Global Journal of Human Social Science, G: Linguistics and Education, Volume 22 Issue 4

Applying the aforementioned steps, Aristotle postulated that happiness was an activity in the human mind that is able to excel over others in goodness. Such an activity aims at nothing other than itself, a concept he labeled ‘self-sufficiency and freedom from necessity’. In defining happiness as an activity of the soul in accordance to virtue, Aristotle implied that happiness was not the sort of activity that could be obtained as a commodity through commerce, nor was it a skill or body of knowledge that could be learned or taught. To pursue happiness is to contemplate the meanings of pursuits that people engage in life as response to the purpose of life itself (Pakaluk, 2005). Finally, Aristotle deduced from the above premises that the highest good, equivalent to a good life or a life of happiness is a virtuous life of service to humanity. He asserted those human activities worth of contemplation are kalon; a Greek word connoting beautiful, noble, admirable, and attractive as opposed to aischron meaning shameful, disgusting, offensive, disgracing, or repulsive. It is from these descriptions that such virtues as courage, generosity, magnificence, amiability, justice, temperance, friendshipness, truthfulness and wittiness are identified as satisfying kalon (Ross, 1908) . The eudamotive criterion is suggested as a necessary condition for effective implementation of ME. The explanation sought in this criterion is a reflection on the concept eudaimonia as may be applied as a condition for moral development in general, and a case for Kenyan educational institutions in particular to assist in implementation of ME. It is apparent that the morals that are taught in schools in Kenya are fundamental part of the Kenyan society, and in them, it is assumed presumably the content of moral values that are necessary in enhancing societal flourishing. Society is viewed as an amalgam of the whole, that is, it is the individual persons that constitute it. When the individual members of society are habituated in good morals, it implies that society is grounded on a solid moral foundation. Moreover, a society that is morally sound is likely to be a happy society. As students get enrolled into the formal school system, they have certain expectation in regard to what they want to achieve from the schooling process. Similarly, society as a socializing agent expects that the school should assist in the transmission of knowledge, skills, values, norms and customs required of the learner as they take up adult responsibilities in it. For this reasons, the education system carefully designs and develops a curriculum with clear goals, some of which are MGE with the hope that if implemented, the learners will progressively develop their various abilities, knowledge, skills, attitudes, norms and morals required of them in their adult life; more importantly are the moral characters implied in the MGE. The eudemotive criterion suggested supports this undertaking. A refection on this criterion reveals that it best flourishes under the influence of four main concepts, namely; Tranquility, Intrinsic Moral Values, Contentment, and Contemplation b) Normative Criterion The adjective normative is derived from the noun norm meaning a ‘social rule, standard, or pattern of behavior against which conduct’ is approved, disapproved or measured to determine its excellence or fault (Chambliss, 1996). From this definition, one visualizes the normative criterion not as a statistical tool but a shared and acceptable form of desired behavior in a society. The normative criterion is considered a necessary condition in implementing ME since socially accepted behavior is the foundation upon which moral growth is sought. In instances where there is blatant and frequent violation of social norms, there is likely to be found widespread guilty, since the ‘violators’ of such norms would wish to conceal their unacceptable actions, a condition associated with guilty. Concealing a normative violation is associated with secrecy; a desire associated with a deliberate attempt to avoid public disapproval, ridicule or punishment (Chamblis, 1996). Moral goals of education are aimed at helping in inculcating acceptable behavior, attitudes and good morals among the learners. Since MGE are stated merely as general statements of purpose in government policy documents and reports, it is important that they are elaborated in the official curriculum and syllabi to indicate the various virtues that are intended to be inculcated in learners at every stage of the learners’ moral development. Each learner should be made to understand that good character contributes to a great extent towards the achievement of their individual goals. Happiness being argued for is neither pleasure nor amusements. It is not the instantaneous feelings of pleasure or passions that one develops out of emotional excitements triggered by emotional cues or appetites, such as friendly feelings, joy, anger and general feelings that are accompanied with pleasure and pain. It is happiness that is enjoyed in pleasure and pain alike. It is somewhat like contentment. The virtues being suggested necessary for happiness are not passions nor feeling, but states of character. To label a person to be of a given character is to suggest consistence in portraying the same sort of thing over a long period of time. For example, we do not refer to someone honest for only telling the truth on a given occasion, but rather a person is labeled honest if he/she has consistently demonstrated the same state of character over long period of time. The sort of consistence argued for may best be illustrated in the story of the biblical Job in which irrespective of Job’s suffering over a long period of time, he maintained his © 2022 Global Journals Volume XXII Issue IV Version I 35 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2022 G Implementation of Moral Education in Kenyan Schools: A Possibility or an Illusion? Some Critical Reflections