The Impact of Free Primary Education On Early Childhood Development Programmes in Wote Zone, Wote Division, Makueni District, Kenya

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ............................................................................................................. ii

APPROVAL .................................................................................................................. iii

DEDICATION ............................................................................................................... iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................... v

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................... vi

ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................. x

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... xi

CHAPTER ONE .............................................................................................................. 1

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1

1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Background to the study ............................................................................................ 1

1.2 Statement ofthe problem .......................................................................................... 2

1.3 Objectives to the study .............................................................................................. 3

1.3.1 General objective .................................................................................................... 3

1.3.2 Specific Objectives ................................................................................................. 3

1.4 Research questions .................................................................................................... 4

1.5 Scope ofthe study ..................................................................................................... 4

1.6 Significance ofthe study ........................................................................................... 5

1. 7 Theoretical framework .............................................................................................. 6

1.8 Definition ofterms .................................................................................................... 7

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CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................. 9

LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................ 9

2.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 9

2.1 Impact of FPE on early childhood education .......................................................... 1 0

2.1.1 Enrolment for pupils ............................................................................................. 10

2.1. 2 Teachers salary ..................................................................................................... 1 0

2.1.3 Resource allocation .............................................................................................. 11

2.1.4 Government inspection ......................................................................................... 11

2.2 Policies to handle the problems of free primary education in Kenya ...................... 11

CHAPTER THREE ....................................................................................................... 13

METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................ 13

3.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 13

3.1. Design ..................................................................................................................... 13

3 .2. Environment ........................................................................................................... 13

3.3. Respondents ............................................................................................................ 13

3.4 Instruments of data collection ................................................................................. 14

3.5. Data collection procedure ....................................................................................... 14

3.6. Statistical treatment of data .................................................................................... 14

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CHAPTER FOUR ......................................................................................................... 15

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION ........................... 15

4.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 15

4.2 Impact of free primary education on early childhood education. 4.2.1. Enrollment

of pupils 16

4.2.2 Effect of free primary education on enrolment .................................................... 18

4.2.3 The role of parents in influencing enrolment due to FPE Table 4 parents are

withdrawing off their children from nursery education ................................................ 19

4.2.4 Parents view on free nursery education ............................................................... 20

Table 5: parents want nursery education to be free ....................................................... 20

4.2.5 Parents decision to avoid nursery education ........................................................ 21

4.2.6 Impact of free primary education on the functioning of nursery schools ............. 22

4.2. 7 Evidence of parents enrolling children straight in primary schools ..................... 23

4.3 Teachers salaries and childhood education ............................................................. 24

4.3.1 Employers of nursery teachers ............................................................................. 25

4.3.3 Benefits ofFPE .................................................................................................... 25

4.3.3 FPE and teacher turnover rate .............................................................................. 26

4.3.4 Teachers views about private schools .................................................................. 27

4.4 Impact of FPE on resource allocation The respondents were asked whether the

government allocate enough money in early childhood education and this was the

response ......................................................................................................................... 28

4.4.1 Role of government in allocating resources ......................................................... 29

4.4.2 How has FPE impacted on resource allocation to ECDEC'S? ............................ 29

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4.4.3 Availability of instructional materials .................................................................. 30

4.5 Government inspection. The respondents were asked whether the government

inspects pre primary schools and this was their response. 31

4.5.1 Government aid inspection and quality of sanitation ........................................... 32

4.5.3 Governments role in the sustaining ofECDE in Kenya ....................................... 33

4.6 Policies in Kenya ..................................................................................................... 34

CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................... 36

FINDINGS, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............ 36

5.0. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 36

5.2. Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 37

5.3 Recommendations ................................................................................................... 3 8

5.4 Suggestions for further research .............................................................................. 39

REFERENCES .............................................................................................................. 40

APPENDICES ............................................................................................................... 42

APPENDIX I ................................................................................................................. 42

QUESTIONNAIRE TO TEACHERS ........................................................................... 42

APPENDIX II ................................................................................................................ 52

INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR OFFICIALS ..................................................................... 52