Lea Kipkorir: Forgotten Pioneer of Early Childhood Education in Kenya
| Main Authors: | Grace Jepkemboi, PhD, Rose Ruto-Korir, PhD |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article Journal |
| Bahasa: | eng |
| Terbitan: |
, 2015
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: |
https://zenodo.org/record/3529245 |
Daftar Isi:
- Lea I. Kipkorir is one of the forgotten pioneers of early childhood education, ECE, in Kenya. This paper examines her life, career and contributions to the field. A 1969 graduate of Harvard University, Lea rose through the ranks to the heights of her career as the Director of Kenya Institute of Education, KIE, the institution charged with designing and implementation of the curriculum in Kenya. Her notable contributions to ECE in Kenya are in six areas. 1) Her career in ECE changed a common perception that early childhood education is for ‘academic failures in the school system.’ 2) Strengthened partnerships with Bernard Van Leer Foundation, Aga Khan Foundation and UNICEF. These partnerships transformed day-care centers into preschool segments of the education system and initiated early childhood development, ECD, programme which was used to qualify entry to primary school in Kenya. 3) A member of a specialist interest group (SIG) on ECE with partners from Jamaica and India. They developed ECD programme, Kenya Pre-School Education Project and a culturally sensitive curriculum. 4) Head of Kenya Pre-School Education Project at KIE, which developed curriculum modules for nursery schools and day centers, training of teachers, caregivers and supervisors. 5) As director of KIE, Lea played a significant role in the transfer of pre-school education to the Ministry of Education in 1979. 6) As director, she led the establishment of NACECE and DICECE and other policies that resulted in significant growth and expansion of ECE from the national level to grassroots across the country.