Factors influencing implementation of science activity curriculum in early childhood development centers in Ongata Ronkai Zone ,Kajiado North District, Kenya

Abstract

The Government of Kenya has since 1963, directed its effort toward raising the quality of teaching and the relevance of education offered all tiers of the school system. To ensure quality instruction and relevance of education, the government has been striving to improve on curriculum implementation at all levels of education. The investment in implementation not withstanding quality and the relevance of curriculum continue to be “wanting” especially in science activity in pre-schools. The study sought to answer how teacher’s characteristics such as age, gender, professional qualification, experience and planning, pre-school children’s parent’s participation in ECD activities; instructional resources and facilities influence implementation of science activity curriculum in Early Childhood Education Centres in Ongata Ronkai Zone. The purpose of this study was to establish the factors influencing implementation of science activity curriculum in Ongata Ronkai pre-schools. Descriptive survey method using stratified and random sampling was used to sample respondents. Respondents were education officers, head teachers, preschool teachers and pre-school parents. Observation was done in randomly selected preschools. The study targeted four public and eleven private pre-schools, three education officers, fifteen head teachers, thirty five pre-school teachers and thirty parents. The researcher used three questionnaires, one interview schedule and one observation schedule to obtain information. Data collected was converted into quantitative data and summarized into descriptive statistics in-form of frequency, percentage, mean, variance, median and standard deviation. The results were presented in tables and figures. The study found out that; teachers’ characteristics, planning and parents participation in such ways as availing children to schools, payment of fees and teachers, making instructional resources, participating as key resource teachers, assisting pupils in doing homework and accompanying pupils for trips. Instructional resources influencing implementation of science activity curriculum in ECD centers by provision, availability and utilization of teaching learning resources and facilities, Early Childhood Development curriculum, Science textbooks, furniture and playgrounds. The study concluded that majority of preschool teachers were young, experienced professional qualified and energetic to work. Pre-school teachers were not regularly in serviced and planning of schemes of work and lesson plans was rarely done. Head teachers and education officers did not regularly supervise pre-school teachers, which has encouraged laxity in planning. Pre-school children’s parents participated in pre-school activities though it was mainly influenced by financial status, educational qualification and value attached to education. . Instructional resources were used in the process of teaching and were available though inadequate because of insecurity, lack of finances and inadequate parental participation in pre-school activities. Further research should be carried out on the following areas: Factors influencing implementation of science activity in a larger population of Kajiado North, influence of other stakeholders, factors hindering in-service courses, seminars and effectiveness of teaching methods in implementation of science activity.