









































Okebiro. Global Journal of  
Transformative Education (2019) 1:1, 38-45. 
DOI  10.14434/gjte.v1i1.26125

Open Access

Published by the Global Insitutute of Transformative Education (http://www.gite.education)
© Okebiro. 2019. Open Access This journal is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 
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Anthropological methods in curriculum instruction for learners in 
informal education for Abagusii of south western Kenya

Gilbert Nyakundi Okebiro

Abstract

Abagusii used methods known as anthropological for transformative education. Anthropological methods 
refer to indigenous ways for impacting knowledge and skills to children in the society. The methods differed 
in content and technique, but transformative education was moral, progressive, gradual and practical. The 
problem learners are ignoring anthropological methods because are indigenous and suppress transformative 
education for instance in acquiring university education, cannot adjust in the society. The objective is to exam-
ine the best approach to integrate, anthropological methods in curriculum development in educational system. 
The research employed survey method and data collected through questionnaire technique. Results indicates 
Abagusii have discarded anthropological methods for transformative education. The research paper concludes 
anthropological methods were transformative, effective and efficient in education since content was retained 
for long period by the learners. It recommends curriculum developers to incorporate them in the teach-
ing-learning process in schools.

Keywords: Anthropological methods, Curriculum development, Transformative education

Full listing of authors and contacts can be 
found at the end of this article.

Introduction
The success of any education system depends not 

only on the nature of its aims, but also on its content 
(Sifuna & Otiende 2009, p.151), therefore, the curricu-
lum of the informal education among the Abagusii grew 
out of the immediate environment, real and imaginary, 
through the use of anthropological methods, which 
lead to transformative education. In this sense, Farrant 
(2009, p. 19) has defined informal education, as there 
is no attempt at structuring it and was transformative 
from one skill to another. Much of the learning goes on 
is almost unconscious, as with those things the child 
learns from his/her family, friends, experience and 
environment (Farrant 2009, p. 19).This is applicable 
in the modern educational  system but the teachers 
and learners forget and do not apply them because the 
anthropological methods are transformative in nature 
which are not applied in curriculum instruction in mod-
ern educational systems. 

Methods used in curriculum development instruc-
tion in Gusiiland were varied and diversified in age sets 
or groups, which were practical and demonstrative in 
the curriculum. In the contemporary society, curricu-
lum is a syllabus followed in educational system. In Gu-
siiland, education was imparted to the young beginning 
from birth until the end of life (death).In the modern 
society there are two types of basic education such as 
formal and informal. The former refers to education 
which is systematically planned in schools, colleges and 
universities. The latter is hidden learning that students 
undergo consciously or unconsciously within a school 
setting, for example assimilation desirable habits like 
punctuality, cleanliness, fairness, courtesy and so on 
which are portrayed by the staff and students in ed-
ucational institutions globally (Farrant 2009, p. 19). 
This research refers to the latter where students were 
instructed informally using formal methods among the 
Abagusii. The curriculum instruction in Gusiiland was/
is done by dominated mountains (Ebitunwa), valleys, 
plains, rivers, grasslands and forests which were used 
asvenues for instruction (Bogonko 1994, p. 2). In the



Okebiro, Antropological methods in instruction for learners in informal education. 39

modern schools, children should be introduced and 
made aware of natural features in the neighborhood 
such as rivers, hills, dams, mountains, lakes and wa-
ter falls (Ochieng 2015, p. 25). This features are seen 
and are within their experiences and children should 
learner about their uses for transformative education 
in Kenya. Therefore, according to Bogonko (1994, p. 2), 
some specialty was needed in making musical instru-
ments-drums,flutes,harps,horns,and trumpets-from the 
animal remains, reeds and other grasses. These were 
some of the areas where formal instruction and train-
ing were undertaken (Bogonko 1994, p. 2). Studies of 
transfer training, however, indicated that student was 
much more likely to apply his learning when he rec-
ognized the similarity between the situations encoun-
tered in life and situations in which the learning took 
place (Tyler 2000, p. 18). In this aspect, the student was 
more likely to perceive the similarity between the life 
situations when two conditions were met:  (1) the life 
situations and the learning situations were obviously 
alike in many respects, and (2) the students given prac-
tice in seeking illustrations in his life outside of school 
for the application of the things learned in school (Tyler 
2000, p. 18).

Abagusii developed different systems of education 
to transmit their particular knowledge and skills to 
the learners, which they used as methods known as 
anthropological. Anthropological methods refer to the 
indigenous ways or devices for impacting knowledge 
and skills to the children in the society. The methods 
differed in content and technique, but the African 
indigenous education was moral, progressive, gradual 
and practical. The learners were taught how to cope 
with environment, how to farm, hunt or fish and pre-
pare food or build a house and how to run a home. The 
methods were part of the culture among the Abagusii 
and learners were taught orally by their parents and 
community members. 

The anthropological methods for curriculum 
instruction among the Abagusii, were classified into: 
Formal and informal. The informal methods included. 
First, learning to play-children engaged in many activ-
ities and the play activities were described as initia-
tory, imaginative and symbolic. Children also enjoyed 
imitating their parents or other grownups through 
play. A popular form of play was wrestling (E’nyameni) 
through the age mates and fostered physical strength. 
Other play activities includedswinging (Oborundarun-
di), chasing one another aimlessly, striding and dancing 
aimlessly. The second method was use of oral literature

which included myths-which were tales effectively, de-
scribed or accounted for natural phenomenon. Elderly 
people used to explain to the young children things 
they did not understand. Also legends were applied as 
methods of instruction. Legends were tales fabricated 
to account for real events that took place time immemo-
rial. The Abagusii children also were instructed through 
folk-tales. Folk tales were used to teaching ethics and 
some of these had an exciting ending or sorrowful or 
frightening ending. Children also learned through dance 
and folksongs because a style of dance and folk song 
signified a type of rites, ceremonies, feasts and festival 
were performed through accompanying of melodious 
music and dancing. Ceremonies, feasts and festivals 
were important sources of teaching. Proverbs were 
used widely in ordinary conversation. Uses of proverbs 
(Emebayeno) were seen as a sign of wit/intelligence 
by the user, proverbs were a condensed wisdom of the 
Abagusii ancestors.

The third anthropological method of instruction 
among the Abagusii was traditional learning by use of 
deterrence or inculcating fear method. Children were 
taught morals and good behavior as they were born 
into the clan as a sign of transformative education 
taught in the stages of child growth and development. 
According to Sifuna et al, (2006, p. 64),  verbal warnings 
were used and more often followed by punishment for 
the offenders. Children who committed offences were 
rebuked, smacked or assigned some piece of work, 
which expected to be completed before being allowed 
to eat. Serious offenses resulted into severe beating and 
leading to reformatory. Deception was another deter-
rent method especially used with the young.

The fourth method was involving children in pro-
ductive work. (Ogosoma/Chisemi) Learning through 
medium of work enabled children acquires right type 
of masculinity and feminist roles. Children learnt by 
being useful, by doing and working hand-in-hand with 
adults-this prepared children to become capable future 
husbands and wives. Training of the children was done 
according to age and sex.such that the work that a child 
did usually increased in amount and complexity as s/he 
grew up. Also the physical ability of the child was taken 
into consideration; a child was not assigned a task be-
yond his/her physical fitness (Sifuna et al 2006, p. 64).

In the formal methods, it involved theoretical and 
practical inculcation of skills. Learning through appren-
ticeship was formal and direct method. Children were 
instructed and trained as craftsmen such as potters, 
blacksmiths and basket makers/weavers by teaching

Global Journal of Transformative Education (2019) 1:1



 40

Global Journal of Transformative Education (2019) 1:1

them formally. Formal instructions were also given in 
constant corrections and warning to children, in do-
mestic work, in herding, in cultivation and tending to 
certain crops, in fishing and so on. According to Sifuna 
and Otiende (2009, p. 154) formal education took the 
form of succeeding stages of initiation from status. The 
most prominent of initiation practices was the form of 
circumcisition.Circumcision (Okwaroka) was normally 
accompanied with formal lessons (Sifuna & Otiende 
2009, p. 154), which were done through the anthropo-
logical methods of instruction and were transformative 
in nature. The instructors used to test whether or not 
the initiate understood the lessons, by use of songs. The 
questions were asked in a form of riddles (Chimbach-
ero) for the initiate to interpret their meaning. Such 
questions dealt with issues pertaining to the protection 
of homestead (Enka y’omugusii) against enemies com-
mitting adultery and many others (Sifuna & Otiende 
2009, p. 154). 

The statement of the problem
The problem nowadays children are ignoring the 

anthropological methods of instruction because they 
are indigenous and cannot adjust in the society after ac-
quiring formal in university education girls for example 
are not able to prepare food and depend on maids and 
boys cannot run a home, as they depend on services 
from servants. 

The objective of the study
The objective is to examine the best approach in 

integrating the anthropological methods in curriculum 
development in educational system in Kenya.

Hypotheses
H1- There is no significant relationship between 

the anthropological methods to students in school for 
transformative education in Kenya.

H0 - There is significant relationship between the 
anthropological methods to students in schools for 
transformative education in Kenya.

Literature Review
The term curriculum is derived from a Latin word 

“Curere” which implies a racecourse or track followed 
by racing horses. As time went by, the racecourse came 
to be likened to course of study followed by learners in 
educational institutions. This thereafter, led to emer-
gence of the term curriculum, which its initial meaning 
implies curriculum is a process or set of activities that

has a beginning and an end. Curriculum simply is the 
syllabus, but in much more complex terms “curriculum” 
is much more than the syllabus or course outline. This 
means the anthropological methods were infused in the 
informal curriculum of education among the Abagusii 
leading transformative education.  Kerr (1969) defines 
curriculum as “all the learning which is planned or 
guided by the school whether it is carried out in groups 
or individuals inside or outside the school.” According 
to Mbithi (2009, p. 54), curriculum refers to what is 
taught at any given level of the school system. It re-
fers to all the learning experiences that a learner goes 
through within a specified period in order to attain 
certain set objectives. 

 Curriculum development is understood to include 
a repeating process of planning based on national 
policies, production of instructional material, and 
implementation of the programme through the alloca-
tion of resources and evaluation (Peiris 1976, p. 1).In 
this aspect, a comprehensive meaning od curriculum 
development include all of the following aspects of the 
curriculum: (a) The content or subject matter of the in-
structional programme, in this case of the Abagusii for 
example circumcision was done openly for transforma-
tive education in the society. (b)Instructional materials 
for instance teaching/learning aids or resources such 
as horns,skins,and so on were used. (c) Instructional 
methods or strategies to achieve stated objectives, in 
this sense Abagusii used the anthropological methods 
for transformative education.(d) The methods of evalu-
ating the degree to which the intended objectives have 
been achieved.

Children were highly valued in African communi-
ties, because they played a very important role in the 
family and the community (Kabiru & Njenga 2009, p. 
14).According to Kabiru and Njenga (2009, p. 19), an-
cient Romans began to educate children as soon as they 
could speak, probably they used the anthropological 
methods which are discussed in this paper. The Tabu-
la rasa view emerged during the 17th century from 
teaching of John Locke. To him, children were born as 
“Clean slates” ready to be moulded through experiences 
and he advised parents to spend a lot of time with their 
children and guide them through instructions, exam-
ples and rewards such as praise and approval. This was 
also done through the anthropological methods applied 
in classical Gusiiland, but in the contemporary modern 
society they are no longer applicable. Education grew 
out of the immediate environment, real and imaginary. 
From the physical environment, children had to learn

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Global Journal of Transformative Education (2019) 1:1

about the weather, type of landscapes, animals and 
plants. Above knowledge the children had to be ac-
quainted with the problems and possibilities of the en-
vironment by being equipped with skills of overcoming 
and exploiting them-by use of axe, hoe, the spear and 
other tools of the past in the Stone Age period.

Children were taught how to cope with the environ-
ment, how to farm, how to hunt, how to fish or prepare 
food or build a house and how to run or manage a 
home. Individual was to live and serve other people in 
accordance with accepted manners, laws, avoidance of 
taboos and a rigorous code of morality. Every person 
in the homestead and its environment, parents and old 
relatives were responsible for the training in economic 
responsibilities. Learning by imitation played a big role, 
for young boys and old men, were building, herding and 
hunting, for girls and women, sweeping, carrying wood 
from the forest, carrying water from the river/fetching 
water and cooking. Indigenous education inculcated a 
religious attitude of life because religion was concerned 
morality and rules of conduct such as courtesy, gener-
osity and honesty.

Methodology
The research employed survey method and data 

collected through questionnaire technique. The study 
used a survey research design on the primary and 
secondary schools in Kisii county. Mugenda & Mugenda 
(2003) noted that surveys are the excellent vehicles 
for the measurement of characteristics of large popu-
lation. The design was appropriate because it helped 
the researcher to obtain information that describes 
phenomenon by asking individual students about their 
perceptions, attitudes, behavior or values related to 
the anthropological methods of curriculum instruction 
among the Abagusii. 

Data collection procedure
A structured questionnaire was used as the main 

instrument of data collection from respondents/stu-
dents. A total of 400 questions were distributed in ten 
schools in Kisii through stratified random sampling and 
380 were returned to the researcher having an aggre-
gate of 95% of the total questionnaires distributed. The 
data collected were analyzed, summarized and inter-
preted using simple percentage and chi-square method 
to measure inconsistency between the observed and 
expected frequencies and to prove the significance in 
the stated hypothesis. The responses from the ques-
tionnaires were measured using Likert scale five-

point scale namely: Strongly agree (5 points), disagree 
(4 points), Undecided (3 points), disagree (2 points) 
and strongly disagree (1 point).This is used to register 
and know to what extent of agreement or disagreement 
with a particular statement of and attitude, belief or 
judgments in concept of anthropological methods in 
curriculum instruction for transformative education.

Results
The following summary describes the data collected 

from the field survey (2018) applied in the test subject 
classrooms. (n=380).

Table 1 indicates that 220 or 57.8 percent of the 
respondents were males and 160 or 42.2 percent were 
females. This shows that most of the respondents were 
males.

Table 1. Gender of respondents 
 Gender Frequency Percentages
 Male 220 57.8
 Female 160 42.2
 Total 380 100

Table 2 indicates that 180 or 47.4 percent were 
between the ages of 10-13 while 200 or 52.6 percent of 
the respondents were between the ages of 14-17 years. 
This means that the majority of the respondents were 
over 13 years of age and in secondary schools.

Table 2. Age of respondents 
 Age Frequency Percentage
 10-13 180 47.4
 14-17 200 52.6
 18 and above - -

Table 3 shows that 150 or 39.5 percent of the 
respondents were in primary schools while 239 or 
60.5 were in the secondary level of education. This re-
vealed that most of the respondents were in secondary 
schools.

Table 3. Student level in education system
 Level Frequency Percentage
 Primary 150 39.5
 Secondary 230 60.5

Okebiro, Antropological methods in instruction for learners in informal education.



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Global Journal of Transformative Education (2019) 1:1

Table 4. The anthropological methods applied for 
corrections or warning 
 Scale Frequency  Percentage
 Strongly agree 280 73.7
 Agree 74 19.5
 Undecided 6 1.6
 Disagree 12 3.2
 Strongly disagree 8 2.1

Table 4 shows that 280 or 73.7 percent of the 
respondents strongly agree that the anthropological 
methods are applied for corrections or warning stu-
dents/children, while 74 or 19.5 percent of the respon-
dents are the similar views and agree;6 or 1.6 percent 
were undecided;12 or 3.2 percent disagree and 9 or 2.1 
strongly disagree. Obviously, the majority of the respon-
dents believed that anthropological methods in cur-
riculum development have an impact on the student’s 
transformative education.

Table 5. Learners acquire skills through apprenticeship
 Scale Frequency Percentage
 Strongly agree 280 73.7
 Agree 100 26.3
 Undecided -  -
 Disagree -  -
 Strongly disagree -  - 

Table 5 indicates learners attached to teacher to 
acquire skills through apprenticeship, thus 280 or 73.7 
percent of the respondents strongly agree while 100 or 
26.3 percent of the respondents agree.

Table 6. Anthropological methods focused on socio-
economic and environmental locale 
 Scale Frequency Percentage
 Strongly agree 280 73.7
 Agree 100 26.3
 Undecided - -
 Disagree - -
 Strongly disagree - -

In Table 6 Anthropological methods were focused 
on socio-economic and environmental locale, 280 or 
73.7 percent of the respondents strongly agree and 100 
or 26.3 percent of the respondents agree. This depicts 
that the locale was the major area used for transforma-
tive education when applying anthropological methods 
in curriculum development in informal education.

Table 7. Anthropological methods applied in natural 
and human resources for transformation
 Scale Frequency Percentage
 Strongly Agree 230 60.53
 Agree 144 37.89
 Undecided 6 1.58
 Disagree - -
 Strongly disagree - -

Table 7 shows the Anthropological methods applied 
in natural and human resources for transformation and 
this aspect 230 or 60.53 percent strongly agree,144 or 
37.89 percent agree and 6 or 1.58 undecided. This indi-
cates that the environment was the field of study where 
natural and human resources were available. 

Table 8 illustrates Knowledge transfer and knowl-
edge applicable in real life, therefore 280 or 73.7 
percent respondents strongly agree;74 or 19.5 percent 
respondents agree;6 or 1.6 respondents undecided;12 
or 3.2 percent respondents agree and 8 or 2.1 percent 
of the respondents strongly disagree.

Table 8. Knowledge transfer and knowledge applicable 
in real life
 Scale Frequency Percentage
 Strongly Agree 280 73.7
 Agree 74 19.5
 Undecided 6 1.6
 Disagree 12 3.2
 Strongly disagree 8 2.1

Test of the hypothesis
Chi-square (X2) tool was used, with an alternative 

hypothesis stating that there is no significant relation-
ship between the anthropological methods to students 
in school for transformative education in Kenya. The 
test suggests that the alternative hypothesis should be 
accepted (p < 0.001, X2 = 411,342, df=16).

Discussion 
The study has an enduring transformative change 

in education system, because the anthropological 
methods were used in every child and existed for the 
purpose of strengthening the community and should be 
used in the modern school for transformative educa-
tion. The formal instructions were given in the constant 
corrections and warning the children, in some aspects 
of domestic work such as herding animals and tending

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Global Journal of Transformative Education (2019) 1:1

certain crops, which a transformative agriculture proj-
ects done in the formal education.

The study challenged the status quo of the tradi-
tional ways of teaching and learning where anthropo-
logical methods are not applicable. The economic role 
of the children featured prominently in their training 
and parents saw their new born babies in economic 
terms. All this descriptions of early African life make 
this a close link between education and economics, 
because within the homesteads and its environments, 
the parents and older relatives were responsible for the 
training in economic responsibilities (Kabiru & Njenga 
2009, p. 14).

The paper elevates the youth and adult voice and 
democratic practices in schools and in the society, as Si-
funa and Otiende (2009, p. 151) supports the idea that 
“a child was expected to learn largely by seeing (obser-
vation) and imitating”. In this sense a child was given a 
formal teaching usually after had made a mistake and 
when the outcome of the work was found unsatisfacto-
ry.

The paper serves to create a more equitable and 
sustainable future because, technical skills were 
learned on the apprenticeship principle. The learners 
were attached to the teachers in order to acquire skills. 
Even the teacher-student ratios were small and in some 
cases it was one teacher to one learner. This should be 
applicable in the modern schools for transformative 
education in Kenya.

The paper focuses on the natural and human re-
sources that are available in the locale or area as the 
resource such as mountains (Ebitunwa), valleys, plains, 
rivers, grasslands and forests which were used as ven-
ues for instruction for the student engagement, which 
are not applicable nowadays because students are 
confined in classrooms and go out on breakfast breaks 
and lunch breaks

The paper elicits knowledge transfer and knowl-
edge applicability in real-life contexts since traditional 
education (informal education) used well-tried anthro-
pological methods for teaching such as games, riddles, 
legends and acting - all related to culture and traditions 
of the Abagusii ethnic group. Also Sifuna and Otiende 
(2009, p. 151), argue that the informal methods of 
instruction included involving children in productive 
work. The learning trough medium of work enabled 
children to acquire the right type of their masculine and 
feminine roles in the real-life.

The paper encourage student-driven, collaborative 
project-based learning as the anthropological methods

had its structure of responsibility for who taught what 
was well defined, and the need for different teachers 
as the children matured were recognized. The children 
were taught how to cope the environment, how to farm, 
how to hunt and so on, which was part of focusing on 
social, environmental and economic problems in the 
locale or area.

methods were used in communalism, collective 
activity, cooperation and social responsibility were 
valued and emphasized in traditional education among 
the Abagusii. In this sense, the individuals were to live 
and serve other people in accordance with the accept-
ed manners, customs, laws, avoidance of taboos and a 
rigorous code of morality.

The paper nurture youth and parent/adult with 
partnership strategies for effective service learning as 
the family was recognized as the cornerstone of tra-
ditional life and a lot of learning took place at home 
under the guidance of parents and the extended family 
members.

The paper promotes authentic indigenous knowl-
edge systems and indigenous ways of knowing and 
doing as the anthropological methods were remarkably 
comprehensive and holistic, because its main aim was 
to integrate the child fully into the life of the communi-
ty.   

Results indicate Abagusii have discarded the use of 
some of anthropological methods in instructing chil-
dren in the family systems. The commonwealth secre-
tariat of 1993 gives the meaning of the curriculum as a 
combination of the following perspectives and dimen-
sions. The first perspective is official curriculum: this 
is a planned curriculum laid out in official documents 
such as syllabuses, catalogues, and prospectus and so 
on. Official curriculum consists of numerous courses or 
subject and course or subject combinations. 

The second perspective is actual or real curriculum. 
This is the received curriculum or reality of the student 
experiences for example to say what is actually taught 
in the educational institutions. The actual curriculum 
can also be viewed in terms of what individual student 
study as shown in the transcripts or certificates. 

The third perspective is hidden curriculum. It is a 
powerful perspective of the curriculum in institutions 
of learning. It respects the unplanned experiences and 
un intended outcomes in the area which students go 
through and develop as a result of the process of spe-
cialization in the institution for example music, athlet-
ics, football, drama and so on. 

The fourth perspective is ideal curriculum. This is a

Okebiro, Antropological methods in instruction for learners in informal education.



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Global Journal of Transformative Education (2019) 1:1

curriculum that a society aspires to have for it to realize 
its cherished dreams and ambitions. This forms the ba-
sis and directions and provides the guiding framework 
for the design of the curriculum. The ideal curriculum 
states the standard by the society’s contexts or what 
the society would like to have. 

There are three dimensions on focus as follows: 
one formal dimension - in or out activities that are part 
of the planned experiences for example syllabus con-
tents, laboratory experiments, field work, agricultural 
projects, home science projects, computer science 
projects and so on.Two, non-formal dimension - planned 
and guided activities which may be outside the formal 
syllabuses. It also refers to as co-curricular activities 
or sometimes in the past it used to be called extra-cur-
ricular (not worthwhile planned) examples including 
games, music, drama and so on. The third dimension 
is informal. It refers to socialization process through 
which students acquire certain habits as a result of 
interacting to the total environmental and the culture of 
educational institution for the manner of self-dressing, 
style of speech, styles of movements, self-image, cleanli-
ness, leadership styles and so on. The process of social-
ization affects students attitudes, growth and behavior, 
some of which may not be desired.

Conclusion
It is concluded curriculum is viewed as an explicitly 

and implicitly intentional set of interactions or activ-
ities designed to facilitate learning and development 
and impose meaning on experience. In this sense, the 
anthropological methods have the explicit intention 
usually are expressed in written documents denoting 
(expressing) courses of study for instance syllabuses, 
course outlines the anthropological included for trans-
formative education. The implicit intentions for an-
thropological methods are found in hidden curriculum 
which refer to unplanned learning which takes place 
as a result of interaction between students and fellow 
students, between students and the staff of the school 
and between students and subject matter and finally 
between students and school facilities.

The research paper concludes anthropological 
methods of instruction were effective and efficient as 
they are both informal and formal and were practical in 
nature and the objectives; content is retained for long 
period in the lifetime of the learners. The anthropologi-
cal methods were effective in transmissions and pres-
ervation of culture, skills, knowledge of the family, clan 
among the Abagusii from one generation to another. 

The anthropological methods were adapting children 
into their physical and human environment where 
they were, in Gusiiland. In this sense, the anthropolog-
ical methods instilled the accepted standards, norms, 
beliefs and traditions governing the correct behaviors 
among the children and adults in the society. This cre-
ated unity and cooperation in the Omogusii society, the 
methods emphasized on collective responsibility, for 
instance children could be disciplined by any member 
not only parents particularly. Through the anthropo-
logical methods, the children acquired practical skills 
and knowledge which would be useful to the individual 
child and the omogusii society. Intellectual skills such 
as observation, problem and decision making are quite 
relevant in the transformative education in the world 
today.

Recommendation
Basing on the conclusion, the paper recommends 

curriculum developers in the education system, Kenya 
Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to incorpo-
rate anthropological methods in the curriculum for the 
teaching-learning process in schools. It recommends for 
transformative education to be effective and efficient, 
the integrated approach to curriculum development is 
required in primary, secondary, tertiary and university 
levels, therefore, the stakeholders should take action of 
implementation.

It is recommended, in the modern schools, learn-
ers should be introduced and made aware of natural 
features in the neighborhood such as rivers, hills, dams, 
mountains, lakes and water falls, through the use of 
anthropological methods, because the features are seen 
and are within their experiences and learners should 
learner about their uses for transformative education in 
Kenya.

Okebiro, Antropological methods in instruction for learners in informal education.



 45

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in the study of the foundations of education. Nairobi: 
The Jomo Kenyatta Foundation.

Tyler, R. W. (2000). Basic principles of curriculum 
development and instruction. Chicago: The 
University of Chicago Press.

Gilbert Nyakundi Okebiro (okebirog@gmail.com) is an 
Assistant Lecturer in the School of Education at Turkana 
University College, Turkana, Kenya.

Authors

Okebiro, Antropological methods in instruction for learners in informal education.



Page 46 of 9

Global Journal of Transformative Education (2019) 1:1

Appendix 1 
Questionnaire

 
Anthropological methods in curriculum instruction for learners  

in informal education for Abagusii of south western Kenya

Kindly fill in the appropriate or correct answer to questions using: 
Strongly agree(SA)=5points; Agree(A)=4 Points; Undecided(U) 3 Points; Agree(A)=2 points; Strongly disagree(1 point)

1. Gender: 
Male 
Female 

2. Age of the respondents
10-13 
14-17 
18 and above 

3. Level of education/status
Primary 
Secondary 

 
 4 .The relevance of anthropological methods in curriculum development for transformative education

Factor Strongly Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly
 agree    disagree
The anthropological methods applied 
for corrections warning students/
children  
Learners attached to teacher to 
acquire skills through apprenticeship 
Anthropological methods applied 
in natural and human resources for 
transformative   
Knowledge transfer and knowledge 
applicable in real life   
Anthropological methods focused on 
socio-economic and environmental 
locale    
 

Thank for your cooperation for filling the questionnare. God bless you

Okebiro, Antropological methods in instruction for learners in informal education.


