3.10 Learning Techniques……………………………..…………………….……….84
3.11 Gender in Islam………………………………………………..……..…………87
3,12 Conclusion……………………………………………………..……………….90
REFERENCES………………………………………………..………..……………92
CHAPTER FOUR: AL-IBRAHIM ACADEMY AND AL-FAROUQ ISLAMIC
SCHOOL…………………………………………………………………………....4.0
Introduction……………………………………………………….…..………….…..95
4.1 Al-Ibrahim Integrated Academy…………………………………………………96
4.1.1 Nurturing an Islamic Environment………………………………………….....97
4.1.2 Curriculum ……………………………………………….…..……….……...103
4.1.3 Islamized Curricula…………………………….........……..…………………105
4.1.4 Performance………………………………………..…..……………………..107
4.1.5 Language………………………………...……………..……………………..108
4.1.6 Parental Choice and Economic Investment…………………………………..110
4.1.7 Parental Involvement…………………………..……………..………………111
4.1.8 Continuity Between Home and School……………………………….....……111
4.2 Al-Farouq Islamic School………………………………..……..………………112
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4.2.1 Al-farouq Islamic School's History History……………………....…………..113
4.2.2 Learning Resources…………………………………………….....…………..114
4.2.3 The Role of Arabic in Al-Farouq School……………………….…………….115
4.2.4 Practices and Values…………………………………...…………..…………118
4.2.5 Education and Spiritual Objectives………………………….....…………….120
4.2.7 Conclusion……………………………..………………..……………………126
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................128
CHAPTER FIVE: ISLAMIC EDUCATION IN SELECTED COUNTRIES……129
5.0 Introduction…………………………………………………......……………...129
5.1 Components of Islamic Education Curriculum………………………..………..130
5.2 Education in Selected Countries……………………………..…………………131
5.2.1 Islamic Education in Nigeria………………………………..………………..132
5.2.2 Islamic Education in Tanzania and Uganda……………………….…………141
5.2.4 Islamic Education in Malaysia………………………..………………………149
5.2.5 Islamic Education in Indonesia……..………………………………………...152
5.3 Conclusion………………………………………..…………………………….157
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................159
CHAPTER SIX: FINDINGS OF THE STUDY………………………..……..……163
6.0 Introduction……………..………………………………………………………163
6.2 Rationale for the Establishment of the Schools………………………..……….164
6.1.1 School Environment…………………………………..……….……………..166
6.1.2 Acceptable Peer Groups …………………………………….………………..166
6.1.3 Gender Separation……………………………………..………………….......167
6.2 The Role of Islamic Integrated Schools…………………………..…………….169
6.3 Curriculum in the Islamic Integrated Schools………………………..………...170
6.4 Challenges of Islamic Education…………………………..…………………...180
6.5 Conclusion …………………………………...………………………………...190
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CHAPTER SEVEN: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS…………....191
7.0 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………...191
7.1 Recommendation……………………………………………………………….196
7.2 Suggestions for Future Studies…………………………………………………198
GLOSSARY OF ISLAMIC TERMS ………………………………………………199
Bibliography……………...………………………………………......…………….203
Appendix i: Brochure of an Islamic Integrated…………………….....……….……216
Appendix ii: Interview Guide for Head Teachers…………………….....…...……..222
Appendix iii: Interview Guide for Teachers…………….....………………..……...224
Appendix iv: Discussion Guide for Focus Group with Pupils…………..…....….…226
Appendix v: Semi-Structured Interview Guide with Parents/R. Leaders…….….....227
Appendix vi:Semi-Structured Interview Guide with M.o.E Officials.......................228
Appendix vii: Plates…………………………………………...……………………230

TABLES

Table 1: Purposive Sample of Ministry of Education Officials..................................30
Table 2: Purposive Sample of Islamic Organizations in Kenya..................................31
Table 3: Islamic Integrated Schools Enrolment for the year 2012............................168
Table 4: Comparison of Curriculum Load between a Public school and an I.I.S.....172
Table 5: Comparison in Performance between Public and I.I.S...............................174
Table 6: Curricula used in Islamic Integrated Schools..............................................177
Table 7: Fee Structure for an Islamic Integrated School in Nairobi..........................181
Table 8: Teachers in I.I.S. by level of Education and Training.................................184

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PLATES

Plate A: An Islamic Integrated School in Mombasa. Girls are in Hijab.
Boys and girls do not mix even in the playground........................................230
Plate B: One of the oldest Madrasa Institutions in Kenya.........................................231
Plate C: Girls in class and sitting separate from the boys..........................................232
Plate D: Typical Qur‘anic School. Structures are not normally permanent..............233
Plate E: All the Qur‘anic School needs to Impart Knowledge.
A Wooden Slate............................................................................................234
Plate F: Vision and Mission of Young Muslim School in Garissa........................... 235
Plate G: Vision and Mission of Al-Ibrahim Academy…………………….………..236

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank Prof. Jesse N.K. Mugambi and Prof. N.W. Ndungu for their
supervision and guidance in all stages of my PhD work from research design to
writing up the thesis. I thank you for taking me on, for being available whenever I
needed to have a meeting, but most of all, for the constant positive reinforcement you
gave. My sincerest and deepest thanks go to all the participants who contributed to
the research. In taking part in the fieldwork they have given me the most valuable
experience of my life. I would also like to acknowledge the professional and fraternal
contributions of all those whom I have been honoured to have gained inspiration
from. With the utmost sincerity, I recognize that supporting a doctoral candidate over
a journey that spans years requires patience and more patience as one progresses
through moments of small peaks and what appear to be deep valleys.

Most importantly, I would like to thank my mother Hajia Hawa Mohamed Ali and my
sister Halima Issack, and also my wives, Kaltuma and Mariam, my children Abdiaziz,
MohamedRashid, Aisha, Samira, Abdulrahman, Abdiwadud, Abdiwahid, Zuhura,
Umar and Yasir. Their love and support throughout my life has made everything that
has happened possible. To all of them I say ‗thank you‘. Finally, I would like to
dedicate this thesis to all people of goodwill who understand that opening the door of
a classroom is akin to closing the door of a prison.

Adan Saman Sheikh
January, 2013
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