Institutional based factors influencing the implementation of early childhood development programmes in public early childhood centres in Matungulu sub-county, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the institutional based factors influencing the implementation of ECDE programmes in public ECDE c entre s in Matungulu Sub - County. The study was guided by four objectives. The research objectives sought to establish the influence of provision of physical facilities on implementation of early childhood development programmes in public ECDE centres ; deter mine the influence of provision of teaching and learning resources on the implementation of early childhood development programmes , assess the influence of teacher characteristics on the implementation of early childhood development programmes and lastly find out the influence of head teachers supervision on implementation of early childhood development programmes in public ECDE centres in Matungulu Sub - County. The study adopted the descriptive research design. The sample was 27 head teachers, 53 teachers and 4 QASOs who were sampled for the study. Questionnaires were used for data collection. Data was analysed by use of descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that institutional based factors such as provision of physical facilities, provision of teaching and learning resources, teacher characteristics and supervision affected the implementation of ECDE programmes. Findings revealed that physical facilities such as toilets, staffrooms, slides, c hairs and swings were inadequate which affected the implementation of ECDE programmes. It was also noted that centres did not have adequate teaching and learning resources which affected in the implementation of ECDE programmes. For example centres had either inadequate of lacked resources such as reference materials, outdoor activity materials - balls, ropes , charts, crayons, modelling plasticines, pens pencils and colouring pencils . Findings also revealed that teacher characteristics on implementation of ECDE programmes are vital. Findings also revealed that head teachers‟ supervision influenced the implementation of ECDE programmes. Some of the supervisory activities included checking of pupils‟ progress records, pupils books , class registers , schemes of work , records of work covered visiting teachers in the classrooms . The study concluded that provision of physical facilities affected the implementation of ECDE programmes. The study also concluded that teacher characteristics influenced the implementation of ECDE programmes, and head teachers‟ supervision influenced the implementation of ECDE programmes and that physical facilities such as classrooms, toilets, playgrounds , outdoor play things such as swings and slides should be provided to the ECDE centres so that the ECDE programmes can be effectively implemented. The study recommends that teaching and learning resources which are important for implementation of the ECDE programmes should be provided. These include charts and posters, teaching aids, teachers‟ guides, pictures, learners‟ writing materials, toys and outdoor activity materials - balls, skipping ropes. In addition, supervision by the head teachers should be enhanced for effective implementation of ECDE programmes. Given the limitations and delimitations of the study, it was suggested that further study should be done on the influence of home based factors on the implementation of ECDE programmes. A similar research should be done on other areas since t his was based in Matungulu Sub County and therefore the findings might differ.