Importance Of Early Childhood Education To The Disadvantaged Children, Kira Town Council, Wakiso District

ABSTRACT

The study is centered on the importance of the provision of early childhood

education to the disadvantaged children in Kira Town Council, Wakiso District. It

thought to determine the trends in enrolment of disadvantaged children in various

early childhood education centers. To find out the benefits of early childhood

education program to the disadvantaged children. To find out the challenges faced

by disadvantaged children in ECE centers and finally to suggest possible

interventions to overcome the challenges. In order to address the objectives set, a

combination of qualitative and quantitative techniques were used to gather data

and information. Given that the findings of the study need to be disseminated to

educational stakeholders and especially policy makers. The findings have been

presented in relatively easy to comprehend statistically techniques, frequency

distribution graphic representations summaries and examples depicting emerging

themes and categorization and pictorial representation of the research findings.

The findings indicated that disadvantaged children including special needs

children, disabled, orphans and the poor are a reality in Kira Town Council,

Wakiso district and are increasing enrolling in its ECP.

Inadequate funding especially the capitation grant for the disadvantaged children.

Lunch for disadvantaged children's is not provided. Higher teacher-pupils ratio is

embalmed untrained teachers in the management of disadvantaged children in

ECE center inadequate supervision and monitoring of ECE centers. Negative

social and cultural norms were cited low community participation in

implementation of ECE programme. The area of study included three ECE centers

in Kira town council Wakiso district, three head teachers, three ECE teachers in

each school, ten disadvantaged children, primary data was collected by

questionnaire while as secondary data was got from reports, journals, internet, text

books among others.