Men play a fairly minor part in the early developmental years of the child. "In Malawi most men are traditionally distanced from their children; they rarely hold and play with them. (ibid)
However this situation changes as the child grows up, and there is later more interaction between father and child.
Overall, however, men are generally associated with the provision of financial support while women are seen as the ones responsible for nurturing." (ibid) Early childhood education is largely the responsibility of the mother and community and takes place mostly at home. It is essential non-formal in the rural areas, with the child being taught by the mother and siblings.
However, many of these cultural practices are being modernized. " Most traditional childrearing practices persist to date in some form, although they have been influenced by changes occurring in the society as a whole. For example, pregnancy is no longer as sensitive a subject as it was." (ibid)
Greater numbers of children are being born in hospitals and health centres and many traditional practices with regard to rearing and development are not being followed.
Kenya
Kenya has become more "westernized" than Malawi and although traditional customs regarding childhood development do exist, education and development have been largely modernized. Research indicates that childhood development and education patterns in African countries can be assessed in terms of a historical pattern. This pattern refers to the transition from traditional to transitory and then to urban cultures. Countries like Kenya are still in the transitional phase but most of the country has adopted an urban culture with the concomitant effects on traditional ways of perceiving childhood development. However the country still has a high infant mortality rate. "The infant mortality rate is 67.99 per 1,000 live births, while the life expectancy is 46.5 years for men and 48.4 years for women (World Almanac, 2002)."
Mbugua 191)
One of the most prominent aspects of Kenyan attitudes towards childhood development is the sense of community and the spirit of Harambee. "Since independence, early childhood education (ECE) in Kenya has expanded rapidly throughout the country, in the spirit of Harambee." (Myers, G. 1992)
This is a community-based program and has been very successful...
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