THE CONTRIBUTION OF ISLAM TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN KAKAMEGA COUNTY ,KENYA :A CASE OF KAKAMEGA MUSLIM SECONDARY SCHOOL 1983-2023.

Abstract

This study set to examine the Contribution of Islam to the development of education with special reference to Kakamega Muslim Secondary School, Kakamega County, Kenya. This study cramped itself to a period between 1983 to 2023;1983 marked the establishment of the school as it provides a logical starting point for examining its historical development .The 40 year span allowed for a comprehensive analysis of the schools growth ,contributions and challenges over time .Ending in 2023 captured the most recent developments and ensured the availability of reliable data from the school records ,policy documents and living witnesses. What prompted the documentation of this study was the limited understanding of how Islamic education shaped educational progress in Kakamega County. While tracing the historical foundations of the school, the study was guided by the following objectives; to trace the historical development of Kakamega Muslim secondary school, to examine the contribution of Islam to the development of Kakamega Muslim Secondary School and lastly, to assess the impacts of Kakamega Muslim Secondary School alumni to the community. This study was guided by policy historiography by Trevor gale as it helped to examine how historical and socio-political contexts shaped education in Kakamega Muslim Secondary School. This research also employed a historical research design which was a qualitative approach. Due to the historical nature of this research it employed both primary and secondary sources of data collection in order to get first-hand information This research however, relied on primary sources that included document analysis and interview guide that were done orally as this helped to provide valuable insights into the role of religion in shaping the institution by emphasizing on the importance of the community support, religious values and leadership in fostering the development. The target population involved the community, parents and students, the alumni and the school administration who were sampled using purposive. These data collection procedures helped to understand the Islamic teachings in guiding moral and ethical education by demonstrating how the curriculum infused with Islamic values offers both secular and religious education and on addition, the involvement of Muslim organizations including religious endowments and philanthropic contributions impacted the growth and development of the school. Through thematic analysis, archival data was generated. This enabled to authenticate data collected through interviews from eyewitnesses. The verified data was then analyzed and presented qualitatively under themes with special reference to study objectives. Additionally, Findings revealed that Islam Significantly shaped the schools culture, discipline ,character formation and the community support structures the school Alumni also played a huge role towards the development of the school. In conclusion, this research demonstrated that the contribution of Islam to the development of Kakamega Muslim Secondary school played a pivotal in ensuring its success as a center of both academic and religious learning benefiting the local Muslim community and beyond. From the findings the study recommended the ministry of education, the Muslim community and the school administration to ensure that they preserve the Islamic culture while teaching Islamic Religious Education, encourage active community involvement ,Preservation of the schools Islamic heritage and government recognition and support for faith –based institutions in national education.