Education for Nomads
The Education for Nomads programme is relocating. The first phase of research is complete and has consulted Kenyan nomadic pastoralists, knowledgeable educationists and relevant literature to establish what would be the best means to get education to Kenya’s nomadic communities without interfering with their mobile pastoral livelihoods. The programme works at the behest of the Ministry of State for the Development of Northern Kenya and Other Arid Lands (MDNKOAL), and has been hosted at IIED.
As the programme is now moving on to ‘pilot’ a distance learning approach via radio in two nomadic districts in Kenya, operations have been relocated to Nairobi, Kenya. As of 1 October 2010, the Education for Nomads programme is hosted by WERK (Women Education Researchers, Kenya), while still remaining under the jurisdiction of the MDNKOAL.
Kenya has committed itself to key global education targets, among them the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education For All. Although its performance is perhaps the best in Africa, it is unlikely to achieve these goals. The main reason is the difficulty in getting education to its isolated, scattered nomadic pastoralists in Kenya’s vast arid lands.
The Education for Nomads programme works to address the problem of how Kenyan pastoralists can acquire the education and skills which will allow them to compete on equal terms with other national population groups, without compromising their nomadic pastoral livelihoods.
To assist the Government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of State for Development of Northern Kenya and Other Arid Lands, in reversing the wide disparity in education between pastoral nomads and the rest of the Kenyan people.
To assist in piloting innovative distance learning approaches using radio and communication technology in isolated nomadic communities.
To develop a strategy that will allow nomadic children and their families to access education.
To eradicate the need for nomadic people having to choose between education and herding because of a lack of education options compatible with nomadic pastoralism.
Find out more
Towards Education for Nomads: Community Perspectives in Kenya
Izzy Birch, Sue Cavanna, Dauod Abkula, Diyad Hujale
Mobile Pastoralists and Education: Strategic Options
Saverio Krätli, Caroline Dyer
Planning with Uncertainty: Using Scenario Planning with African Pastoralists
SOS Sahel UK
Planifier avec l'Incertitude : Scenario Planning avec les éleveurs nomades en Afrique
SOS Sahel UK
Scenario Planning with African Pastoralists: A `How To' Guide
Sue Cavanna, Dauod Abkula