Loipi Curriculum Model ($1)
Introduction
Part of the national pre-school teacher training programme was a component that included
adapting the project to a semi-arid area (Samburu) and in 1987 the Samburu district centre for
early childhood education was opened in Maralal. However, Samburu district posed several
challenges for the NACECE/DICECE programme. Samburu district in Northern Kenya is an
area with a harsh arid and semi-arid climate with scrubland and limited rainfall. For the Samburu
and Turkana people, the most viable way of life has always been nomadic pastoralism. The
people move with their livestock, cattle, sheep, goats and camels in search of water and pasture.
This traditional way of life is now under stress because of prolonged drought, cattle rustling and
increasing insecurity, including an influx of weapons from the strife in neighboring Sudan and
Somalia. Large numbers of formerly nomadic families have been driven to take up a semi-
permanent residence around major trading centres, which in turn is putting an even higher strain
on water and vegetation sources.
The communities are in transition from a nomadic lifestyle to sedentary settlement, which poses
many challenges and is causing rapid changes in the societal structure. It is clear that in a
situation like this pre-school education will not be people’s first priority and one of the
weaknesses of the first Samburu ECD programme was that it focused too much on training of
teachers and establishing pre-schools without involving the parents and communities. The
project trained pre-school teachers but the training did not prepare them sufficiently for the
challenges of the Samburu environment. Some of the trained teachers faced serious problems of
isolation, low fees and lack of professional support. The project also failed to substantially
increase the low rate of pre-school attendance in the district. However it did provide a useful
policy framework and institutional structure for ECD programmes to build on (DICECE) .The
Samburu DICECE could develop culturally appropriate curricula and use of mother tongue
education and even teaching AIDS in local language were encouraged. The real turn around in
terms of project direction came in 1995 when a study of existing child rearing practices amongst
the Samburu was carried out. This process led to a completely new atmosphere with the parents
, and communities, because the study directly involved them and drew on their knowledge and
experience for the first time. The objective was to revive and enhance the traditional child
rearing practices and to strongly focus on promoting ownership of the project by the parents and
the community.
Samburu ECD programme 1996 to present.
In 1996 a tripartite partnership was formed between the Kenya Institute of Education, Christian
Children’s Fund and the Bernard van Leer Foundation in order to improve the well-being of
young children in Samburu district in terms of health, nutrition, education and early stimulation.
The programme started working with two CBOs affiliated with CCF in Kirisia and Baragoi
divisions of Samburu district, reviving the traditional Loipi system of communal childcare,
ensuring full participation of parents and the community. In 3 years’ time the programme spread
from the two locations to 6 locations covering almost the whole district. Today there are 83 Loipi
centres all over Samburu district. Traditional childcare: In Samburu culture children belong to
the community as a whole. Children are treated with great tenderness and love by both the
parents and the community. They are also highly valued as a source of wealth and continuity for
the community. The Samburu have sound child rearing practices. Traditionally grandmothers
were left to care for young children as parents went out for grazing, fetching water or collecting
firewood. Often the children were cared for in communal enclosures known as Loipi (shade or
enclosure). These Loipi were often located under a big tree where the children could play and
rest. Traditional values were passed on through:
i. Storytelling,
ii. Songs and games
iii. The children had the opportunity to socialize.
iv. Growth was monitored using beads and parents supplied milk for the children
and a piece of cloth for sleeping.
v. In turn, the community supported the grandmothers by collecting water and
firewood for them.
vi. The Samburu ECD programme introduced the following modern aspects of health
care and education into the Loipi system:
Introduction
Part of the national pre-school teacher training programme was a component that included
adapting the project to a semi-arid area (Samburu) and in 1987 the Samburu district centre for
early childhood education was opened in Maralal. However, Samburu district posed several
challenges for the NACECE/DICECE programme. Samburu district in Northern Kenya is an
area with a harsh arid and semi-arid climate with scrubland and limited rainfall. For the Samburu
and Turkana people, the most viable way of life has always been nomadic pastoralism. The
people move with their livestock, cattle, sheep, goats and camels in search of water and pasture.
This traditional way of life is now under stress because of prolonged drought, cattle rustling and
increasing insecurity, including an influx of weapons from the strife in neighboring Sudan and
Somalia. Large numbers of formerly nomadic families have been driven to take up a semi-
permanent residence around major trading centres, which in turn is putting an even higher strain
on water and vegetation sources.
The communities are in transition from a nomadic lifestyle to sedentary settlement, which poses
many challenges and is causing rapid changes in the societal structure. It is clear that in a
situation like this pre-school education will not be people’s first priority and one of the
weaknesses of the first Samburu ECD programme was that it focused too much on training of
teachers and establishing pre-schools without involving the parents and communities. The
project trained pre-school teachers but the training did not prepare them sufficiently for the
challenges of the Samburu environment. Some of the trained teachers faced serious problems of
isolation, low fees and lack of professional support. The project also failed to substantially
increase the low rate of pre-school attendance in the district. However it did provide a useful
policy framework and institutional structure for ECD programmes to build on (DICECE) .The
Samburu DICECE could develop culturally appropriate curricula and use of mother tongue
education and even teaching AIDS in local language were encouraged. The real turn around in
terms of project direction came in 1995 when a study of existing child rearing practices amongst
the Samburu was carried out. This process led to a completely new atmosphere with the parents
, and communities, because the study directly involved them and drew on their knowledge and
experience for the first time. The objective was to revive and enhance the traditional child
rearing practices and to strongly focus on promoting ownership of the project by the parents and
the community.
Samburu ECD programme 1996 to present.
In 1996 a tripartite partnership was formed between the Kenya Institute of Education, Christian
Children’s Fund and the Bernard van Leer Foundation in order to improve the well-being of
young children in Samburu district in terms of health, nutrition, education and early stimulation.
The programme started working with two CBOs affiliated with CCF in Kirisia and Baragoi
divisions of Samburu district, reviving the traditional Loipi system of communal childcare,
ensuring full participation of parents and the community. In 3 years’ time the programme spread
from the two locations to 6 locations covering almost the whole district. Today there are 83 Loipi
centres all over Samburu district. Traditional childcare: In Samburu culture children belong to
the community as a whole. Children are treated with great tenderness and love by both the
parents and the community. They are also highly valued as a source of wealth and continuity for
the community. The Samburu have sound child rearing practices. Traditionally grandmothers
were left to care for young children as parents went out for grazing, fetching water or collecting
firewood. Often the children were cared for in communal enclosures known as Loipi (shade or
enclosure). These Loipi were often located under a big tree where the children could play and
rest. Traditional values were passed on through:
i. Storytelling,
ii. Songs and games
iii. The children had the opportunity to socialize.
iv. Growth was monitored using beads and parents supplied milk for the children
and a piece of cloth for sleeping.
v. In turn, the community supported the grandmothers by collecting water and
firewood for them.
vi. The Samburu ECD programme introduced the following modern aspects of health
care and education into the Loipi system:
