Parental involvement in the implementation of competency-based curriculum in public Pre-Primary Schools In Likuyani Sub-County, Kakamega County, Kenya

Abstract

The implementation of competency-based curriculum is a great step towards ensuring that Kenya develops future generations that are compliant with Vision 2030 goal of having skilled personnel who possess practical skills that will drive the industrialization drive in the country. Regardless of early opposition stakeholders in education sector, this curriculum currently is under implementation after a pilot study was done in all the counties. However, hurdles in competency-based curriculum implementation still exist in Kakamega County. Shortage of teachers, inadequate infrastructure and inadequate training for teachers are among the cited challenges facing competency-based curriculum at pre-school stage with Likuyani Sub-county mostly hard hit. This study sought to assess the parental involvement on competency-based curriculum implementation in selected public pre-primary schools in Likuyani sub-county, Kakamega County, Kenya. The study determined the effect of parental involvement in decision making, resource acquisition, child homework activities and parent-teacher communication on implementation of competency-based curriculum in public pre- primary schools in Likuyani sub-county, Kakamega County. Mixed research approach, using both quantitative and qualitative data was adopted. Explanatory research design was used. Epstein’s theory of parental involvement guided the study. The target population was the 68 public pre-primary schools in Likuyani Sub-county, Kakamega County while the unit of analysis/respondents was all the 68 head teachers, 136 class teachers and 136 parents. The researcher applied stratified random sampling technique to sample participating schools. Purposive sampling was further employed to identify teachers and parents who participated in the study. Questionnaires and focus group discussion guides were used to collect data. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics which included frequencies, means and standard deviations. Inferential analysis entailed multiple regression and Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically. Qualitative analysis results revealed that parents are involved in decision making, resource acquisition, child homework activities and parent-teacher communication in a bid to ensure success of competency- based curriculum implementation. It was established that improving parental involvement in decision making (β 1 = 0.103; p = 0.1), resource acquisition (β 2 = 0.194; p < 0.05), homework activities (β 3 = 0.168; p < 0.05) and parent-teacher communication (β 4 = 0.530; p < 0.05) by 1 unit enhances implementation of competency-based curriculum by 0.103, 0.194, 0.168 and 0.530 units respectively. It was also concluded that parental involvement in decision making, resource acquisition, homework activities and parent-teacher communication positively and significantly affect implementation of competency-based curriculum. The researcher also concluded that the moderating effect of government support on the relationship between parental involvement and competency-based curriculum implementation in public pre-primary schools in Likuyani Sub-county, Kakamega County is insignificant. It is recommended that parental involvement in decision making, resource acquisition, homework activities and parent-teacher communication should be improved in order to enhance implementation of competency-based curriculum in public pre-primary schools in Likuyani Sub-county, Kakamega County.