Attitudes of teachers and students towards art and design curriculum: Implications for vocational education in Kenya

Abstract

Art and Design Curriculum taught in secondary schools in Kenya is intended not only to prepare learners for a vocation in Art and Design industry but also to complement literacy, scientific and factual subjects by awakening creativity in the individual. It is part of the government policy of diversification and vocationalization of the curriculum. However, enrolment of students in this subject has gone down to as low as one (1) student in form four classes in some schools. The number of schools offering Art and Design Curriculum has also gone down drastically since the inception of the diversified and vocationalized 8. 4. 4 system of education in Kenya in 1985. The 8–4-4 system is a structure of education in Kenya with 8 years of primary education, 4 years of secondary education and a minimum of 4 years of University education. The survival of this subject in the Kenyan School Curriculum is therefore worrying to the …