Level Of Parental Involvement In The Provision Of Education In Public Early Childhood And Development Education Centres In Njoro Sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya.

Abstract

The comprehensive promotion of ECDE services depends on the extent to which key stakeholders including parents who provide direct and indirect services to the children play their role. The purpose of this study was to investigate parental involvement in the provision of Education in public Early Childhood Development and Education centres inx Njoro sub-county, Nakuru County, Kenya. The objectives that guided this study included investigating the extent to which parents provide feeding programmes and teaching and learning materials; parental involvement in the payment of levies and in facilitating their children’s learning at home; and challenges affecting parental involvement in the provision of ECDE. A mixed methods approach combining both qualitative and quantitative research was adopted in the study. Descriptive survey design was used. Epstein’s theory of overlapping spheres of influence provided a guiding framework to assess the extent to which parents play their roles in ECDE. The target population was 79 schools, ECDE teachers, head teachers and parents of pre-school children in public ECDE centres in Njoro district. The sample consisted of twenty three ECDE centres, fourty six pre-school teachers, twenty three head teachers and fourty six parents. Interview schedules and questionnaires were used to collect data. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis of data and coding of main themes. The study found out that most public pre-schools do not have organized feeding programmes; that most children carry their own packed food. It was also found that majority of parents are not involved in the making of teaching and learning materials and the materials are not adequate in most pre-schools. On the payment of levies it was found that all the public pre-schools charged parents fees and the parents are the main financiers of these pre-schools. A few pre-schools get little government grants. The study found that most parents assist their children with homework and in reading and writing with their children. Most pre-school parents value the role played by ECDE in their children’s education. The main challenge facing parents is poverty as a result of high unemployment rates. The study is expected to improve practices on effective parental involvement which will go a long way to benefit parents, pre-school teachers, policy makers, children and the community at large. The study concluded that the provision of ECDE in most public pre-schools is still poor and that parents are left to shoulder the most responsibility. The study therefore recommended that the government should introduce free ECDE and employ ECDE teachers. Awareness seminars should be organized to sensitize parents on their roles and on the importance of involving themselves more than they are currently. The government should also establish income generating activities in economically disadvantaged regions to enable parents earn some income so that they can effectively support their children financially in ECDE.