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Problems Facing Urban Christian Church-Sponsored Schools Exemplified by St. Peter Claver’s Catholic Primary School, Nairobi County

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Education is one of the major social pillars that the National Strategic Plan captures in Kenya Vision 2030. Besides the government which is a main provider of education in the country, there are other partners such as the Roman Catholic Church that pursue the goal of providing holistic education. It is worth appreciating that, in Kenya, it is in common domain that the RCC has contributed a lot towards socio-political, economic and education growth. Nonetheless, efficiency and conflict of interest regarding management of some public sponsored schools together with mutual hostility with civil authorities more so in urban ones deserves critical attention. This provides a springboard for the study to investigate pertinent problematic factors that hinder the actualization of the ideals of Church sponsored urban schools in schooling and education focusing on St. Peter Claver’s Catholic Primary School in Nairobi as a model.
The study applies qualitative research while using a case study design to collect data from both secondary and primary sources. Primary data is acquired through questionnaires, in-depth interviews, focused group discussions and observation. To delve further into the problem, the study is guided by three inter-dependent theories. They are: Social Learning Theory, Mediation Theory and Redaction Criticism Theory. The findings of the work include - but are not limited to - conflict between ecclesial sponsors and civil authorities, diverging faith affiliation demands, infrastructural problems together with environmental challenges. It is against these socio-economic milieus that the study articulates on the critical roles of the government and the Church as a sponsor to avert recurrent conflict of interest and other problems that urban Christian Church sponsored schools face. In view of these issues a study on the problems facing sponsored primary schools is pivotal since the education received in these schools is the foundational level that determines most the present and future character of the pupils and school management, and guarantees upward mobility in schooling, education, and gainful employment.
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In-Text Citation: (Wachege & Joel, 2019)
To Cite this Article: Wachege, P. N., & Joel, N. K. (2019). Problems Facing Urban Christian Church-Sponsored Schools Exemplified by St. Peter Claver’s Catholic Primary School, Nairobi County. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(2), 175–189.