The Role of TVET in Developing Skills for Kenyan Rural Women through Open Learning: A Case of Samburu Women at Coastal Region

Abstract

The modern girl’s dream is to live and work in an urban locality regardless of her background. This reverie is based on the perception that an urban setting has so much to offer including better education, dream job and fine living. The pertinent issue is about what ought to be done to change this perception and bring hope to the rural girls/women. This paper is based on a case study of Samburu Coastal Women focusing on findings of four main objectives. // The first objective was to find out the challenges facing rural women and girls in learning and skills development. This information was seen as crucial in determining the learner profile when exploring suitable open learning options. The challenges ranged from Economic conditions, family obligations; Social-Cultural practices like early marriages/pregnancies, the ‘feminine syndrome’ pressure to conform to societal norms to Environmental factors. The paper explores various Open and Distant Learning(ODL) options suitable for the rural women/girls. The researcher suggests adaption of multi-pronged flexible approaches tailored to provide easy learning access to rural women. // The writer suggests positioning of TVET in promoting open learning through formulating specific policies to accommodate rural women with affirmative actionable strategies. The researcher advances WITED(Women in Technical Education) as a tool to encourage rural women to embrace ODL. // Unlike other Kenyan communities whereby providing shelter is primarily a man’s job, among the Samburu building houses is a woman’s job. Farming and other hard jobs are part of their duty to provide for their families an indication they are technical by nurturing and socialization. // Paper ID: 151