Influence Of Stakeholders' Support On Provision Of , Early Childhood Education Programmes In Kenya: A Case Of Kakamega County.

ABSTRACT

The early years of a child's life are a time when it acquires concepts, skills and attitudes

that lay the foundation for lifelong learning. Children's success in life begins in the early

years of childhood. Investment in Early Childhood Education (ECE) has a direct and

positive impact on primary school enrolment, retention and completion. This sector of

education does not receive direct government financial support as other sectors of

education and therefore relies on a number of stakeholders for financial, human, physical

and teaching/learning resources. The purpose of this study was to investigate the

influenceof stakeholders support on the effective provision of ECE in Kenya. The study

adopted a descriptive survey design to investigate this in Kakamega County, Kenya.

Purposive sampling was used to select 3 sub-counties with both the rural and urban

settings in the County which was approximately 30 % of the population. Three subcounties

with this dichotomy were Kakamega Central, Mumias and Likuyani.

Proportionate stratified random sampling was used to select the participating ECE. Thirty

percent (30 %) of the public and private ECEs were sampled. This resulted into 62 public

and 122 private ECEs participating in the study. Head teachers from each E'CE

participated in the study making a total of 62 and 122 head teachers from private and

public ECE respectively. One teacher from the sampled ECE participated in the study.'

The DEOs and DICECE Officers of the selected sub-counties were selected purposively

to participate in the study. The sample frame consisted of 184 head teachers, 184

teachers, 3 DEOs and 3 DICECE officers. Structured questionnaires were used to collect

data from the ECE head teachers and teachers, interview schedules from the DEOs and

DICECE officers and observation schedules used to collect data on availability of

teaching learning resources and physical facilities in the ECE centres. The instruments

were validated through expert judgement and pilot-testing. Reliability for the

questionnaires was estimated using Cronbach's coefficient Alpha which was 0.75 and

deemed adequate for the study. Collected data was edited, organised in line with research

questions, coded and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Both

descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse data. Findings were presented in

frequency tables, charts and graphs. The findings of the study revealed that parents gave

the highest financial support to the ECE centres which was mainly used to fund recurrent

expenditure. Majority of the centres charged low fees which was inadequate to sustain the.

ECE programmes. The teachers funded their own professional development with little

help from the national government. The results further revealed that funds provided by

the parents were used to pay teachers' salaries and buy instructional materials. However,

there existed disparities in adherence to the service standard guideline in provision of

physical facilities by stakeholders in favour of the private ECE centres. The study

findings are likely to be useful to the government and other stakeholders to improve

services in ECE sector. The study recommends that the government should streamline

ECE within the policy of free primary education, the ministry of education infrastructure

fund should be extended to ECE centres and ECE teachers