Recently I read an article that caught my eye. Although it wasn’t your average article exploring current issues in a conventional text manner. No, instead, the news topic is explored via a video. The contents of which are quite alarming; yet all too often ignored or forgotten. Education and funding for education is an issue in every corner of the globe, affecting every country individually, no matter its level of development. As a result, it’s hard to keep in mind that there are other places around the world that are experiencing the problem of education at a severely worse degree than our own. In particular, Kenya.
This news video, which featured in the UK newspaper the Guardian on the 26th of February, is proof of the Kenyan people’s struggle to receive equal and affordable education.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/video/2013/feb/26/kenya-election-schools-learning-video
The story is developed using a one sided interview with a Kenyan teacher Said Makwa, and really captures the effect the failing education system is having on Kenya and its students. There is little funding into education by the Kenyan Government.
“Education has become something that is very very expensive in Kenya”, Mr Makwa says, “I don’t know why the government is not taking control… We are only going to have a certain class of people in education”
The Guardian gives the story a short written introduction, however the content of the story is explained in video form by Makwa which gives the story a personal touch; readers really feel and understand the struggles of a Kenyan student or teacher.
Education in Kenya is an extremely worrying issue, literacy and numeracy skills are ranked significantly lower compared to other countries. The Guardian’s story only covers one side of the issue however, gaining insight into only one teacher’s opinion. There is little to no statistics or outside viewpoint. The story is still extremely effective though, definitely worth a read (or watch!), it sure made me think a little into Kenya’s lacking education system. Come on Kenyan Government, take control, fund education!
– Dillyn ◊
freshly scooped 