A philosophical examination of moral education in Kenya
Introduction: The cultivation of moral values has remained a central objective of education in Kenya since independence. Despite successive educational reforms and the integration of value-based education into the curriculum, concerns over moral decline among young people continue to intensify. Purpose: This study examined the effectiveness of contemporary educational practices in cultivating moral values in Kenya. Methodology: Adopting a qualitative philosophical research design grounded in, Kant's transcendental critique, the study relied on secondary data obtained from books, journal articles, policy documents, and commission reports. Results: The critique revealed that contemporary education is largely influenced by European, Christian, Islamic, and other foreign value systems that often conflict with indigenous African moral traditions. Consequently, education has increasingly emphasised academic achievement, occupational preparation, and social mobility at the expense of practical character formation. The study argues that this disconnect has contributed to persistent moral challenges, including indiscipline, corruption, violence, and other forms of moral decadence. In contrast, African traditional education integrated moral instruction into all aspects of community life through experiential learning and collective responsibility. Recommendations: The study concluded that contemporary educational practices have achieved only limited success in cultivating sound moral values and recommends a culturally grounded, practical, and holistic approach that integrates formal, informal, and non-formal education while drawing on African indigenous philosophies and participatory policy formulation to strengthen moral development.