Factors that affect management of early childhood development centres in Thika district, Kenya

Abstract

Early Childhood Development (ECD) is a critical stage that determines the future of a child. Brain research has been cited for the importance of young children's success to quality care and education from the earliest years in life (World Bank, 1997). This overwhelming evidence of importance of ECD has prompted many countries to exhibit clear awareness of the need to embrace ECD within Government policy and legislative framework (Sylvie, 2003).centres in Thika district. The participants included ECD teachers, primary school head teachers, ECD centre committee chairpersons, Zonal Inspectors.of Schools (ZIS), Teacher Advisory Centre (TAC) tutors, parents with children in ECD centres and District Centre for Early Childhood Education (DICECE) officers. Random sampling procedure was used to select participants in each category. Questionnaires for each category of participants were used for data collection including an observation schedule for the selected EGO centres. Despite the global campaigns on Education for all (EFA), and related declaration of children's rights, ECD programmes are still poorly managed (UNESCO, 2004). Many stakeholders are still ignorant about ECD issues and therefore many ECD programmes.