Soft Skills and Early Childhood Education Teachers’ Job Performance in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria (Published)
This study investigated the relationship between soft skills and early childhood teachers’ job performance in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined the relationship between communication skills, conflict management skills, stress management skills, time management skills, and early childhood teachers’ job performance. To achieve the purpose of this study, four specific objectives, four research questions and four null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and were tested at.05 level of significance. Literatures pertinent to the study were reviewed under theoretical, conceptual and empirical frameworks. Correlational research design was adopted for the study. A sample size of 600 early childhood teachers and 390 head teachers were selected for the study using multistage sampling technique. Two instruments were used for data collection and they were; Soft Skill Instrument (SSI) and Early Childhood Teachers’ Job Performance Instrument (ECTJPI). Teachers responded to Soft Skill Instrument (SSI) while school head teachers responded to Early Childhood Teachers’ Job Performance Instrument (ECTJPI). R and R2 values of Simple Linear Regression Analysis were used for answering the research questions and for testing the hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed that there is a significant relationship between soft skills and early childhood teachers’ job performance in Akwa Ibom State. It was concluded that there is a significant positive relationship between communication skills, conflict management skills, stress management skills, time management skills and early childhood teachers’ job performance. It was recommended among others that early childhood teachers should seek personal development of their soft skills through workshops, seminars and conferences.
Keywords: Early Childhood Education, Job Performance, Soft Skills, Teachers
Adequacy of Human Resources on the Implementation of Early Childhood Education in Public Pre-Primary Schools in Meru District, Tanzania (Published)
This study was conducted to assess the adequacy of human resources on the implementation of early childhood education in public pre-primary schools in Meru District Tanzania. The study was guided by the system theory developed by Ludwig Bertalafy in 1971. The study employed a convergent mixed method research design whereby probability and non- probability sampling techniques were used to select the study sample which consists of 1 DPEO, 4 WEO’s, 30 head teachers of pre-primary schools and 30 pre-primary teachers. The questionnaire, interview guide and observation guide were used in data collection. The content validity of the research instruments was determined by two research experts, one expert in assessment and evaluation and the second in Management and Planning in from MWECAU, while the reliability coefficient of 0.962 was calculated by using Cronbach’s Alpha. Quantitative data were analysed by using means, frequencies, and percentages and presented in table form with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 software while the qualitative data were summarised, coded, analyzed, and presented in narration form according to the themes created from the research questions. The findings revealed that human resources are adequate to implement ECE; most of the teachers were competent in various areas included: early childhood classroom management, communication with pupils in pre-primary classes, ability to identify and respond to the individual needs of pre-primary children. Moreover, the study exposed that most of the teacher’s lack frequently training on how to implement a preschool curriculum. On top of that the teachers, as well as heads teachers complained about the teacher-students’ ratio which revealed that most of the classes were overpopulated and the ratio of teacher-student did not comply with the government guide of 25 students per teacher. The study concluded that most of the public pre-primary schools have adequacy teaching staffs that are competent in their field for implementation of early childhood education. The study recommends that, there is a great need for the government to increase employment opportunities of ECE teachers as well as to build more classrooms in pre-primary schools
Citation: Athumani Selemani; Peter N,Siamoo; Adam Chidyau (2022) Adequacy of Human Resources on the Implementation of Early Childhood Education in Public Pre-Primary Schools in Meru District, Tanzania, British Journal of Education, Vol.10, Issue 16, 89-105
Keywords: Early Childhood Education, Human Resources, public pre-primary schools
Ensuring Quality Early Childhood Education Provision: The Indispensable Role of Parents in the Effutu Municipality of Ghana (Published)
There is a notion that children are the hope of the future of a society. This has led to Early Childhood Education becoming the focus of debate at all levels of government. However, the benefits emanating from Early Childhood Education cannot be realized on its own without a key component of the indispensable role parents play. Consequently, this ethnographic research employed a focus group interview to collect data from 14 participants from the Effutu Municipality to answer the research questions formulated to guide the study. The study found that if parents actively involve themselves in the education of their children, it can build a rapport between them and the school to be informed about what goes on in the school about their children so they can continue at home. This can increase their children’s happiness at school, and possibly encourage them to participate in school activities. However, the study found that the parents were faced with challenges ranging from financial constraint and their lack of education to wrongly prioritizing their children’s education which potentially prevented them from living up to their parental expectation. From the findings, it is recommended that parents should re-orient their perception and attitude towards early childhood education and consider it to be a critical stage in their children’s educational ladder and subsequent general development as human beings. They should also visit their children’s schools whenever need be, and they should have time for their children and be interested in their education.
Keywords: Early Childhood Education, Parents, Provision, Quality, Role
Impact of early reading skills and teachers perceptions in English as a foreign language using ICT: Evidence from Vietnam (Published)
This study aimed to identify the early reading skills in English as a foreign language via information and communication technology in Vietnam as well as early childhood student teachers perception. Currently, information and communication technology and part of the teacher’s perception in the classroom practices performed an effective role in the learning aptitude of students and enhanced their reading skills in English as a foreign language. The nature of the study was cross-sectional and data were collected from 100 students and teachers from Hanoi National University of Education. The output of the study revealed that more students were agreed and had a positive perception towards the uses of information and communication technology in teaching reading in English as a foreign language. The results also indicated that teachers used the best skills and strategies to enhance children’s vocabulary in the classrooms. Lastly, findings indicated that students faced a lack of resources and technical support as significant barriers. Implications for early childhood pre-service teacher training and educational policy are discussed.
Keywords: Barriers, Early Childhood Education, Reading, Strategies., Students, Teachers’ Perception, Vietnam, and skills
Integrating Counselling into Early Childhood Education in Nigeria: The Benefits, Challenges and Implications for Practice (Published)
This paper focused on the role of the professional counsellllors in early childhood education. It is observed that little or no attention has been given to this level of education in Nigerian school system until recently, particularly with the enactment of the 2013 NPE. The involvement of professional counsellors at this cadre of education could help young learners to achieve more guided educational successes as they navigate the other levels of education. In pursuit of this goal, this paper further examine some challenges and benefits of early childhood education which could be ameliorated and facilitated respectively by guidance and counselling. The paper argued that appropriate counselling interventions at an early stage of young learners could contribute to their successful education as well as maximize their future well being. In this regard, the paper put forward multilateral counselling interventions at five levels. They include counsellor’s collaboration with school proprietor, counsellor’s partnership with preschool teachers, counsellor’s interface with parents, counsellor’s interface with young learners and Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON) consultation with government. It is therefore, recommended that guidance and counselling should be an integral component of early child education in Nigeria as a means of enhancing the attainment of its educational objectives.
Keywords: Counselling, Early Childhood Education, Integrating
Quality Control in Early Childhood Education (Published)
The growing demand and practice of early childhood education (ECE) within the Nigerian educational system have recourse for quality control and standardisation. This position has become necessary because of the proliferation of operators with the economic opportunity intentions. It is therefore a proposition that quality control in early childhood education should be ascertained in Nigeria within the policy framework. The prevailing situation of early childhood education in Nigeria and the prospects inherent for national development should be repositioned using strategic options that would ensure quality control. A mix strategy from the inputs of government, ECE operators, parents and critical stakeholders can be adopted to ascertain quality control in early childhood education.
Keywords: Early Childhood Education, National Development, Policy Framework, Quality control, Strategic Options