Table of ContentsIdentifying the problemProblem analysisProposed solutions to the problemsSpecifying the contextComparison and conclusionQuestion: Using Holmes's problem-solving approach Brian Holmes, identify an educational problem in your school or area and demonstrate how you can use this approach to investigate and attempt to find solutions to the problem. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Problem Identification Education is a vital thing in the life of every individual in the society. It is a key in life and provides the insight and genius needed to face global challenges more courageously. However, education faces a number of challenges, which strive to bring it down and negate its impacts on life (Lynn et. al., 2010). One of the main challenges today is school absenteeism. Truancy, which is described as any form of unauthorized and intentional absence from school, is a growing challenge and continues to expand its effects on students after the introduction of free primary education. According to statistics and research, school truancy begins to manifest itself in elementary school children from the first grade or even kindergarten. This is a growing problem in Kenya and needs attention in order to address it. According to Brian Holmes, such challenges in the education sector can easily be solved through comparative education. Brian Holmes suggests that by using the problem-solving approach, thorny challenges in education can easily be reduced or resolved through comparative education. From his point of view, comparative education, which consists of the comparison and analysis of educational facts in one country compared to another, can be combined with the problem-solving approach to solve educational challenges. In his problem-solving approach, Holmes uses a set of steps that he believes can get us out of educational problems such as truancy (Lynn et. al., 2010). These steps include problem identification, problem analysis, proposed solution to the problem, context specification, comparison and conclusion. In this problem solution essay example, we will use these steps to present solutions to truancy in Kenyan schools (Zajda and Rust, 2009). Problem Analysis Absenteeism is a common problem in schools around the world and continues to challenge the education sector. If not treated at an early age, truancy is a deadly disease and can easily lead to dropping out of school. Truancy is believed to be caused by different factors in different countries. In Kenya, this problem is mainly associated with poor treatment in schools, which leads people to hate school and start truant. In other countries like the United States, this problem is believed to be due to early access to alcohol and too much freedom from parents at home. Unlike the United States, Kenya experiences higher rates of truancy and dropout, and these numbers continue to increase year after year (Zajda and Rust, 2009). From this observation, it is necessary for the government to intervene and put in place measures that will help children respect school routines and complete their studies as required. In Kenya, truancy manifests itself among children in different ways, including not doing their homework, avoiding stories involving school,speaking ill of teachers and other students, changing school preparation routines, and returning from school irregularly (Manzon, 2011). Parents and teachers should be vigilant when such signs appear and talk to the student to ensure that they have an easy time at school. Persistent absenteeism among students leads them to fail exams. This causes despair and makes them hate school, which can easily lead to dropping out. The increase in cases of school dropouts has adverse effects on society and leads to increased cases of crime, increased insecurity and low standards of living. This is basically because students who have dropped out of school are looking for new ways to survive and find themselves stealing for a living. This is a loss of useful people in society and a waste of resources at school (Zajda and Rust, 2009). Proposed Solutions to the Problems In order to reduce school truancy and its effects on students, it is necessary for the government to intervene and implement policies that will ensure that students adhere to school routines and attend school daily. According to a report presented by Bray, Adamson and Mason (2007), truancy can result from either the layout and organization of the home or the layout and organization of the school. In this regard, it is necessary for the Kenyan government to carry out research and find out the most prevalent causes of school truancy before proposing solutions to the problem. The most common causes of school absenteeism resulting from settling at home are lack of family support, work and family commitments, illnesses which are not treated in advance and family poverty which leads to lack uniform and school requirements. In another context, reasons for truancy include peer influence, negative school experiences such as bullying, poor treatment by teachers, and lack of appropriate care at school. Compared to the United States, which has fewer cases of school truancy, the Kenyan government also needs to implement some of the strategies put in place to reduce school truancy (Manzon, 2011). The first step to take is to ensure that schools and districts have career awareness departments, counseling programs, non-academic courses, and apprenticeship programs. This will motivate students to pursue their career choices more seriously and develop a taste for school programs and routine, which will reduce and end school truancy (Zajda and Rust, 2009). Furthermore, the government is expected to introduce strict school attendance policies, which will ensure that all students access and continue their studies (Kubow and Fossum, 2007). For example, the government may declare that students with more than ten unexcused absences will not be allowed to move on to the next class. Such policies are meant to ensure that students stay on track in their academic pursuits and complete their studies with better grades. In addition to this, the government is also expected to pass strict laws against parents who assign a lot of domestic work to students, preventing them from doing homework or going to school (Kubow and Fossum, 2007). This will help parents stay alert and observe their children's progress in school and even encourage them to complete their homework and wake them up early for school. Research shows that when students feel isolated and out of place at school, they can easilybegin to avoid school and thus become truant (Zajda and Rust, 2009). In this context, it is important that the government puts in place programs that will help bring students together as much as possible so that they feel better at school. These programs include games, group studies, joint activities, inter-school and inter-class competitions. In addition to this, the government is expected to introduce advanced programs that will engage low-performing students in coaching or tutorials. This will help these students to stay tuned with their academic work even when they are at home and thus develop a love for school and school work. These programs include things like online tutorials, periodic online classes, and vacation classes. Such programs improve understanding of class work and encourage study at home and during vacations, reducing the risk of truancy (Pang and Hui, 2008). The government is also expected to introduce rules and regulations that will ensure that parents are responsible for schooling. of their child. Such rules should ensure that a parent is liable to fines if they cannot prevent their child from truanting. In addition to the fines, these parents are supposed to be imprisoned and given advice on how to punish their children and ensure that they attend school as required. Such rules will help parents be on the right track when it comes to their children's school attendance and academic performance (Zajda & Rust, 2009). From another point of view, such rules will instill discipline in children when they realize that their mistakes will be paid for by their parents. This will help them stay focused and disciplined at school and at home. Context specification Although the above solutions are the only possible way to solve school truancy, many challenges could arise during their implementation. The first challenge is the flexibility of the government to accept them and plan their implementation (Pang and Hui, 2008). There is a lot of complacency and comfort in the education sector, making it difficult for the government to implement strict rules and regulations in a single parliamentary session. Suggesting such solutions could spark discussion and opposition which would eventually result in the solutions being rejected. For example, the adoption of laws that will result in parental sanctions due to their children's truancy may not be easily welcomed by parents and students and may even provoke demonstrations and industrial action. This can be disastrous for the government and cause delays in important government projects and work (Kubow and Fossum, 2007). Additionally, it is difficult for the government to implement continuous online tutorials and exams due to lack of resources. Given that the government has tight budgets and economic plans, it might not be easy to introduce additional spending without extensive consultation and planning (Pang and Hui, 2008). This will prevent such solutions from being implemented, allowing the problem to persist. On top of that, most teachers are very relaxed and may not be flexible in implementing strict rules and regulations that will track every student's attendance. There is a lot of laziness and complacency in schools among teachers. This is one of the main challenges facing the education sector and may not allow the implementation of new strategies, 2009).