Helping Learners Acquire Competencies in Animal and Soil conservation: The Case of Parental Engagement

Abstract

Parental participation is an important link in skills achievement by pupils learning Environmental Activities at lower primary schools in Kenya. Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and Ministry of education (MoE) encourage Parental participation for effective and efficient teaching and learning of various environmental activities skills for holistic development of pupils as members of society. Environmental Activities encompasses sub-strands such as social interaction skills, Entrepreneurship skills, and agriculture (crop and Animal rearing) and soil conservation skills. This paper reports findings on parental participation and acquisition of animal and soil conservation skills. The study was informed by Systems theory. The study was conducted in three counties of Busia, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia, Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The sample of the study was 1076 participants comprising 1051teachers and 25 Parents’ Association representatives (PAs). Random sampling was used to select schools while purposive sampling obtained teachers and PAs. Questionnaire was used to collect data from teachers and interview guide was used with parents. The study yielded qualitative data that was analyzed thematically and quantitative data which was analyzed using IBMSPSS 28.0 statistics software. The study found out that Parents were not participating fully in assisting pupils in take home assignments aimed at acquisition of animal and soil conservation skills. It was found that majority of the respondents (52.17%) did not confirm parental participation using the required ways of assisting pupils in their take home assignments in animal and soil conservation skills. The study recommends further analysis of context to understand the factors that influenced the findings. And, sensitization of parents on their role in supporting pupils obtain animal and soil conservation skills.