This study examines the experiences of women academics in relation to factors that motivated them towards academia and challenges experienced while balancing family and career, and highlighting strategies that they have employed to reach their present professional and academic ranks. The study is a contribution to knowledge and the extant literature on women academics' career experiences which has been under-researched, especially in Kenya. It claims to have made a contribution to a wider understanding of women academics' experiences, exposing a significant impact of culture, family -work tensions, the gender role expectations, the male-dominated university culture, lack of role models and mentors, which contribute to the slow progress of women academics' careers in Kenyan universities. Using a qualitative research approach, the researcher used a face -to -face in-depth interviews with sixteen women academics from three universities in Kenya and thematic analysis used. The findings of this research demonstrated that very few women have progressed into senior academic and professional ranks and that, the pace is slow. They continue to be hampered by the socio-cultural attitude towards women and their roles in the Kenyan society. This is not the full story as some of the women interviewed reported that they had to put off marriage for career and likewise, others put on hold or postponed career for family responsibilities. To maintain their positions or climb the professional ladder, the women academics therefore, had to employ different strategies such as; working hard, focusing on research and publication for promotion purposes. The findings further shed light to policy makers, stake holders in higher institutions of learning and the world of academia, while filling the knowledge gap.

The study investigated the influence of gender on teachers' self-efficacy in public secondary schools of Kisumu County, Kenya. Bandura's (1989) Social Cognitive Theory guided the study. The study employed the mixed methods approach within which a concurrent triangulation design was used. The target population was 1790 teachers in 143 public secondary schools from which a sample size of 327 teachers was drawn using stratified random sampling. Questionnaires and interview schedule were used to collect data. Piloting helped to clarify the test items, determine construct validity (r = 0.564 for items expected to have similar responses and r = -0.325 for items expected to have different responses) and establish internal reliability (Cronbach's = 0.9976). Two experts in Educational Psychology established face validity of the data collection instruments. Qualitative data was transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically while quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). The MANOVA results revealed that there was no statistically significant influence of gender on teachers' self-efficacy, but the qualitative results revealed that gender had an influence on self-efficacy of teachers in co-educational and Boys' schools. The study recommended that teacher counsellors be empowered to counsel female teachers on the challenges of teaching in co-educational and Boys' schools.

Children develop self-identity, who they believe themselves to be, and begin to form relationships through play

In spite of the existence of guidance and counseling services in schools in Siaya County for the management of discipline, in 2012, 32 schools went on the rampage. This scenario was suspected to be occasioned by lack of an effective alternative strategy to contain student indiscipline. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of peer counseling in promoting discipline among students in public secondary schools in Ugunja Sub-County, Kenya. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprised of 3500 students from public secondary schools. The researchers used the Table of Krejcie and Morgan to determine the sample size of 246. Instruments for data collection were questionnaires and interview schedules. Piloting was done in 4 institutions to obtain the instruments reliability. Face validity of the instruments was ascertained by the experts from the Department of Psychology and Educational Foundations. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, and percentages. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The study findings indicated that peer counseling has a significant role in promoting discipline among students in public secondary schools. The study recommends that peer counselors should be motivated in order for them to perform optimally.

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