Meet the Educational Psychologist building resilience amongst Kenyan youth
Photo credit: The Mawazo Institute
Author: Naliaka Odera
In 2021, when Dr. Janet Surum, an educational Psychologist from Kenya, embarked on the Mawazo Fellowship Programme, she only had a vague idea of how her research would impact future learners. She credits the Mawazo Institute for empowering her to dream big, and consider how her research can be used to generate change in her field of education.
Her doctoral research investigated the parental, scholastic, and personal factors that promote the academic resilience of students in marginalised areas in Turkana County, Kenya. It was born out of a desire to understand why some students succeed despite challenging and debilitating conditions that put them at risk for educational failure, and therefore lowering their life chances.
Academic resilience refers to a student’s ability to succeed academically despite facing adversity. In Kenya, the county of Turkana is frequently ranked as one of the poorest and least developed counties. In focusing on Turkana students as her subject, Dr. Janet’s perspective on academic resilience and academic success goes beyond academic performance, and incorporates concepts like life trajectories, future careers, and upward mobility.
Image Credit: Dr. Janet Surum
Her research found that the greatest contributing factor to academic resilience amongst the students in Turkana was social competence, including the ability to empathise, problem solve and work in groups as well as the existence of self efficacy. Since her study and the publication of her research findings in Turkana, she has dedicated her career to ensuring that future generations of Kenyans benefit from the concept of academic resilience.
In August 2023, Dr. Janet co-authored an OpEd about the potential of Kenya’s new Competency Based Curriculum, as well as the pitfalls of government policy that is not founded on research and stakeholder engagement. In December of the same year, she convened a meeting with 10 high school graduates from mixed socio economic backgrounds, in Kericho, Kenya, intent on building their social competence and improving their sense of meaning and purpose. The adolescents expressed concerns with communicating effectively with their parents, the pressures of adulthood, feeling hopeless or directionless with their future, navigating romantic relationships, and some mental health struggles. With buy-in from their parents, she intends to follow the progress of the young people as they embark on higher education, some are already attached to universities, others are pursuing college and TVET certifications. The next convening is scheduled for August of this year.
Image Credit: Dr. Janet Surum
She says, “What I do is impart practical life skills. It is exciting to see the mentees gain a sense of urgency, carrying themselves responsibly, and face life with resilience.” Dr. Janet is currently working as a lecturer at the University of Kabianga, and was recently promoted to Acting Head of department - Psychology and Foundations.
“I am so passionate about assisting adolescents and emerging adults adjust to the developmental challenges and fulfilling their developmental tasks. They do not have to go through what some of us went through, information is empowering!”