Implementation of moral education in Kenyan schools: a study of selected catholic schools from Kitui Central Deanery

Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Applied Philosophy and Ethics (MAPE) at Strathmore University, KenyaThis study has been carried out to find out if students in secondary schools in Kitui central deanery are being brought up to make morally right judgment for their actions. The study has been prompted by increased acts of indiscipline as well as acts of immorality which have been witnessed in schools in Kitui central deanery for the last seven years. This study was guided by the concepts of virtue in the philosophy of Aristotle. Aristotle’s concept on human excellence incorporates both cognitive and conative capacities. According to him bringing up a person of excellent character involves combination of both the phronesis (the virtue of practical wisdom) and other moral virtues. This study has highlighted the concrete situations in schools which attest to the fact that there have been increased cases of indiscipline and immorality in schools. The study has looked at different constitutional documents as well as taskforce reports in Kenya which spell out the role of moral education in schools. It has found a glaring mismatch between what is envisioned in these documents and what is being practiced in schools. In the literature review, the study has explored what different authors have said regarding moral education of the students. The first section of the literature review explored the importance of moral education in secondary schools. Further it has looked into how students are being brought up to acquire moral virtues and practical wisdom using school systems and culture. The third part of literature review looks at the consistency of the approaches which schools have been using in moral education. Finally this section gives the conceptual framework guiding this study. Chapter three of the study deals with the research methodology. This area handles research design, location of the study as well as how data has been collected and analyzed. Chapter four of this study presents research findings which show that moral education is not being properly implemented in catholic sponsored secondary school in Kitui central deanery. The fifth chapter is a critical interrogation of research findings as well as proposing areas which schools need to improve on in implementing moral education in schools. Chapter six gives summary of the study, conclusions and recommendation. The key conclusion the study has made is that moral education is not properly being implemented in secondary schools in the catholic sponsored schools in Kitui central deanery. Finally the study recommends that there is need to mainstream moral education in both curriculum and co-curriculum activities