East African Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

The Role of Strategic Communication in Girls and Women's Empowerment in Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs)

2025-10-10T05:15:35+00:00

Background and Problem Statement: In many African contexts, women and girls face systematic marginalisation through the denial of fundamental rights and exposure to various forms of violence. At critical developmental stages, girls encounter barriers including forced early marriages, female genital mutilation, and exclusion from educational opportunities, particularly in rural and culturally conservative settings. These challenges manifest as systemic discrimination that perpetuates gender inequality across socio-economic development spheres. Relevance and Objectives: Strategic communication has emerged as a crucial tool to break down barriers that hinder progress toward gender equality and women's empowerment. This study investigates how strategic communication can transform the position of women and girls in Kenya's ASAL regions, focusing on communication's role in advocating for gender equality and examining lessons learned from various programs and initiatives. Methodology and Key Findings: Through qualitative document analysis of policy frameworks, organisational reports, and academic literature, this study identifies that community engagement platforms such as barazas, women's group meetings, advocacy campaigns, media initiatives, and digital platforms effectively raise awareness and promote behavioural change. Strategic communication methods work effectively in ASALs by leveraging culturally appropriate channels, utilising local languages, and incorporating traditional communication structures to overcome barriers posed by illiteracy, limited connectivity, and patriarchal resistance. Conclusions and Recommendations: The study reveals that while strategic communication offers immense opportunities for reshaping gender dynamics through various media channels and community dialogues, significant challenges remain, including cultural resistance, limited digital literacy, and weak policy implementation. Effective strategic communication requires coordinated efforts among stakeholders, gender-sensitive programming, and integration of traditional and modern communication approaches to achieve sustainable women's empowerment in ASAL contexts.

How Single Motherhood Shapes Student Performance in Akheri Ward, Arusha

2025-10-10T05:15:35+00:00

This study examines the impact of single motherhood on the academic performance of children in Akheri Ward, Arusha, Tanzania. Grounded in the Family Deficit Model and Social Exchange Theory, it explores the emotional, economic, and social dimensions that shape educational outcomes in single-mother households. Using a mixed-methods design, data were collected from students, single mothers, and teachers through surveys, interviews, and field observations. Findings reveal that children raised by single mothers often face distinct challenges—including emotional vulnerability, financial hardship, and limited parental support—that hinder academic engagement and achievement. Yet, the study also uncovers powerful narratives of resilience: mothers actively support their children’s education through informal networks, while students demonstrate motivation and maturity in the face of adversity. These adaptive strategies reflect reciprocal relationships and community-based coping mechanisms. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions that address both structural barriers and emotional realities affecting student success. It contributes to the growing discourse on family structure and education in East Africa, offering practical insights for educators, policymakers, and community stakeholders committed to supporting vulnerable learners

Effects of Child Abuse on Pupils’ Education in Primary Schools in Longido District Council, Tanzania

2025-10-10T05:15:35+00:00

The study focused on the effects of child abuse on pupils’ education in primary schools in Longido district council, Tanzania. The objectives of the study were to find out the extent to which child abuses affect the completion of primary education and determine the possible strategies to eliminate the effects of child abuse on the completion of primary education. Family system theory & Interpretivism philosophy guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Data were gathered through a questionnaire and interpopulation of 1051 & s 136 sample size, which included pupils, teachers, head teachers, parents & DEO were randomly and purposively selected. The research experts validated the instruments to determine content validity. Reliability of the teacher’s questionnaire was determined by conducting a pilot study, and the data were tested using the Guttmann Split-Half method and correlated at r = 0.887. Credibility & dependability of qualitative data were established through detailed reporting of the research process, peer debriefing, and triangulation. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics in SPSS version 23, and results were presented in tables of frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data were analysed thematically and presented by direct quotation. The findings revealed that child abuse, particularly psychological maltreatment and emotional neglect, is strongly associated with low self-esteem that disrupts learning and motivation. Sexual abuse frequently leads to early pregnancy, mental health harm, school withdrawal, and dropout. Also, corporal punishment by teachers causes fear, avoidance, and withdrawal. In conclusion, a safer school climate increases engagement and trust in education. The study recommended the need to educate society about child abuse to minimise and eradicate cases of child maltreatment within the communities in Longido district.

Organisation of Playgrounds by School Leaders and Its Relationship with Quality of Education in Secondary Schools in Informal Settlements in Nairobi City County, Kenya

2025-10-11T13:40:10+00:00

Physical resources are crucial in providing quality education to students in all educational settings. However, public secondary schools in urban informal settlements in Nairobi City County, Kenya, operate under critical resource shortages, which could be undermining the quality of education in these institutions. With such shortages, school leaders in these schools must employ effective physical resource management practices to maximise the utility of the few resources available. To this end, the current study investigated the organisation of playgrounds by heads of games departments and its relationship with the quality of education in secondary schools in Kibra Sub-County, Nairobi City County. The study was grounded on the Systems Theory developed by Ludwig von Bertalanffy. It adopted a correlational design using quantitative and qualitative techniques. The sample included 11 principals and 22 heads of the games department from 18 public and private secondary schools in the sub-county. Data was collected using interviews, questionnaires, and an examination of school records. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively and inferentially using SPSS (IBM, v. 30). To establish the availability of playgrounds and various organization practices, frequencies, percentages, and means were used to identify trends in the collected data. Correlation analyses were then used to establish the relationships between the organisation of playgrounds and education quality. Tests of significance were at the 95% confidence level, and results were presented through tables and graphs. Qualitative data were analysed thematically, and results were presented through narration. On average, the availability of playgrounds was high. There was no significant relationship (r(18) = 0.136, p = 0.591) between the availability of each playground and education quality. Nevertheless, school leaders in secondary schools in Kibra Sub-County are advised to invest in strategies to ensure all students have equal access to playgrounds and playground facilities.

Narrative Techniques Used to Portray Torments in Coetzee’s Disgrace, Slow Man, and Waiting for Barbarians

2025-10-14T15:21:10+00:00

This study aimed to demonstrate how selected literary texts by John Maxwell Coetzee dramatise the idea of torments surrounding the narration of social life and cultural order to embody and evoke characters’ cultural intricacies and anxieties. The study sought to explore the hidden tensions of the characters fighting within the self because there is a detachment between the individual and the sociocultural context, resulting to torments. The texts, namely, Disgrace (1999), Slow Man (2005), and Waiting for Barbarians (1980), were purposefully chosen because of their suitability in data that exposes the characters' torments. The most appropriate theoretical framework that allowed the selected texts to be read, interrogated, analysed, and interpreted is located within the lenses of Psychoanalytic Literary Theory and Concepts related to trauma by Sigmund Freud and Pallavi Sugoy. The theories aided in foregrounding the concepts in the three selected texts, the exploration of the unconscious conflict and its complexities on individuals. The qualitative research method was employed to explore how the characters negotiate torments in Coetzee’s selected texts. The study employed purposive sampling to select primary texts that vividly depict the specific torments of interest. Consequently, Coetzee’s works - Disgrace, Waiting for the Barbarians, and Slow Man - were chosen for their depth in illustrating these themes. An analytical research design was utilised to examine these literary texts, along with any supplementary secondary data that would facilitate a qualitative analysis of the material. The data identified from close reading was coded and decoded appropriately for literary analysis. These works explored profound themes such as the effects of empire and colonialism, the human condition in the face of societal and personal upheaval, and the quest for personal redemption. The study aimed to offer insights that would enrich the discourse in the literary realm, particularly concerning the interplay of power dynamics, cultural conflict and personal conflict. It is hoped that the study’s conclusion will make a significant contribution to the ongoing dialectics surrounding motivations behind human behaviour and relationships.

Characters' Reaction to Torments in Coetzee’s Selected Novels

2025-10-14T15:21:10+00:00

This study aimed to demonstrate how selected literary texts by John Maxwell Coetzee portray how the characters react to torments surrounding the narration of social life and cultural order to embody and evoke characters’ cultural intricacies and anxieties. The study sought to explore the hidden tensions of the characters fighting within the self. The study also tried to examine how the characters are able or unable to deal with the trauma caused by the contemporary issues of violence, sexuality, and psychological distress. The texts, namely, Disgrace (1999), Slow Man (2005), and Waiting for Barbarians (1980), were purposefully chosen because of their suitability in data that exposes the characters’ torments. The most appropriate theoretical framework that allowed the selected texts to be read, interrogated, analysed, and interpreted, located within the lenses of Psychoanalytic Literary Theory and Concepts related to trauma by Sigmund Freud and Pallavi Sugoy. These theories allowed the analysis of all the important aspects of characters’ psyches, their psychological trauma, thematic concerns, and textual ideologies. The study was not necessarily focusing on trauma per se, but it sufficed to examine the concept of trauma briefly when analysing the characters in the selected texts. The qualitative research method was employed to explore how the characters react to torments in Coetzee’s selected texts. The study employed purposive sampling to select primary texts that vividly depict the specific torments of interest. Consequently, Coetzee’s works - Disgrace, Waiting for the Barbarians, and Slow Man - were chosen for their depth in illustrating these themes. An analytical research design was utilised to examine these literary texts, along with any supplementary secondary data that would facilitate a qualitative analysis of the material. The study aimed to offer insights that would enrich the discourse in the literary realm, particularly concerning the interplay of power dynamics, cultural conflict, and the quest for personal redemption. Since the characters’ experiences are based on the behaviour and incidents of real people, suffering from psychological, dysfunctional sexuality issues and identity, the study can be used in mental institutions to help patients with such problems.

Pupils’ Roles as Agents of Implementation of the Mother Tongue Policy in Rural Contexts in Uganda

2025-10-15T20:30:13+00:00

In this paper, we explored the roles of pupils in the implementation of the Mother Tongue Policy (MTP) in rural primary schools of Uganda. The research adopted a cross-sectional qualitative design and was conducted in a government-aided rural primary school in Luweero District. The sample included 15 pupils selected using a random sampling technique. Data was collected through Focus Group Discussions and observations.. From the findings, pupils’ contribution in the implementation of the MTP was across cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains. Their roles include listening and paying attention, comprehension, engagement, creativity, co-construction of knowledge, fostering cultural relevance and contextual learning, peer teaching and learning, bridging home and school in MTP implementation, as well as daily interactions and participation in cultural practices at home. However, pupils’ participation was often hindered by passive teaching methods and inconsistent home support. The study concluded that despite the crucial role of pupils in the success of the MTP, they remain marginal actors in its implementation. The study recommends increased development of participatory frameworks that empower pupils as active learners.

Pan Africanism Ideas among the Young Generations in Post-Colonial Tanzania and Their Inclination to African Unity in the 21st Century

2025-10-21T09:47:05+00:00

This paper analysed of youth perception of Pan-Africanism in post-colonial Tanzania and their inclination towards African unity in the 21st century. It examined the influence of the younger generation's ideas on Pan-Africanism and their impact on efforts in favour of African unity in the current century. Additionally, the study explored how the thoughts and philosophies of the first generation of African leaders have shaped youth understanding of Pan-Africanism in relation to African unity. To achieve its objectives, the study consistently referenced both perspectives, the youth and the first-generation leaders, regarding Pan-Africanism and its connection to African unity. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The quantitative aspect used descriptive and correlational methods to assess the level of understanding of Pan-Africanism and African unity among selected respondents, and to examine the relationship between the two concepts. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and response frequencies were used to analyse the data. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted to gather insights into youth perceptions of Pan-Africanism and its relevance to African unity. The findings revealed that youth in Tanzania lack sufficient content knowledge on Pan-Africanism and African unity. The study recommends promoting Pan-African ideals through social media and internet platforms, where youth engagement is highest.

Embracing Diversity: A Novel Approach to Deconstructing Gender Stereotyped Traits through Gender Atypical Kiswahili Children's Storybooks

2025-10-21T16:55:09+00:00

This paper explores the potential of using gender atypical Kiswahili children's storybooks as a powerful tool to deconstruct traditional, ingrained gender stereotyped traits among children. In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the negative impact of gender stereotyped traits on children's development and self-perception. Traditional societal gender schemata often reinforce stereotypical traits for boys and girls from an early age, limiting their understanding of the diverse range of personalities, qualities, and characteristics that individuals can possess. Therefore, this paper adopts a novel approach that utilises gender atypical Kiswahili storybooks to challenge and reshape these preconceived notions about gender traits. The study explores how children construct gender traits when exposed to gender atypical Kiswahili children’s storybooks. Bandura’s social learning theory formed the theoretical framework on which the study was underpinned. Data was generated using drawings with grade three children from a purposively selected school in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya. The findings of this study revealed that when children were exposed to gender-atypical Kiswahili children’s stories, more girls compared to boys changed from constructing gender stereotyped traits to gender-atypical traits. The findings also revealed that even though some participants conformed to gender stereotyped traits, there was a change in their perspectives to adopt gender-atypical traits. This paper, therefore, suggests that exposure of children to gender-atypical Kiswahili children’s stories could deconstruct gender stereotyped traits during their early stages of socialisation. The paper recommends that Ministries of Education, Curriculum Development, and book publishers should develop guidelines and a policy framework to promote the authorship and publication of gender atypical Kiswahili children’s storybooks to enable children to construct gender traits in a neutral and non-sexist manner. This will enable children to question and redefine their understanding of gender, thus fostering a more diverse, inclusive, and open-minded generation.

The Gaze Within: Surveillance, Narcissism, and the Construction of Masculinity in African Patriarchal Contexts

2025-10-23T19:38:37+00:00

This paper interrogates the construction of masculinity in the African Patriarchal Contexts and how it is an indicator of gendered violence in the texts: A Man Who Is Not a Man by Thando Mgqolozana and Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Drawing from the selected texts, this paper examines how children more especially boy child’s characters in patriarchal and authoritarian settings are compelled to learn, perform, and continually adjust masculine behaviours in response to external scrutiny. Additionally, the study problematizes how narcissistic self-perceptions, and surveillance reinforce patriarchal norms to shape and sustain repressive models of masculinity in patriarchal African societies. Through a blended psychodynamic lens and Panopticon theories, this paper explores how the internalisation of authority, typically embodied by the father or another dominant male figure, produces a psychological structure in which conformity to gendered expectations in the African Patriarchal Context becomes a means of securing approval and/or avoiding punishment. This internalised authority contributes to the formation of superego that both challenges and reinforces the values of the patriarchal figure, which also acts as an inner voice that polices behaviour and upholds culturally sanctioned masculinities. This paper introduces a novel framework through the psychodynamic lens in revealing how the masculinity performance through narcissism and internalised surveillance becomes a contested site of identity, anxiety and negotiations within familial and sociocultural power structures in the African patriarchal contexts exposing the differential impacts on both genders

Assessment of the Contributions of Religious Activities on Students’ Academic Performance in Higher Learning Institutions of Mbeya City

2025-10-24T13:24:35+00:00

This study assessed the Contributions of Religious Activities on Students` Academic Performance in the Higher Institutions of Mbeya City. The specific objectives of this study were: To identify the kind of religious activities available at Catholic University of Mbeya (CUoM), to examine the contribution of religious activities on students` academic performance at CUoM as well and to find out the strategies for enhancing religious activities to enhance students` academic performance at CUoM. The study used a Convergent parallel design in the investigation. Purposive sampling and the simple random sampling technique was applied to get the respondents to participate in the study. The target population comprised third-year students, instructors and religious leaders of CUoM. In order to get data from the respondents, the researcher used questionnaires for students and instructors and an interview guide for religious leaders. Quantitative data was analysed in the form of frequency and percentages and presented in tables with the help of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 21. Qualitative data was analysed through building themes, narration and direct quotations from respondents. The findings revealed that the religious activities done at CUoM are prayer groups, religious studies courses, religious clubs, religious counselling services, seminars, visiting the needy people, religious teachings, also religious mentorship programs. Also, the findings revealed that among the contributions of religious activities at CUoM are to influence good behaviour in Students, influence studying hard, encourage good relationships among Students, enhance guidance and counselling to Students, create fear of God in Students, as well as motivate Students to reach their dreams. Again, the findings on the strategies for enhancing religious activities on students’ academic performance at CUoM include employing more religious teachers, creating a religious timetable at the university, allocating rooms for religious activities, improving good relationships between the university and religious leaders, as well, improving a good environment for implementing the religious activities and motivating irreligious students to engage in religious activities. The study concluded that the presence of religious activities in universities increases Students' academic performance because they encourage students to study hard, provide guidance and counselling to Students, instil fear of God in Students and motivate Students to reach their dreams. Thus, government and other education stakeholders should work on this by employing more religious teachers and ensuring a good environment for religious activities, like the presence of a hall for religious activities. The researcher recommended that the religious institutions should be given enough opportunities for providing religious education in the university, good relationships between universities and religious institutions, like churches, should be maintained, and there should be connectivity between religious leaders and the university’s administration so as to support the program of conducting religious activities.

Digital Transformation in the Creative Media: Opportunities, Risks, and Research Questions

2025-10-28T19:02:44+00:00

The digital transformation is a complete reshaping of creative media because networked digital technologies are integrated in the production, distribution, and reception of creative content. This research paper will serve to firmly plant audio engineering, video production, acting, performance, and all facets of creative teaching on solid theoretical grounds. The paper essentially uses Stalder’s discussion of network society based on the explanation of Manuel Castells and Manovich’s understanding of software-driven media to argue that digital transformation is a 3D process involving the combination of technology, practice and society. The elements come from new forms of creativity with structural problems arising from artificial intelligence, cloud collaboration, and algorithmic curation. Factors such as the low-cost digital audio workstation, streaming platforms, virtual performance spaces, and e-learning systems are some of the opportunities with abundantly accessible production. At the same time, there will be various risks that arise, including disputed quality and authenticity criteria, dependence on proprietary systems, changing copyright law, and complex ethical issues related to the use of AI in creation. This paper presents general research questions that shall be investigated by future researchers on whether Artificial Intelligence can have a significant role in authorship and aesthetics. The paper offers a theoretical framework through which scholars can easily see interdisciplinary communication and the scientific exploration of the fast-changing creative media environment by making use of conceptual definitions, a synthesis of major theories, and an analytical model that can be reproduced

Stakeholder Participation and Education Service Quality at Makerere University, Uganda

2025-11-03T18:43:06+00:00

Service quality is a key factor that helps organisations build and sustain long-term relationships with their customers. Nonetheless, in Uganda, the quality of services in higher education is a significant concern. This study examined the influence of stakeholder participation on education service quality at Makerere University, Uganda. The stakeholder aspects studied in relation to education service quality were stakeholder consultation, stakeholder role participation, and participative decision-making. Hinging on the quantitative approach, the study employed the correlation research design. Data were collected from a sample of 300 comprising academic staff, administrative staff, guild leadership, and members of the university council. The data collected using a self-administered questionnaire were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The findings indicated that stakeholder participation practices, namely consultation, participative decision-making, and role participation, have a positive and statistically significant influence on service delivery. It was concluded that stakeholder consultation is vital to enhancing service quality in universities, participative decision-making is a prerequisite for ensuring service quality, and direct role participation in executing responsibilities strengthens service delivery. It is recommended that university managers should exploit the importance of stakeholder consultation to enhance service quality, should also leverage participative decision-making by adopting initiatives that include stakeholder representatives in committees, and should capitalise on role participation by engaging stakeholders in executing their responsibilities within university programs. The implication of this study is that strengthening stakeholder participation through consultation, participative decision-making, and active role involvement serves as a transformative governance approach for improving service quality in higher education institutions.

Pre-Iconographic Description of Evil in The Lion Guard

2025-11-03T18:43:06+00:00

This study delves into the pre-iconographical analysis of elements that define evil in the film The Lion Guard. This study explores how the filmmakers use fundamental visual and auditory cues such as character appearance, environmental settings, and symbolic objects to identify and describe evil. The analysis focuses on three key areas: the Appearance of Evil, manifested through the sinister physical traits and possessions of antagonists like Scar and Zira; the Image of Chaos and the Human Quest for Power, revealed through the desolate landscapes of the Outlands; and the archetype of Women as Evil Doers, which is examined through the manipulative and vengeful actions of female villains. The paper argues that these observable markers are not just decorative but are crucial to the film’s narrative, making abstract concepts of disruption, immorality, and ambition tangible for the audience

Assessing Counter-Terrorism Preparedness in the Hospitality Industry: Evidence from Dusit D2 Hotel, in Nairobi, Kenya

2025-11-04T15:13:51+00:00

This paper quantitatively assessed employee perceptions regarding the operational counter-terrorism preparedness and the adequacy of mitigation strategies at the Dusit D2 Hotel in Nairobi, following the critical 2019 attack. The research employed a quantitative, cross-sectional design, utilising Stratified Random Sampling to survey 110 employees, achieving an 83.3% response rate from the target sample. Data analysis utilised descriptive statistics and One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to compare perceptions across three employment cadres: Top Management, Middle Management, and First-level Staff. The findings revealed a critical imbalance in the hotel's security posture. While the organisation shows high confidence in its physical and technological mitigation measures (e.g., Mass Notification Systems and Physical Barriers), its operational readiness is severely undermined by human and procedural deficiencies. The ANOVA results showed a statistically significant difference (p=0.033) in the perceived Overall Operational Preparedness across the employment cadres, confirming a distinct preparedness gradient where confidence diminishes significantly from Top Management to First-level Staff. Further analysis established that an overwhelming 74.0% of all employees deemed the counter-terrorism training to be inadequate, a systemic failure that held true across all hierarchical levels (p=0.331). The study concludes that the hotel's operational resilience is compromised by a critical failure to translate strategic security measures into confident, actionable capabilities among the frontline workforce

Dialectology and Dialect Intelligibility

2025-11-04T15:13:51+00:00

This paper defines and talks about dialectology in the context of traditional dialectology. Here, we see how the early researchers were able to collect data and the various methods they used. We also see how traditional dialectology faced a lot of criticism. As time passed, researchers were able to use new methods which involved the use of technology. This is discussed in the sociolinguistics dialectology section. The relationship between dialectology and linguistics, together with its relationship outside linguistics, has been tackled as well. The paper also talks about dialect intelligibility in relation to dialect and language, how we can use dialect intelligibility to define dialect and language using various examples from different parts of the world, including Africa and the exceptions brought about by using dialect intelligibility to define language and literature. Last but not least, the paper also discusses different factors which affect dialect intelligibility.

Teaching Change: TESCEA’s Journey Toward Gender-Equitable Higher Education – A Case Study of Gulu University, Uganda

2025-11-07T20:22:47+00:00

This study critically examined the effectiveness of TESCEA’s gender mainstreaming initiatives at Gulu University, focusing on gender training workshops, policy advocacy, and the establishment of a dedicated Gender Mainstreaming Unit. Employing qualitative methods, data were collected from academic staff and university leadership to explore how these interventions embedded gender-responsive pedagogy within the institution’s teaching and policy frameworks. Findings revealed that participatory gender training significantly enhanced staff awareness and fostered transformative teaching practices, while policy reforms contributed to institutionalising gender equity mandates. The Gender Mainstreaming Unit emerged as a key actor in sustaining momentum and ensuring accountability. However, challenges such as limited resource allocation and entrenched cultural norms continued to hinder comprehensive progress. The study highlights the critical importance of context-sensitive, multi-level strategies that address both institutional structures and socio-cultural realities to effectively advance gender equity in higher education. These insights contribute to the growing body of research on gender mainstreaming in African universities and offer practical implications for policy and practice

Student-Centred Changemaker Portfolios: Evaluating TESCEA’s Impact on Critical Thinking, Gender Awareness, and Employability

2025-11-07T20:22:47+00:00

This study explores the effectiveness of student-centred changemaker portfolios implemented through the Transforming Employability for Social Change in East Africa (TESCEA) initiative at Gulu University. Anchored in transformative learning and gender mainstreaming frameworks, these portfolios aim to enhance students’ critical thinking, problem-solving, gender awareness, and employability in a post-conflict higher eduation context. Employing a qualitative-dominant approach complemented by quantitative surveys, the study examines students’ reflective experiences, faculty perspectives, and portfolio content. Findings indicate that portfolios foster reflective practice, gender-sensitive problem-solving, and employability skills while promoting agency and social responsibility. Challenges, including inconsistent faculty support, limited resources, and variable institutional commitment, constrain the full potential of the initiative. The study concludes that with strategic institutional support and continuous professional development, changemaker portfolios can serve as transformative pedagogical tools that bridge academic learning with socio-economic and gender equity objectives in fragile contexts.

Blindness as a Symbolic Trope in Sembene Ousmane’s God’s Bits of Wood (1960)

2025-11-10T18:51:58+00:00

This study interrogated blindness as a symbolic trope in Sembene Ousmane’s God’s Bits of Wood (1960), situating it within the broader literary tradition where blindness transcends physical impairment to signify ignorance, arrogance, and ideological limitation. While classical texts such as Sophocles’ Oedipus the King have long employed blindness to explore paradoxes of sight and insight, its significance in African literature has remained underexplored. The research adopted a qualitative textual analysis, guided by literary symbolism and postcolonial theory, to examine how Ousmane has deployed blindness as a metaphor for colonial oppression, socio-cultural presumptions, and patriarchal constraints. The findings revealed that blindness in the novel functioned on multiple levels. First, it critiqued the assimilationist colonial project that instilled in Africans a sense of inferiority, alienated them from their traditions, and created a form of cultural blindness. Characters who have internalised colonial ideologies have rejected their own heritage and become complicit in structures of domination, exemplifying the destructive consequences of ideological blindness. Second, the trope interrogated gender relations, exposing the blindness of patriarchal assumptions that have confined women to subordinate roles. Through characters such as Ramatoulaye, Penda, Dyenaba, and Maimouna, Ousmane has been used to foreground women’s agency, showing how they transcend traditional limitations to assume leadership and mobilise resistance during the strike. The study was justified by the limited scholarly attention given to blindness as a symbolic trope in African literature, despite its centrality to Ousmane’s narrative. Its significance lies in demonstrating how blindness illuminates intersections of colonialism, gender, and identity while broadening discourse on symbolism in postcolonial texts. The research contributes to literary scholarship by showing how Ousmane reconfigures blindness into a critical aesthetic and political tool for articulating human limitation, resistance, and solidarity.

Split Selves and Silenced Voices: Point of View, Othering, and Epistemic Violence in The Kite Runner and The God of Small Things

2025-11-10T18:51:58+00:00

This article examines how the narrative point of view in Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner and Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things helps represent the processes of exclusion and the denial of knowledge or voice in postcolonial settings. Using insights from postcolonial and psychoanalytic theory, the study explores how narrative voice, memory, and silence influence the way readers understand power, identity, and belonging. In The Kite Runner, the use of a personal, first-person narration allows the main character, Amir, to shape the story through his own memories and interpretations. This control is not without bias. It supports existing social divisions related to class, ethnicity, and guilt by pushing aside less powerful voices, especially those of Hassan and other Hazara characters. By choosing which perspectives to include or leave out, Hosseini’s storytelling contributes to a quieter form of harm, where marginalised people are talked about but rarely get to speak for themselves. In contrast, Roy’s The God of Small Things uses a fragmented, third-person narrative that avoids straightforward storytelling, which gives control to a single viewpoint. The narrative shifts across periods and characters, bringing attention to voices and experiences that are usually ignored or hidden. This break from traditional storytelling is intentional. It challenges accepted ways of understanding the world and gives space to people pushed to the edges of society, especially due to caste, gender, and colonial history. The article argues that Roy’s narrative style disrupts one-sided storytelling and asks readers to engage with complex, layered truths. By comparing these two narrative approaches, the article shows that the way a story is told can be a powerful tool in either maintaining or challenging systems of control. Who tells the story, who is allowed depth, and who is silenced are not just stylistic decisions. They are closely tied to how power is created and maintained. Ultimately, the study shows how the narrative point of view can either support or push back against exclusion and silencing.

Perceptions of Gender Balance in the Selection of School Heads in Dodoma’s Public Secondary Schools

2025-11-11T16:31:31+00:00

This study examines perceptions of gender balance in the appointment of Heads of School (HoS) in public secondary schools in Dodoma City, Tanzania. Gender equity in educational leadership is a growing concern, as equitable representation of men and women in leadership positions is essential for inclusive decision-making and school development. Using a mixed-methods convergent design, the study engaged 254 participants, collecting data through structured questionnaires and guided interviews. Quantitative data were analysed statistically, while qualitative data were examined using thematic analysis. Findings reveal a prevailing perception among stakeholders that the appointment process for HoS is gender biased, despite official claims that leadership competence, including decision-making, problem-solving, communication, and school management, should guide appointments. The study further shows that competence is vaguely defined and inconsistently applied, leading to contested and potentially unfair selection practices. Based on these findings, the study recommends establishing standardised and transparent criteria for assessing leadership competence, implementing gender-sensitive policies, including affirmative action where appropriate, providing training for selection committees to reduce unconscious bias, monitoring gender representation in leadership roles, and engaging key stakeholders in promoting inclusive and merit-based appointment processes. These measures are vital for ensuring fairness, equity, and effectiveness in school leadership.

The Moderating Role of Age Group in the Gender Pattern of Risky Sexual Behaviours among Secondary School Adolescent Students in Mbarara, Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study

2025-11-13T13:26:05+00:00

This cross-sectional study investigated the moderating role of age group in the gender pattern of risky sexual behaviours (RSB) among secondary school students in Greater Mbarara, Uganda. A sample of 326 students (56.7% female; M age = 17.3 years) from eight schools completed an anonymous questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed a significant moderating effect of age group on the gender-RSB relationship. Simple slopes analysis demonstrated a critical developmental pattern: the gender gap in RSB was non-significant in early adolescence (Lower Secondary), emerged in middle adolescence (Middle Secondary), and intensified dramatically in late adolescence (Upper Secondary), where males reported substantially higher risk. The findings demonstrate that the gender disparity in RSB is not a fixed constant but a dynamic outcome that escalates across adolescence. This underscores the necessity for educational policy to abandon one-size-fits-all interventions in favour of developmentally-tiered, gender-responsive strategies that address the evolving risks and social norms specific to each stage of adolescence

The Use of WhatsApp Comments as a Means of Responding to Government Directives on COVID-19: Evidence from Kenya

2025-11-13T13:26:05+00:00

This paper examines how Kenyans in WhatsApp groups used the platform as a means of responding to government directives on COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of information about the pandemic and how it was managed was exchanged on the WhatsApp platform in Kenya. The study from which this paper stems set out to investigate the way in which WhatsApp comments were used to convey public perceptions on the COVID-19 government directives in the country. The study used five WhatsApp groups comprising medics, former university classmates, neighbours, investment partners, and a group of workmates. The Critical Discourse Analysis theory, and specifically the ideas of Norman Fairclough, and the Appraisal Framework were used as theoretical frameworks. The study employed the qualitative research approach, which allowed an in-depth analysis of WhatsApp texts that had been sampled purposively. Data was obtained from WhatsApp archives over a period of 12 months to capture various phases of the pandemic. The data were coded thematically in accordance with the research objective and then subjected to content analysis, which was augmented with a critical discourse analysis to determine how the COVID-19 directives were framed in the selected groups. The study found that WhatsApp comments not only disseminated government directives but were also used as a form of agency to discredit government directives. Through irony, sarcasm and religious rhetoric, some WhatsApp writers reinterpreted, resisted or rejected government directives. The findings add to scholarly literature on new media discourse in general, Kenyan new media discourse in particular, and on WhatsApp discourse, an increasingly common but little-studied platform in discourse analysis

Evaluating the Role and Effectiveness of International Mechanisms, Particularly the International Criminal Court (ICC), in Addressing M23’s Criminal Responsibility: A Case Study of Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

2025-11-14T08:40:17+00:00

This article examines the resurgence of the Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23) in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and evaluates the effectiveness of international and regional mechanisms, particularly the International Criminal Court (ICC), in addressing the group’s criminal responsibility. Although the DRC is a State Party to the Rome Statute and has enacted domestic legislation criminalising war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, accountability for atrocities committed by M23 remains limited. Using a doctrinal and policy-oriented methodology, the study draws on treaty law, jurisprudence, UN investigations, and regional political practice to analyse the gap between legal obligations and practical enforcement. The article traces M23’s evolution from its emergence in 2012 through its renewed offensives from 2021, highlighting grave violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, including killings, sexual violence, torture, forced displacement, pillage, and the recruitment of child soldiers, all of which meet the thresholds of international crimes under the Rome Statute. Despite extensive documentation of these violations, prosecutions at domestic and international levels have been sporadic due to weak judicial capacity, corruption, political interference, insecurity, and the reluctance of some regional actors to cooperate with accountability processes. To interpret these enforcement challenges, the study applies theoretical perspectives including International Legal Accountability, Deterrence Theory, Transitional Justice, Command Responsibility, and Legal Pluralism, demonstrating how structural and political constraints undermine justice in non-international armed conflicts. The article argues that meaningful accountability requires coordinated action between the ICC, regional bodies, and domestic institutions, grounded in victim-centred reforms and stronger political guarantees. It concludes by proposing a practical roadmap that includes enhanced ICC regional cooperation, targeted sanctions, a Great Lakes hybrid tribunal, and institutional reforms aimed at closing the persistent gap between legal frameworks and accountability in practice.

Effect of Anti-Corruption Strategies on Governance of the Kenya National Police Service in Meru County, Kenya

2025-11-15T10:55:33+00:00

Corruption continues to pose a serious challenge to the Kenya National Police Service (KNPS), weakening public confidence, reducing service delivery efficiency, and eroding institutional integrity. Although multiple anti-corruption strategies have been introduced, including strengthening internal oversight regimes, prosecuting corrupt individuals, fostering international cooperation, and recognising reform initiatives, their practical impact on governance outcomes remains insufficiently explored. The study was anchored on the Institutional theory and Principal-Agent theory and guided by a correlational research design. Data were gathered from 325 respondents identified through a stratified random sampling technique and given structured questionnaires. Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to test existing relationships. The study revealed that strengthening anti-corruption regimes significantly influenced governance, while the prosecution of corrupt actors showed a strong association with accountability. Whereas international cooperation had an insignificant effect on cross-border accountability, recognition of anti-corruption reforms emerged as the strongest predictor of governance. The study recommends enhancing officer training, expanding public engagement, formalising civil society oversight, and embedding reforms within national policy and leadership structures to ensure long-term impact

Task-Oriented Leadership Behaviour and Management of Curriculum Changes in Lower Secondary Schools in Uganda

2025-11-17T19:23:14+00:00

This study examined the influence of headteachers’ task-oriented leadership behaviours on the management of curriculum changes in secondary schools within the Karamoja sub-region, Uganda. Specifically, it sought to (1) establish the status of headteachers’ task-oriented leadership behaviours, (2) assess the extent of curriculum change management, and (3) determine the effect of task-oriented leadership on curriculum change management. Guided by the Path-Goal Leadership Theory and underpinned by a pragmatic philosophical stance, the study employed a mixed-methods convergent design integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The sample size comprised 256 key education stakeholders, including headteachers, deputy headteachers, directors of studies, NCDC staff, MoES staff and teachers across 23 secondary schools. Participants were selected using purposive, stratified, and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected through Self-Administered Questionnaires (SAQs) and interview guides. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were examined thematically. Findings revealed that headteachers’ task-oriented leadership behaviour significantly influenced the management of curriculum changes (r = .225, p = .000 < .05), explaining 22.5% of the variance in effective curriculum change management. The results indicate that when headteachers adopt structured, goal-driven, and performance-focused leadership practices, curriculum changes are more successfully implemented in their schools. The study concluded that a strong and statistically significant relationship exists between task-oriented leadership and the management of curriculum changes in secondary schools in the Karamoja sub-region. It emphasised that headteachers’ ability to plan, coordinate, and monitor tasks directly enhances curriculum reform implementation. The study recommends that educational authorities promote structured, goal-focused leadership training for school leaders, particularly in resource-constrained and change-sensitive contexts such as Karamoja. However, it also underscores the importance of balancing task orientation with stakeholder engagement and relational leadership to foster sustainable educational transformation.

School-Based Stress and Social Pressure on the Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-being among Secondary School Students in Uganda

2025-11-18T18:09:37+00:00

School-based stress and social pressure have increasingly emerged as major determinants of mental health challenges among secondary school students in Uganda. Stress arising from poor academic performance is ranked as the leading cause of mental health concerns, followed by family-related issues of domestic violence, bullying, depression, anxiety, bereavement, suicidal ideation, and physical or sexual violence. The study investigates the extent to which these factors shape students’ mental health and psychosocial well-being, while examining the coping mechanisms and the role of teachers and school administrators in offering support. Employing a qualitative exploratory research design, data were collected from secondary school students in three districts of Uganda to assess the prevalence and implications of stressful academic demands, unrealistic societal expectations, and institutional pressures. The findings revealed that students aged 15 years and above are increasingly vulnerable to psychological distress that manifests in low self-esteem, emotional exhaustion, poor self-efficacy, and academic underachievement. Some students still struggle with negative self-perceptions, which end up affecting their self-confidence, emotional well-being, and behaviour. The study highlights the urgent need for holistic interventions that involve not only students and educators but also families, communities, and policymakers. This research recommends contextually relevant strategies to mitigate school-related stressors and contribute to policy dialogue on mental health education. It emphasises the necessity of supportive school environments that can foster resilience and holistic development of students.

Evaluating the Work Environment in Schools

2025-11-19T12:57:17+00:00

This study was on the work environment in schools in Kitgum District. The objective was to establish the relationship between the work environment and teachers’ performance in secondary schools in Kitgum District. The study was conducted using a descriptive survey design; data was collected using an interview guide, document analysis and observation from 171 respondents. Interview data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, data from document analysis and observation were analysed narratively, and descriptive statistics analysis was used to determine the level of teachers’ performance and work environment in secondary schools. The findings were presented in the form of tables and narratives from interviews. The findings revealed a positive perception of the school administrators' efforts in managing the work environment. Areas for improvement include addressing challenges related to social behaviours, instilling institutional values and providing adequate facilities. Thus, the study recommended for provision of training for school leaders to enhance their leadership skills, ensuring a more positive perception among students. Development of targeted interventions to address challenges such as poor working conditions, job insecurity and negative social behaviours

Exploring the Nature and Impact of USE Capitation Grants in Secondary Education

2025-11-19T12:57:17+00:00

The study examined the contribution of USE Capitation Grants in Secondary schools in Lira City. The study objective was to assess the nature of USE Capitation Grants in secondary schools in Lira city. The study population was 88 people, and the sample size was 72 people, which was chosen using purposive and simple random sampling. The study used a cross-sectional and correlational design, with an overall response rate of 88.31%. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey. Key USE capitation grants covered tuition fees and scholastic materials, and the findings revealed that USE capitation grants covered tuition fees and scholastic materials. With regards to the level of performance, USE capitation grants on the level of students' enrollment, the average results indicated a high level of staff retention ( = 4.30, s = 0.73), USE capitation grants on the level of staff retention, the average results indicated a high level of staff retention ( = 3.48, s = 1.11) and USE capitation grants on the level of infrastructural development, the average results indicated a very high level of infrastructural development ( = 4.1961, s = 0.7605). The findings show that there is a strong and significant correlation between USE Capitation grants and performance of private secondary schools in Lira city (r= 0.800, p < 0.01). The study concluded that there is a USE capitation grant that covered tuition fees and scholastic materials, there is a very high level of Performance of Private Secondary Schools, and a strong, significant correlation between USE Capitation grants and performance of private secondary schools in Lira city. The study therefore recommends that secondary schools should set up income generation projects within the schools, for example, piggery, mushroom growing projects, amongst others, to help diversify their sources of income

The Construction of Bildungsroman Tradition and Character Formation in Selected Novels of Charles Okoth

2025-11-20T20:28:48+00:00

Bildungsroman is a universal technique that traces the development of characters from childhood to maturity. This article examines the bildungsroman pattern of character formation in the African literary tradition. It explores unique features in bildungsroman that are appropriated in examining character development. We investigate how the writer utilises the journey motif in tracing the development of characters from childhood to maturity. Although the bildungsroman focuses on the teleological development of character growth from infancy to adulthood, this paper focuses on characters' coming-of-age. This study applies structuralist and psychosocial theory, which highlight the development of characters in the bildungsroman tradition. Erik Erikson's Psychosocial theory is used to analyse the growth of protagonists in the psychosocial stages. Structuralist theory helps to explore character development and validate how Okoth’s novels conform to and also deviate from the bildungsroman tradition. The analysis focuses on Charles Okoth’s selected novels: High Tide at Shibale (2015), Shiundu and the Drug Syndicate (2018), and Not Now, Jimmy Boy (2019). The findings of this study reflect that Okoth adapts the bildungsroman to trace the development of both male and female characters. The focus on coming-of-age novels contributes to knowledge by challenging the bildungsroman's original focus on adult literature. The growth of characters is woven around contemporary challenges in African society, such as drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, deteriorating morality, and human trafficking. The development amidst social reality ignites their formation through conscientisation, apprenticeship, identity formation, and growth. Okoth’s novels focus on the development of male and female characters that reflect the modification of the bildungsroman. The study offers recommendations for interrogating the double bildungsroman by focusing on the dual development of male and female characters simultaneously in the same text