The Growth And Development Of Primary Teacher Education In Kenya: The Case Of Kagumo Teachers Training College, 1944-1964

ABSTRACT

The opening of Kagumo Teachers Training College in 1944 remains an important landmark in the improvement of the quality of African education in the country as it provided facilities for the training of a more highly qualified grade of primary teachers. It was thus aspringboard for the growth of teacher education particularly inthe study period 1944- 1964.Although many studies had been undertaken on development of teacher education in Kenya there was no known study done on Kagumo Teacher Training College. This study, therefore, focussed on the development of teacher education with special reference to Kagumo Teachers Training College in Nyeri County, using historical design. The study sought to examine factors behind the establishment in 1944 as well as tracing growth and development of the College from 1944 to 1964.The target population was teachers who underwent their training at Kagumo Teachers Training College, former Principals and former tutors, Education Officers and members of the community. A sample size of 22 respondents were selected using purposive and snowball sampling. The respondents were five former tutors, six former students, eight members of the local community and three education administrators took part in the study as respondents. Data was collected using primary sources specifically interviews, observation as well as secondary sources. Qualitative data from interviews and observation were categorised as themes for comparison as well as quoting the responses. Data from secondary sources were analysed through content analysis andmerged with qualitative data. The study found that; the College was established for the purpose of undertaking the training of primary school teachers of calibre of Makerere for the Colony,local community participated in the development of the College,between 1944-1949 growth of the College remained lethargic as compared to the secondary section until implementation of Beecher Report(1949),the period between 1950 -1964 registered a phenomenal growth interms of enrolment,staffing and gaining full status after relocation of the primary section in 1957 to land opposite the College and the secondary school to its present location in 1960. The findings may be informative to educational scholars, researchers and policy-makers in appreciating the role of Kagumo in teacher education and also encouraging and stimulating further interest and research on teacher education in the country