Assessment of Social, Moral and Spiritual Challenges Facing Students in Secondary Schools in Nyeri County, Kenya

Yıl 2022, Cilt: 9 Sayı: 1, 262 - 271, 31.01.2022

Peterson Gıthınjı Kagema

Öz

Contemporary educational institutions have been faced with emerging social-cultural, spiritual and moral issues that have brought with them new choices in views, cultural orientations, and philosophy. Ultimately, their health welbeing is affected. This has created a contextual social crisis that necessitates the need to guide young people in various ways of approaching contemporary life. This article asseses the main social, moral and spiritual challenges facing students in secondary schools in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study was conducted descriptively with a total of 99 secondary school students, and 68 Christian Union(CU)/Catholic Action(CA) patrons. From the results of the study, it was established that most of the students are faced by various social, moral and spiritual challenges among others; unhealthy relationships that leads to early pregnancy among girls; religious relativism; negative influence from modern social media; and membership to pseudo-religious groups. The study, hence, recommend to various educational stakeholders on the need to change the traditional methodological approaches that have been used addressing the above mentioned challenges faced by the 21st century young generation. Hence, the nned to develop a more contemporary methodoligies that can address the revolutionized social-cultural, moral and spiritual contexts. In this case, an effective complementary Christian pastoral care and counseling programmes interventions becomes vital in contemporary educational contexts.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Social, moral, spiritual, challenges, secondary school students

Kaynakça

• Abbas, F. (2009) Teacher preparedness in dealing with learners’ social problems. Unpublished M.Ed. Dissertation, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa.
• Achoka, J., Njeru, S. and Muthoni, F. (2012) De-stigmatizing teenage motherhood: Towards achievement of universal basic education in Kenya. Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy studies. Vol. 3(6).
• Akpanessien, A. (2015) The Role of Pastoral Care and Guidance in the Spiritual Development of Postmodern Youth in Nigeria. (Unpublished M.Th.) Regis College and the University, Toronto.
• Andrade, A. (2014) Using Fowler’s Faith Development Theory in Student Affairs Practice. College Student Affairs Leadership, Vol 1(2), Article 2.
• Catholic Commission for Education and Religious Education (2015) 17th Catholic Pastoral Awareness Programme. April 20-25, Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops General Secretariat, Savedberg, Nairobi.
• Chauhan, S. S. (2013) Advanced Educational Psychology. New Delhi, Vikas Publishing House, India.
• Curtis, A. C. (2015) "Defining adolescence," Journal of Adolescent and Family Health: Vol. 7: Issue. 2
• Goodyear, V.A., Armour, K.M., and Wood, H. (2018). Young People and their Engagement with Health-related Social Media: New Perspectives. Sport, Education and Society, DOI: 10.108013573322.2017.1423464
• Griffiths, M. D. & Daria J. K. (2011) Online Social Networking and Addiction—A Review of the Psychological Literature. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 8(8), 3529-3552.
• Huitt, W. (2011). A Holistic View of Education And Schooling: Guiding Students To Develop Capacities, Acquire Virtues, And Provide Service. The 12th Annual International Conference. Athens: The Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER) May 24-27. Retrieved from; http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/holistic-view-of- schooling-rev.pdf
• Hunter, E. (1988) Adolescent Attraction to Cults. AdolesceMorance, 33(131), 709-715.
• Ime, N.G. and Unwanaobong, D.U (2014) Youth and moral values in a changing society. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences. Vol 19(6), 40-44.
• Kagema. P.G., Josiah. K.M., & Kiarie. G.K. (2019) Effectiveness of Pastoral Care in Holistic Development of Secondary School Students in Nyeri County, Kenya. Journal of Arts and Humanities, l8 (9), 53-62.
• Kigo, D. M. (2018, April 27) To the Editor: #IfikieWazazi Shame Was Post to Parents in Poisoned Chalice. The Kenyan Daily Nation. p 16.
• Mathlala, M.Y. (2011) Role of Social Factors in Influencing Moral Development. M.A Thesis Dissertation, University of South Africa, CA: SAGE Publications.
• Ministry of Health (2015) National Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy. The Republic of Kenya.
• Mugenda, A. G. (2003) Social Science Research, Theory and Principles. Nairobi: Acts Press.
• Muthamba, J. (2017) Implementation of Moral Education in Kenyan Schools: A Study of Selected Catholic schools from Kitui Central Deanery. Unpublished M.Ed. Thesis Dissertation, Strathmore University, Kenya.
• Niekerk, V. P. (2014) Teachers and Moral Development of Learners: A Case for a Kohlbergian and Neuroscience Approach. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences. Vol 5(4), 340-347.
• Opara, O. V. (2014b) Foundations of Educational Psychology. Enugu, Our Savior Press Ltd.
• Parke, S. M. (2010) An Evolving History and Methodology of Pastoral Theology, Care, and Counselling. Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, Vol. 9(3), pp 5-33.
• Siddharth, C. (2018) Teenage pregnancy in Kenya; A crisis of health, education and opportunity. Inter-press Service (IPS) Retrieved on 30th July 2019 from www.ipsnews.net
• Waweru, H. M. & Otieno, J. O. (2018) Chaplaincy and Behavior Change Of Students In Church Sponsored Public Secondary Schools In Siaya County, Kenya. Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IOSR-JHSS). Volume 23, Issue 6, pp 47-56.
• Zhang, K. C. (2017) The Cultic Phenomenon of Youths: An Educational Perspective. EC Psychology and Psychiatry, 2(3), 106-111.