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2022
REPORT OF ACTIVITIES FOR LVE EDUCATOR WORKSHOP
Focal Point for Kenya: Ps. Paul Kabao
Host: YES - Youth Education Support
Date: Tuesday 31st May to Thursday 2nd June 2022
Venue: CTC College, Nairobi, Kenya
Target: 20 Youth students
Theme: Exploring and Developing Values in Youth
The Youth in Attendance: In general and with/for various reasons, the youth below attended for 1, 2, or all the 3 days for Living Values Education (LVE) Educator Workshop.
Obed Kuria Mwangi, Bilha Auma Musebe, Valentine Shanyisa, Solomon Ityeng, Elizabeth (Lizz) Mawia, Morine Wangui, Symprosa S. Wesonga, Cynthia Kerubo Ndemo, Frasiah Njeri Waweru, Harun Mbugua Wambugu, Mercy Ingado, Jamson Koat, Eugine Ojiambo, Peter Muriithi, Nelly Isavalu, Immaculate Orangi, Malvin Wanjala, Quinter Kwamboka, Centrine Lydia, Maryanne Wanjiku, Florence King'ori.
YES - Youth Education Support
YES is a friends based non-profit organization based in Nairobi, Kenya that works to ensure that youth are inspired, educated and their values supported through education that integrates VALUES Education.
YES application as an Associate Member in ALIVE awaits consideration and approval with ALIVE Board.
How it all begun
"Hello Paul, how are you. Longest time. There is a Congress (Economy of Communion) in Kenya that I wish to attend, let me register first, we are going to talk after. Good night." ~ Patricia Ndikum 25th Feb 2022.
"Good day Paul, I have finally registered. Here are my thoughts... I am thinking we can carry out a 3 days training on LVE. What do you think about this idea? I want to use one stone to shoot two birds." ~ Patricia Ndikum 23rd March 2022.
These were the words of Patricia Ndikum Representative, LVE Cameroon to Ps. Paul Kabao, Director General, YES - Youth Education Support, and Focal Point for LVE in Kenya when she called him on What's app. Later, the two, Ps. Paul and Patricia Ndikum met as planned on Friday 27th May 2022 at the EoC - Economy of Communion Congress which was held in Nairobi, from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th May 2022.
During the three days Congress Ps. Paul and Patricia had ample time to meet and discuss more about ALIVE - Association for Living Values Education and LVE program.
On the last day (Sunday) of the Congress, the discussion between the two culminated with the acceptance by Ps. Paul to organize an impromptu 3 Days LVE Educator Workshop in Kenya. The two agreed that the LVE Educator Workshop, be planned to be held before Patricia leaves the country in a few days' time.
From that time on, Ps. Paul Kabao planned to organize an LVE Educator Workshop to be held from Tuesday 31st May to Thursday 2nd June 2022, in Nairobi, Kenya.
Overview
Raising the young people in today's world is full of challenges. The vast majority of the youth of this generation are today increasingly affected by violence, poverty, social-political problems bedeviling society, and a lack of respect for each other and the world around them, while educators, guardians and parents are impacted by new challenges and pressures in life. YES - Living Values Education (LVE) program equips the youth for a lifelong values based living.
During this LVE Educator Workshop, YES seeks to join in a global endeavor to help the youth explore and develop positive values to grow toward their potential.
The workshop seeks to create a caring, and respectful environments where the youth feel Safe, Respected, Understood, Loved, Valued and want to learn. LVE Program is effective in decreasing violence and bullying, and creating safe, and caring school environment which encourage to quality education and success in life. A premise of LVE program is that when people are treated in such a way that they feel Safe, Respected, Loved, Valued and understood, they grow toward their potential. This LVE program seeks to take this seemly undoable premise and make it real.
We sense that the cognitive thinking skills and social-emotional skills that the youth learn and teach, values asked to explore and develop will help them grow toward their potential in life, protect them from violence, and help them grow and engage in society with respect, confidence and purpose. What the youth learn later in life is intertwined into the fabric of society.
Through this LVE Educator Workshop, the youth benefit by developing skills to cognitively explore and understand values. For the youth to be motivated to learn and utilize positive and cooperative social skills, the creation of a values-based environment in which they are encouraged, listened to and valued is also essential.
It is on this basis, and in reaction to the call for values to be at the heart of education, that LVE Educator Workshop in Nairobi, Kenya is planned.What is Living Values Education?
LVE - Living Values Education is a global endeavor dedicated to nurturing hearts and educating minds of the children, youth and adult people. It provides an educational approach, and tools, to help people connect with their own values and live them, hence 'living values'. It emphasizes the worth and integrity of each person involved in the provision of education, at home, in school and/or community. In promotion of quality education, LVE supports the overall development of the individual and a culture of positive values in each society and throughout the world, believing that education is a purposeful activity designed to help humanity develop.
Why Develop Values?
No matter what role we currently live in live, whether it be child, parent, business person, employee, educators, government official, retiree, whatever age, gender, nationality, or spiritual belief, all people have one thing in common; a human requirement to meet some basic needs - to be Safe, Respected, Loved, Valued, and Understood.
ALIVE in Kenya
Kenya's involvement with LVE began in the summer of 1998 with a visit to Kenya by Ann Stirzaker, a teacher who enjoyed using LVE program in England. Later, the Association of Living Values Educators (ALIVE) was registered in Kenya on 8th February 2001. Kenya was also represented during the formation of a Framework for Action on Values Education in Early Childhood. Despite this fact, ALIVE in Kenya has never taken the opportunity to play its active role in implementation LVE in the country. In between 1998 - 2001, LVE implementation was life, but for unknown reasons, the fire extinguished somewhere along the way. ALIVE in Kenya has since been dormant without action.
Living Values Education Program
LVE - Living Values Education program is a holistic approach to value education that ensure that there is a balanced development of all dimensions of the youth' personalities. Spiritual and moral education is the powerful force that forges the strong and staunch individual.
LVE Educator Workshop
LVE Educator Workshops are offered for one-, two-, and three-day educator training programs and a five-day train-the-trainer session. Four day workshops are highly recommended for adults not familiar with conflict resolution and/or child-centered, participatory teaching methods.
LVE Educator Workshop in Kenya was designed for the youth for three days in Non-Formal Settings inside YES - Values Education program. In this case LVE Educator Workshop in Kenya was experiential. The youth participants were asked to reflect on their own values, offer their thoughts on essentials within a values-based environment, and imagine an optimal life environment in order to reflect on emotions, attitudes and behaviors behind quality education methods. The youth get the opportunity to explore methods to create a values-based environment in which all youth feel safe, valued, loved respected, and understood.
During the workshop, the youth share their ideas, Living Values Education in a theoretical model and the rationale behind the variety of values activities presented.
The LVE Educator Workshop in Kenya then turned to skills activities for creating a values-based environment, which included: acknowledgement, encouragement, and positively building positive behaviors such as resolving conflict, active listening, collaborative rule making; and values-based discipline.
The sessions were intermingled with small group sessions in which the youth participants took part in LVE Activities for the youth.
LVE Educator Workshop: Facilitator Patricia Ndikum and Ps. Paul Kabao on 'Starting the Workshop'. 31st May 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
Introduction
The first day of the LVE Educator Workshop started on a Tuesday 31st May 2022. The workshop started a bit late due to transport logistics.
On this day, Ps. Paul Kabao Focal Point for LVE in Kenya called the session to order. He welcomed the participants and appreciated the presence of the facilitator Patricia Ndikum from Cameroon for respecting the invitation. He said that the facilitator had volunteered her time to promote the understanding of values education and to help the youth explore the underpinnings of, and the skills to develop, a values-based environment.
The objective for this particular workshop was to reach out to the youths, educate them on the importance of values, as a system to guide their actions, judgments and attitude.
Our aim was to help the youth become more conscious of their values that they possess and discover the need for values and its importance in decision making, living together and upholding standards.
To realize this, the facilitator had to educate the youth on values based education. Participants were made to understand that the workshop was to be characterized with times of reflections, visualizations, discussions, quiet moments and creative activities.
A brief history of ALIVE was given by the facilitator followed by the aim and the objective of the training. The youth did some self-introduction, stated their expectations, and the class received some reactions from each.
The facilitator introduced the twelve values under the Living Values Education programme. They were listed and extensively discussed by the youth participants.
The facilitator informed the workshop that values education will help them model their values, help them respect the youth opinions, empower them to enjoy learning and to live a life of values.
The youth were made to:
- reflect on the purpose of education;
- reflect on the role values play in their life and in the world;
- understand the LVE Approach and process of developing values;
- learn skills to create a values-based environment; and
- explore how to optimally facilitate the process of the youth exploring and developing values in life.
~ DAY 1 ~
Values awareness
The youth in session, some reflective exercises were conducted "a special moment in my life, how others see me, my favourite music", such that each youth had the opportunity to reflect about certain happenings in their life. These activities brought the youth into discovering of their "core values' (their personal values).
LVE Educator Workshop: Facilitator Patricia Ndikum in session 'Values awareness'. 31st May 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
Activity 1: Quiet Time
The first activity we carried out on this day was quiet time. The youth were guided to imagine being alone in a quiet place of their choice, where nobody was disturbing them. Imaginary place could be, in school dorm, hotel, sea shore, on mountain, in a garden etc.
Five to ten minutes were given for this activity, during which the youth, guided by the facilitator were asked to reflect on how they spent this time. Making it real, seeing themselves in the act at that moment, what they imagined doing. The youth were advised to close their eyes again to better concentrate and reflect. After the quiet time the youth were asked to share their experience with each other in small groups, and then did their presentation. This activity helped them to experience calm, peace, relaxation, and some realization that they needed rest; some were already overtaken by sleep by the end of the exercise. However, some did not find it easy, they said it awakened all their worries as they reflected; others said they had some personal issues that came alive in their thoughts.
In a quiet reflective environment the youth were asked to think of a time in life when they think of something very good about themselves. The reflections were to be written down on a paper provided.
Still in reflective disposition, the youth were asked to think of their favourite music. What it meant to them and the values learnt from it.
The youth were finally asked to reflect on what people say about them in life. After each reflection they had to write dawn on paper what came out from their reflection.
The youth were given time to go through all the values they discovered about themselves up to this point. Most of the values displayed are their personal or core values.
The youth were asked to share their feelings with a peer next to them. They were asked to work in small groups, following what they had learnt so far to come out with the definition of "What values are". Different definitions were given such as; Values are qualities a person possesses in life, others say values are virtues in life, etc.
Activity 2: Visiting Cards
In this session, A4 papers were dispersed to each youth. They had to write their names in the center of the paper in bold letters. They were required to move around the room, meet a friend, and introduce themselves to the person face to face. The youth discussed among themselves, while looking at each other in the eyes. After a while, they were asked to exchange their papers and each person writes one or two values s/he found in each other while they were chatting.
This activity continued, over and over again, till each youth had talked to about three or four persons. After about 20 minutes the youth were asked to go back to their sits. They were asked to reflect on the values their friends gave them. They were all amazed to see the values written on their visiting cards. Some said it's like a miracle that they had all these values identified in them. Some said the values truly reflected them. This visiting cards activity slowly brought the youth towards the discovery of their personal values.
LVE Educator Workshop: Youths' Report on Visiting Card Activity. 31st May 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
LVE Educator Workshop: The Youth in a Learning Session. 31st May 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
Activity 3: Tree of Values
The facilitator drew on a flip chart paper a very large tree with roots and many branches. The youth were made to understand that the roots represented the foundation or core values. The youth were asked to give examples. The trunk represented the support values. They were told that the branches are the balance. That is, the branches balanced the life values. After some instruction the youth were divided into small groups. Each participant was to draw a tree of their life; A4 papers were distributed to each of them on which they had to draw their tree of life. After the exercise, they were asked to pass their tree to the next person and it continued in a clock wise manner until each youth sees everyone else's tree. After about 20 minutes, a group presentation was done. After this exercise, the youth were given A4 papers on which they were to draw a TREE of Values for their group.
LVE Educator Workshop: Tree of Values Leaning Session. 31st May 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
Assignment
The youth were asked to continue the work at home:
- The youth were given assignment to draw a TREE of Values of their group;
- Carry out random act of kindness during which the participants were asked to do some good to someone without letting the person know they are the ones;
- Prepare group presentation;
- The whole team had to brainstorm on the values of the nation; and
- They came up with values such as peace, love and unity.
~ DAY 2 ~
Activity 3: Tree of Values continued
The day's session started with a reflection and discussion on the previous day work. Summary of day one activities was given by the youth. The assignment given on day one was presented by the youth.
The Group presentation of TREE of Values for the Group was done, presentation of 'Random act of kindness' during which the youth presented their act of kindness. Some reported helping in the house, living values, environment cleaning. The youth were all surprised and the happiness in their expression and joyful atmosphere they created was very exciting.
LVE Educator Workshop: Facilitator Patricia Ndikum in session 'Tree of Values'. 1st June 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
Activity 4: Values Card (Posters, Poems, Skits and Songs)
The youth are to be very creative; A4 papers are distributed to them. They had to reflect on a particular value of their choice after which they had to make a drawing or a poster, write a poem or compose a song reflecting the value or showing their understanding of that value. After this exercise they were asked to stand up and give their work to their peer and appreciate.
LVE Educator Workshop: Youth in Learning Session. 1st June 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
~ DAY 3 ~
Activity 5: Paper Tower
The youth were dividend in small groups. Each group was given 10 sheets of A4 paper to construct a Paper Tower using seal tape. The youth were told that their tower will be judged based on the height, the design, strength, team work, and creativity, etc. The activity was very challenging. Each group sought to produce the best Paper Tower to make it look attractive.
LVE Educator Workshop: Youth on Paper Tower Activity. 2nd June 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
On a flipchart the whole group came up with a big list of values based on Paper Tower exercise.
LVE Educator Workshop: Facilitator Patricia Ndikum on Paper Tower Activity. 2nd June 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
Finally, the youth were very happy seeing their work, creativity and innovation. The youth expressed their feelings, experience and lesson learnt from this activity. At the end, the youth came out with the following points; it encourages, cooperation, team spirit, responsibility, unity, appreciation, handwork etc.
LVE Educator Workshop: Paper Tower Activity. 2nd June 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
Activity 6: Puppet Puppeteer
The youth are paired up in two's in two rows. One row was the puppet and the other puppeteer's. The puppet having an imaginary string slowly pulled the hand(s), head, and arms and feet of the puppeteer, the puppeteer answered to the orders of the direction of the string as the puppet pulls up and down. After some time the two rows then changed roles. After about 20 minutes, the youth were given some time to reflect and give a feedback and lesson learnt. The youth expressed their feelings, experience and lesson learnt from this activity. At the end, they came out with the following points:
LVE Educator Workshop: Puppet and Puppeteer Activity. 2nd June 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
This exercise helped the youth develop their sense of fun, obedience, trust, confidence, love and care, understanding, non-verbal communication, concentration, etc.
Activity 7: Active Listening
DO's and DON'Ts: Skills to create a Value Based Learning Environment
The youth were asked to arrange themselves in two rows, each one facing a peer partner. One row was named diamond and the other stars. Each row was given a certain topic to discuss about and a secret message was passed behind indicating or instructing the opposite partner either to ignore or disagree with other. At the last stage both rows were given a mutually interesting topics with both sides having a secret message, to listen and discuss with respect.
LVE Educator Workshop: Do's and Dont's Activity. 2nd June 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
The youth later went into small groups to reflect on how they felt like when ignored, interrupted, and criticized or when giving too much advice and also how they felt when they were listened to and were respected.
The youth shared ideas and some values were learnt such as being a good listener, good communication skills; This session clearly showed the importance in understanding other peoples feeling and developing an attitude to support others.
On a flipchart the whole group came up with a big list of Do's and Don'ts as follows.
Do's and Dont's
LVE Educator Workshop: Youth in Learning Sessions. 2nd June 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
Activity 8: Ubuntu Calendar
In this session, the youth were shown how to plan and draw the Ubuntu Calendar and how to follow up value lessons in a group using the Ubuntu Calendar.
Assignments
LVE Educator Workshops
For the youth to be able to complete the remaining work; the Focal Point sent to the youth the questions below. They were asked to attempt the assignment by themselves or with a friend, or as a small group. And to write their answers in the group what's app platform. Their answers were to be reviewed on the following Saturday.
Pictorials
LVE Educator Workshop: Ps. Paul Kabao Focal Point for LVE Kenya. 2nd June 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
LVE Educator Workshop: Youth Participants. 2nd June 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
LVE Educator Workshop: Some more of the Youth Participants. 2nd June 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
We've come to the end of the LVE Educator Workshop....
Exchanging gifts at the end of the Workshop
Exchanging gifts. 2nd June 2022, Nairobi, Kenya
Patricia and Ps. Paul wife, Gladys: Building on Value of Friendship and Regional Understanding
Overview
Challenges Encountered
The past two years have been a particularly difficult time to us a result of the negatives effects of the corona virus pandemic that greatly affected our operations. Despite Covid, we have from this year started with new ideas on how to move LVE activities forward.
In our 2 day of training, (1st. June 2022) (it was a National Holiday), and we had transport logistics problem in transporting the facilitator from the Hotel to the training centre. The education session was delayed.
The notice to invite the youth participants was too short. This was done within a day (30th May 2022). The notice for the training location/space was done in haste. We had in-adequate training materials due to limit of finances. We had difficulties in working many hours with the youth who showed signs of hunger. However, we managed to do all that we could.
Over and above this, our greatest challenge is to ensure that in future, ALIVE Kenya complies with the Government requirement to file the accumulated Annual Returns, and create working structures to be able to fully implement the LVE. However, all this requires substantial financial support.
Way Forward
With the training given, expected financial, material and moral support, the workshop marks a new beginning for LVE implementation in Kenya. Despite the existing challenges, and inadequate resources, we are determined to continue coordinating LVE workshops in Kenya.
Vote of Thanks
In conclusion, we take this opportunity to once again thank Patricia Ndikum for her great interest and hearkening to our instant invitation to educate our youth on living values. May God bless her in abundant.
We also thank the ALIVE Board, for their tireless effort to keep ALIVE International vision, mission, and objectives alive. Thank you for the new LVE Training Guide (hard-copy) given to us through Patricia Ndikum. A big thank you to the authors of the new LVE Training Guide Diane G. Tillman and our friend Peter Williams who pioneered in giving us the first set of LVE Training Guides. Thank Mr. President (Prezo) Chris for keeping ALIVE hope alive! Thank you Rogers Miles for working towards a great world of opportunity and service for all. And finally, THANK YOU all!
Financials, Materials and Facilities
With the training given, expected financial, material and moral support, the workshop marks a new beginning for LVE implementation in Kenya. Despite the existing challenges, and inadequate resources, we are determined to continue coordinating LVE workshops in Kenya.
Foreseen Costs (Budgeted):
- Training Room/Utility (Electricity, Internet) expenses
- Computers/projector/screen
- Flip Chart Papers
- Board Markers
- Stapler/Staples
- Cello tapes
- Photocopy Papers
- Facilitator Costs
- Transfer from EoC to Accommodation Centre
- Accommodation Centre expenses
- Travel costs (to and fro) to Workshop site
- Transfer to Airport
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Entertainment/snacks
- Certificate printing
- Miscellaneous/Onsite expenses
Total Budgeted Amount $ 500
Due to the short time taken to plan and conduct the Workshop, the undersigned proceeded to organize and facilitate the workshop based on the above budget.
All the materials/facilities for the LVE Educator Workshop were sourced at a fee, cash/credit by YES - YOUTH Education Support.
The actual expenditure was within the budget and any surplus after financing we'll be ploughed back into ALIVE Kenya urgent activities.
Report by: Ps. Paul Kabao, Director General YES - YOUTH Education Support, and LVE Focal Point for Kenya
2002
A New Dawn of Peace, Love, Freedom, Transparency and Value-based Change
Kenya's involvement with LVEP began in the summer of 1998 with a visit to Kenya by Ann Stirzaker, a teacher who enjoyed using LVEP in England. She and Wangui Kangethe met with John Owingar at the Kenyan Institute of Education and soon a small group of people wanted to learn more. In October 1998 they travelled to the island of Mauritius to attend a regional LVEP TTT. A couple officers from the Kenyan Institute of Educator joined a banker and several other educators in this journey. Later they, along with Episcopalian Bishop Bernard Njoroge, became the first members of the Board of Directors for the Association of Living Values Educators (ALIVE).
ALVE organized a LVEP Train-the-Trainer Workshop in August 1999 and have been training schools around the country in Living Values since that time. The Ministry of Education has officially recommended LVEP for integration in the school curriculum for all schools in the country. The Curriculum Development Centre is looking into it, although funding presents a challenge.
The LVEP team is continuing the dialogue with the national educational organizations and it continues to train teachers. In the year 2000, a five-day TTT was held for 17 teachers from various schools. A three-day training was held for 9 teachers while 43 teachers received two days of LVEP Educator Training and 41 teachers received one day of training.
In November 2001 ALVE offered a three-hour training to Kenya National Workshop on Training of Trainers for Non-Formal Education comprising of primary and secondary school teachers, university lecturers, curriculum developers, adult education officers and NGO's working with children who are undertaking non-formal education programmes at Kenya College of Communications Technology from 25 November- 8 December. The LVEP training covered: Introduction and Values Awareness Sessions. The government of Kenya and UNICEF Kenya Country Office sponsored the training.
The Association sent a team to Mauritius to participate in the Regional Conference that took place from 4-6 December 2001. The participants included 'she Director Christian Children's Fund (CCF), a Curriculum Developer from Kenya Institute of Education and the ALVE Programme Co-ordinator. The Director CCF Kenya presented a paper on 'Culture of Peace', which mainly covered how CCF Kenya is integrating values in all their progammes. She also spoke on their future plans; of particular interest was their plan to build a 'Peace School' as a bridge for two neighbouring and warring tribes in Kenya. The aim will be to educate children from both tribes using values based approach and take the opportunity to introduce values to their communities.
The Center for British Teachers Kenya, which trains teachers and health workers on HIV AIDS and health education, invited ALVE to give a three-hour LVEP training during their project training-of-trainers workshop, which took place in Nakuru from 18-22 April 2002. This particular training included teachers, health workers and education officers.
The Association of Living Values Educators provided a three-hour training, which took place at Limuru Girls Center near Nairobi from 1-5 May 2002. This Center runs two-year progammes for young adults on horticulture and small business entrepreneurship progammes. Teachers from Limuru Girls Center and four other such centers had gathered together for a training sponsored by a Non-Governmental Organization project known as Baobab.
The Chairman ALVE, John Owigar, presented a paper on 'Ethics and Values in the Kenya Constitution' during the training of the members of the Kenya Constitution Review Commission. The Constitution of Kenya Review Commission had a seminar on the Role of Culture, Ethics and Ideology in the Planned Kenya Constitution. The Seminar took place at the Great Rift Valley Lodge Naivasha from 7-8 February 2002. The paper was very well received by members of the Commission and other presenters. It was based on how to institute values in a country's constitution.
During the International Children's Day of Broadcasting, which took place on 9 December 2001 LVEP activities got a ten minutes coverage from one of the country's TV station known as KTN Baraza Ltd. Children from Marurui Slum Area in Nairobi shared their experiences of the wonderful effects of education the values programme has had in their lives. They are part of a programme named Nairobi Integrated Programme CCF Affiliated. This broadcast presented Kenyans, nationwide, with the awareness of LVEP in Kenya.
Christian Children's Fund Kenya has translated and printed Living Values Parents Groups: A Facilitator's Guide book into Kiswahili Language. They have also translated the messages of the Twelve Core Values into Kiswahili and six other local languages. They are also in the process of translating LVEP Educators Training Guide. The translated and printed versions are for use in their projects in Kenya.
Number of Sites Using Living Values Education
Total number of sites 9
Currently, there are nine schools implementing LVE. These include a Nursery School in Mombassa Town and four Primary Schools in Mombassa, Nairobi and Nakuru. The entire school is implementing LVE in two schools while some teachers are involved in the other two schools. Four Secondary Schools are doing LVE in Nairobi, Siaya, Kericho and Athi River and at each location the entire school is involved. Additionally, the Christian Children's Fund is conducting Living Values Parent Groups.
Impact
Michael Owino, the principal of a primary school in Kenya, reports that he and the teachers in his school have been doing LVEP for two years. He notes:
"This Programme creates an atmosphere of peace and a deep understanding of human worth where everyone matters, regardless of age or position. The Programme has brought about much discipline in the school. It has also generated a lot of enthusiasm in children. Truancy and tardiness have been eradicated. It has created good relationships between teachers and children - there is more love and attachment to school. On the side of the teachers, it has created an atmosphere of mutual understanding resulting in very healthy working conditions. The result of this is higher productivity since no time is wasted in personal conflicts. As the head teacher, I find my work has, to a very great extent, been made easier."
"The Friday assemblies have more activities about values. These activities involve poems, reading a story, a play, sharing experiences or elocution. One day, children lodged a complaint through their teachers asking why I skipped a living values lesson. After a convincing explanation and apology, I asked them why they liked the lessons."
These were some of the answers given by a few of the five-year olds:
'Because I enjoy the good songs like 'I am a peaceful star'.'
'I like the sharing talks, things like colours and happiness.'
'You feel like changing into nice people.'
'Because it is teaching us how to be silent and think about others and ourselves'.
Mrs. Mary Njugana, a teacher of Class One with five-year-old students noted:
"This Programme has generated a lot of interest in pupils and has made learning more fun rather than a routine burden on children. Children now take a more active part in the day-to-day running of their affairs, all in the name of responsibility. This Programme has one major demand: that the teachers must constantly remain conscious of their responsibility as a role model."
Mrs. Milly Mjumbe, a teacher of a class with seven-year-old students noted:
"LVEP has really helped children and teachers by changing their attitude. Teachers now understand children more and have a positive attitude toward them. The children really practise the values among themselves."
Mrs. Joice Karuma reported the following with regard to her pre-primary class of four year-old students:
"The children are now showing more openness toward teachers and fellow children. They have become more responsible and critical in their decisions. They appear to be happier than before. They are better listeners and are ready to resolve conflicts among fellow children. They are now easier to manage and therefore easy to teach."