TRADITIONAL YOUTH EDUCATION OF THE BUKUSU COMMUNITY OF WESTERN KENYA: A STUDY OF ITS CONTENT, TEACHERS AND PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS (1844 – 2019)

Abstract

This study investigating content, teachers and philosophical bases of youth education of the traditional Bukusu community of Western Kenya (1844-2019) was conducted in Bungoma County, using a phenomenological research design. The purpose of this study was to describe and investigate the status of content, teachers and philosophical foundations of youth education in the traditional Bukusu community of Western Kenya. The main objective was: to describe and investigate content knowledge of youth education in the traditional Bukusu community of Western Kenya. The main question was: what is the content knowledge of youth education in the traditional Bukusu community of Western Kenya? The assumption was that the respondents: the Bukusu council of elders, the Bukusu traditional educators (baseni be kimise), leaders of the culture council of traditional Bukusu community (musambwa), and the Bukusu traditional circumcisers (bakhebi) gave accurate information about youth education of the traditional Bukusu community of Western Kenya. The study used the phenomenological theory. Respondents were selected by purposive sampling and snowballing sampling procedures from the Bukusu council of elders, the Bukusu community traditional educators, leaders of culture council of the traditional Bukusu community and the Bukusu community traditional circumcisers. The research tools were oral interviews and participant observation. The target population was 98 respondents consisting of 24 Bukusu council of elders, 05 Bukusu community traditional educators, 24 leaders of culture council of Bukusu elders and 45 Bukusu community traditional circumcisers. The sample size was 72 respondents consisting of 20 Bukusu council of elders, 21 leaders of culture council of Bukusu elders, 02 Bukusu community traditional educators and 29 Bukusu community traditional circumcisers. Credibility of instruments was done by triangulation. Dependability of data collection tools was done. Data was analysed by inductive analysis. Results of data analysis were presented in a descriptive form and in the form of tables, frequency counts and percentages.The study recommends for a compulsory teaching of multiple courses to students to help reduce high levels of unemployment in Kenya. It is hoped that the findings of this research would trigger more studies in African traditional education. The study has preserved a section of the Bukusu community traditional customs.