Enhancing Information Literacy for Vision 2030 and Beyond

Abstract

This is more of a political statement, though the author has no particular interest in politics. It is borne out of the realisation that politics play a major role in national education systems and successes, or, put the other way round, national education is positively or adversely affected by national politics. National policy formulation and budgetary allocations are political processes. The paper therefore looks at a cross-section of issues affecting the Kenyan system with a particular interest in the accusations of weakness and failure in order to find a hope and a probable solution. It dwells mostly on local media reports on educational issues, analysing them and seeks to challenge stakeholders to invest more in education, look at the curriculum and to focus education on the kind of society it is expected to produce. In this modern day there is need to equip graduates with life-skills, over and above passing examinations. Information literacy skills enable an individual to conduct independent information research, efficiently retrieve the information using modern technologies, critically evaluate their findings and effectively apply relevant information into their day-to-day situations. This way, individuals would be less prone to making less informed decisions and being swayed by social currents. They would also become more successful in performance of their job tasks, become evidence-based practitioners and achieve life-long learning. This would be an information competent generation marching on to the achievement of Vision 2030 and beyond.