Play And Pupil's Growth And Development In Early Childhood Development Education In Katito Zone In Lower Nyakach Divission, Ny Akach District, Nyanza Province Kenya

ABSTRACT

This is a study on the play and child growth and development in ECDE in Katito zone, lower

Nyakach Division, Nyakach District, and Nyanza Province in Kenya. Play and childhood

learning are too sides of the same coin as any child likes playing regardless of his status and the

conditions at hand. The researcher thought it as necessary to carry out a research project on how

much play is included in the programmes of learning in these ECDE classes. How the teaching

community and the family perceive play and learning - following the means score syndrome in

the Kenya as a country? The researcher tried to find out this under the following research

objectives. The teachers and family knowledge towards play and learning, the importance of

play, some hindrance to play and learning and lastly the social relationship between the parent,

teachers and their children and learners play in the ECDE class.

In achieving the above purpose the researcher used the descriptive survey method. Data was

collected using questiom1aire and interview guides being the main instruments. A sample of

respondents was taken from the target population using simple random sampling, convenient

sampling and purposive sampling where possible - (92%) of the sampled population participated

in the study and prompted the research to collect data and analyze it. The data was analyzed

using both qualitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitatively the statistical analysis was done

in chatis, figures, tables of frequency distribution and percentages while the discussion part of

the data was done qualitatively.

The study found out that both the teacher and ECDE parents in Katito Zone have enough

knowledge on the importance of play both in learning and to the individual preschooler. That the

social relationship between both the parents and teachers and their preschooler is much positive

and that play is really being used as a method of teaching in these ECDE classes though it faces

some hindrances like lack of finat1ce, valuable time, material, enough government support and

some opposing negative assumption.

The researcher therefore concludes that if only the government could join hands fully to support

the ECDE sector, then play and learning in this zone would have a more and better or rather

improved face, yielding competent future citizens. The researcher recommends that the

government should be strict on the rules on registration of ECD centre and the employment of

only qualified and trained teachers to deal with these young children for early years are the most

important years in nn individual life. Other researchers are also recommended to carry out

studies in other levels of education on play and learning in order for quality and quantity service in Katito Zone and Kenya as a whole.