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Item A Reflection on Challenges Faced by Deaf Trainees in Effective Social Interaction in St. Angela Mumias Vocational School, Kakamega, Kenya(Randwick International of Social Sciences (RISS) Journal, 2022-04) Nzioka, Brenda Mumbua; Ouko, Ong’ang’a H. M.; Isanda, BeckyThe purpose of the study was to establish the challenges deaf trainees face in their social interactions. The study focused on St. Angela Mumias Vocational School for the Deaf, Kakamega County. The study was anchored on the Theory of Mind by David Premack (1978). A case study design was adopted. The study target was 103, including 95 deaf trainees, one principal, and 7 trainers. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select 3 trainers and the principal, while simple random sampling was used to select 39 deaf trainees. This study adopted a mixedmethods data collection approach. Questionnaires comprising both open-ended and close-ended questions were used to collect data from the principal and deaf trainees. In contrast, semistructured interview schedules were used to collect primary data from trainers. Quantitative data was coded and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 21). Descriptive data was represented in the form of mean, median, mode, correlation, frequency distribution tables, graphs, pie charts, and percentages. Qualitative data were coded systematically by hand, analyzed thematically and presented in narrative form. The findings revealed that only 27.8 % of deaf trainees interacted with the hearing trainees and they also do not share their problems and secrets. Based on the results, the study recommends that the government, through the Ministry of Education, decentralize sign language training to the villages and community settings to assist in enhancing communication between the Deaf and the hearing.Item Teaching Literacy Skills in Standard One: Challenges Faced By Language Teachers in Rural Areas in Kenya(International Journal of Science Arts and Commerce, 2017-09) Marisin, Anne Cherotich; Ouko, Ong’anga H.M.The language of instruction stipulated for lower primary by Kenya’s policy on language in education is mother-tongue or Kiswahili, while English is introduced as a language activity. The use of two languages in standard one can be challenging, cumbersome and demanding. The study therefore sought to find out the challenges faced by standard one teachers in teaching English Literacy skills in Ainamoi Sub-County, Kericho county Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The study focused on all public and private primary schools in the county. Purposive and stratified simple random sampling techniques were employed. 12 public primary and 8 private primary schools were sampled to participate. This formed a 10% sample size from the private and public schools. Questionnaires were used to collect primary data from the randomly selected standard one teachers and head teachers of the selected schools. Results indicated that the challenges faced by language teachers related more to lack of the necessary and appropriate teaching/learning resources. It was also established that there was severe mother-tongue influence on English. It was found out that teachers employed certain strategies to promote English literacy skills acquisition including building warm teacher/child relationships. It is recommended that the strategies be up-scaled by teachers including improvisation of locally appropriate resources and that further research would be necessary to establish the effects of mixed languages of instruction on English language skills acquisitionItem Early Learning Experiences and Teacher-Efficacy As Predictors of Pupils‟Competencies in Early Primary School Grades in Rural Kenya(World Journal of Innovative Research (WJIR), 2018-04) Ouko, Ong’ang’a HudsonPre-primary school learning experiences lays a strong foundation for pupils’ later academic progression and achievement. The experiences equip learners with the requisite competencies and abilities for formal and life-long learning including basic literacy and numeracy skills. Premised on this commonality, the purpose of this study was to establish pupils’ academic achievement in literacy and numeracy on entry to standard one and whether pre-primary school learning experiences and teachers’ level self-efficacy predicted pupil’s literacy and numeracy achievement. The study also investigated pre-primary school learning experiences and teachers’ self-efficacy’s predictive value of standard one pupils’ literacy and numeracy achievement. Free primary school in Kenya is mandatory for six year olds irrespective of their backgrounds. Pre-primary school education is therefore not a requirement for joining primary one (Standard one) class. In a typical standard one class in Kenya, one would expect pupils with unequal pre-primary school learning experiences. Teacher’s self-efficacy equally could influence pupils’ academic achievement. Two theories guided this study; Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory (1982) and the Ecological Systems theory by Urie Bronfenbrenner (1979). Ex post facto research design was used to guide the study. Variables of the study included pre-primary school experiences, gender, teachers’ self-efficacy and type of school. The study was conducted in Gucha District of Kisii County, Kenya. The target population was both public and private primary schools in the District. All standard one pupils and their teachers of the sample schools participated. Purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were employed. Eight (8) primary schools formed the sample of the study. A total of six public and two private schools formed the study sample. This was comprised of 16% of the population. The total sample was 154 pupils and eight (8) teachers. Descriptive and inferential techniques were employed to analyze data. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) programme was used to analyze data. Means and percentages were calculated and inferential statistics involved Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). ANOVA was used to test, H01, H02, H03 and H04 while H05 was analyzed using multiple regression. A P ≤ 0.05 level of significance was accepted. The findings of the study revealed that pre-primary school learning experiences together with teachers’ level of self-efficacy significantly predicted pupils’ literacy and numeracy achievement. One of the recommendations based on the study findings was that policy makers at both central and county governments should invest substantial resources in pre-primary school programmes in order to improve academic outcomes in primary school level to avoid investing too much too late.Item Pre-Primary School Experiences and Lower Primary Pupils’ Reading Literacy Competencies: A Case of Laikipia, Kenya(World Journal of Innovative Research (WJIR), 0201-09) Ouko, Ong’ang’a H.M.; Nderitu, N. ElizabethReading skills is one of the basic requirements which enable people engage themselves in their daily activities. Reading achievement determines the child’s success in school and eventual career development. School age children are not learning core skills expected at age level. Despite significant gains in expanding access to primary school education literacy outcomes remains significantly deficient. The study focused on influence of pre-primary school experience on pupils’ reading achievement in Laikipia West Sub-county. Ex post facto research design was employed. The target population were grade two pupils in both public and private schools in the sub-county.Quantitative data was tabulated and analyzed by descriptive statistic including frequency and percentages presented through tables and figures. Results revealed that levels of competency in story-reading, word recognition and letter, sound recognition were below average at 60%, 57%, and 50%respectively. From the results, pre-primary experience in key in pupils’ reading achievement, where pupils who attended pre-primary school registering good grades in letter and sound recognition, word recognition and paragraph reading. Recommendations were made that parents be educated on the importance of early year’s education and teachers to design appropriate tasks in order to enhance and boost reading literacy among pupilsItem Influence of Teacher‟s Qualification on the Quality of Education in Pre-Primary Schools in Nairobi City County, Kenya(World Journal of Innovative Research (WJIR), 2019-06) Rubia, Yvonne Njeri; Ouko, Ong’ang’a H. M.The issue of quality education is very critical when it comes to overall performance of pre-primary schools. Despite this tremendous increase in access rate in the sub-sector, provision of quality pre-primary education remains a challenge across the country. The main purpose of this study was to find out whether teachers’ qualification influences quality of Pre-primary school education in Nairobi City County. This study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The study targeted ninety (90) ECDE teachers and fifteen (15) principals. Random sampling procedure and purposive sampling procedure will be used to sample 40 ECDE teachers and 14 principals. Validity of research instruments was measured through content validity. Reliability of the research instruments was determined by carrying out a pilot test of the instruments using another similar group with the same characteristics as the one targeted in the study. The collected data was analyzed using quantitative data analysis approach. Descriptive analysis such as frequencies and percentages was used to present quantitative data collected from teachers and principals.The collected data was analysed with the help of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21.0. Findings indicated that teachers who were well motivated performed their duties with minimal supervision. The study recommended that head teachers should try as much as possible to recruit qualified staff for effective curriculum implementation and encourage the stakeholders to motivate the ECDE teachers to increase their efficiencyItem Utilization of Teaching/Learning Resources in Teaching Literacy Skills: A Case of Pre-Primary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya(International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 2019-07) Nasumbwa, Dorice Wanyonyi; Ouko, Ong’ang’a HMThe purpose of this study was to investigate the preschool teachers’ utilization of teaching/learning resources to develop literacy skills among preschoolers in Bungoma County. The researcher used a cross-sectional survey approach. The study targeted a population of 290 schools from both private and public schools. Stratified sampling strategy was used to proportionally select a total of 29 ECD centres, a representation of 10% of the targeted schools. Two (2) teachers were picked from each of the fourteen schools selected to participate in the study leading to a total of 58 ECDE teachers. Purposive sampling procedure was used in the study to select all the 14 head teachers from the selected schools. Questionnaires comprising of both open-ended and closed ended inquiries and semi structured interview schedules were used to collect primary data. Qualitative and quantitative data analyses were used throughout the survey. Information was collected through open-ended questions in the questionnaires. Statistical package for social science (SPSS) version was used for data organization. Findings revealed that teaching and learning materials were not sufficient in most primary schools under study. The study concluded that majority of schools did not have resources for teaching and learning literacy skills. However, among the schools which were reported to have such teaching/learning resources did not have sufficient resources for teaching and learning. The overall mean of below 3.0 (mean<3.0) implied that teaching and learning resources were not adequately utilized by teaching in instruction of languages in primary schools under study. The study recommended that the school administration need to push the language department should form departmental guidance and counselling committee composed of HoD language and two teachers. It is recommended that that all stakeholders should be involved in implementation of ECD programmes. These include government, local councils, traditional leaders, political leaders, private sector as well as parentsItem Head Teachers’ Leadership Dynamics and Teachers’ Integration Performance: A Case of Public Integrated Primary Schools in Lamu County Kenya(International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 2019-08) Ahmed, Barghash Abdalla; Stephen, Nzoka; Ouko, Ong’ang’a H.Integration in education has lately taken center stage in public schools in Kenya. This study examined the type of leadership head teachers used and their teachers’ performance in promoting integration in the schools. The study was carried out in integrated public primary schools with learners with VI in Lamu County Kenya. The aim of the study was to identify the leadership styles applied by head teachers and its effects on teachers’ performance in integration of learners with visual impairment (VI) in the regular schools in Lamu county Kenya. The study was guided by Douglas McGregor‘s model- Theory X and Theory Y (1961). This study was conducted using exploratory study design. The target population for the study was 506 educators; 86 head teachers and 420 teachers. Purposive sampling was used to select the respondents. The sample size consisted of 18 head teachers and 42 teachers. Content analysis was used to test the validity of the research instruments while a reliability coefficient was used to test the instruments’ reliability. Descriptive statistics involved the use of frequencies and percentages. Relationship between independent and dependent variables was accepted at 95% confidence level. The study results revealed that various leadership styles are being employed by head teachers in integrated public primary schools in Lamu County. The main leadership styles found are democratic and autocratic leadership. The study further reveals that the type of leadership has a significant influence on teachers ‘performance. The influence was found to vary based on the type of leadership among head teachers. For example democratic leadership style showed a significant positive influence on teachers’ performance. The study recommends that teacher education curricula needs to be enhanced to include effective ways of leadership style in order to improve teachers’ performance in integrated school settingsItem Public Pre-Primary School Teachers’ Use of Play as a Classroom Teaching Strategy: A Case of Bunyala, Busia County, Kenya(Journal of Research Innovation and Implications in Education,, 2022) Okello, Zachary A.; Kirimi, Josephine; Ong’ang’a, Hudson OukoLearner’s classroom participation can be gauged by; confidence levels turn-taking, numeracy skills, manipulative competencies and task completion. However, over time, adequate inculcation of play as a strategy in early childhood classrooms is yet to be achieved. Bunyala sub-county notwithstanding. This underscored the need of this study. The study assessed public pre-primary school teachers’ use of play as a classroom teaching strategy: a case of Bunyala- Busia County, Kenya. The guide objective was: to explore public pre-primary school teachers’ preparedness in using play as a strategy on pre-schoolers’ classroom participation. A mixed methodology with descriptive survey design was adopted. Research targeted a population of 27 public pre-primary centres. Of this, 2 were used in piloting while in 25 actual study was conducted with a sample of 25 heads, 50 teachers and 100 pre-schoolers. The sampling techniques adopted were purposive and simple random. Data was collected using questionnaires and an observation guide. Reliability and validity of the instruments were addressed through piloting and test retest. Descriptive statistics for measures of central tendencies were applied. For qualitative data, content analysis was adopted. The study found that public pre-school teachers were not adequately armed with the necessary skills on play and that majority of them had general training on ECD matters but very minimal additional professional knowledge on play. The study recommended that ECDE teachers and care givers should be adequately prepared in terms of training, planning and organization in order for them to maximize their content delivery to the young ones.Item Family Involvement in the Social Interaction of Deaf Trainees in Vocational Schools for the Deaf: A Case of St. Angela Mumias Vocational School, Kenya.” IOSR: Journal of …(IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS), 2022-04) Nzioka, Brenda Mumbua; Onchari, Isanda Beatrice; Ouko, Ong’ang’a H. M.Family relationships are important for a child’s social wellbeing. However, little is known about family relationships among the deaf, especially those in inclusive vocational settings. Deaf trainees need to be shown love and support as they move into their teenage years, just as they were younger. The purpose of the study was to identify different ways in which families support Deaf trainees in their social interactions. The study focused on St. Angela Mumias Vocational School for the Deaf and was anchored on the Theory of Mind by David Premack (1978). A case study design was adopted. The target population was 103, including 95 deaf trainees, one principal, and 7 trainers. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select 3 trainers and the principal, while simple random sampling was used to select 39 deaf trainees. This study adopted a mixed-methods data collection approach. Questionnaires and semi-structured interview schedules were used to collect data. Quantitative data was coded and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 21). Descriptive data were presented in form of mean, median, mode, frequency distribution tables, graphs, pie charts, and percentages. Qualitative data were coded systematically by hand, analyzed thematically and presented in narrative form. The findings established that 61% of the trainees receive emotional, physical and moral support from their family members. Also, 58% agreed to freely communicate with their family members though this is mostly affected by communication barriers and stigmatisation. Based on the findings, the study recommends that existing school policies need to promote a sense of community and participatory culture where more emphasis is put on the family environment and their roles in improving the social interaction of deaf traineesItem Influence of Institutional Determinants on Inclusive Learning in Public Primary Schools in Makadara Sub-County, Nairobi County(African Journal of Social Issues, 2024) Kamau, Tabitha Mukami; Ouko, Ong’ang’a H.Inclusive learning involves the reorganization of learning institutions to ensure that all learners receive appropriate education within local primary schools. This study aimed to investigate the teacher determinants influencing inclusive learning in public primary schools in Makadara SubCounty, Nairobi County, Kenya. The objectives were to establish the effect of teacher qualification, experience, workload and perception on inclusive learning. Guided by Rawls' Theory of Vygotsky's Learning Theory (1978), the study utilized a sample size of 351. Reliability of the instruments was judged using Pearson's product-moment correlation with a coefficient of 0.70, and credibility was assessed through peer debriefing, prolonged engagement, and audit trails. Data were processed using SPSS version 23, with quantitative data summarized using frequency tables, percentages, means, and standard deviations, and qualitative data presented through narrative analysis. Findings indicated that average and special needs children mixed well in inclusive classrooms, fostering inclusiveness. Respondents showed a readiness to understand and support children with special needs. Effective inclusive learning was found to require adequate teacher training, manageable class sizes, and balanced workloads. The study emphasized the importance of identifying, assessing, and placing special needs students, with multidisciplinary teams ensuring comprehensive evaluations. The study concluded that inclusive practices are enhanced through collaborative efforts, continuous teacher professional development, and prioritization of resources. Based on these findings, it is recommended that school’s continuous professional development for teachers on diverse learning needs and a multidisciplinary approach to the identification and placement of special needs students are essential. Schools should also prioritize resources and infrastructure to ensure equitable and accessible learning for all learnersItem Instructional Strategies and Challenges Faced by Teachers in Promoting Inclusive Learning for Learners with Hearing Impairments at Oriang’ Inclusive Primary School, Homa-Bay County, Kenya(IJRISS, 2024-04) Odhiambo, Lucy Atieno; Ouko, Ong’ang’a H. M.; Onchari, Isanda BeatriceInstructional strategies are key to the academic success of any education system. Diverse classrooms require diverse teaching methods that are responsive to the needs and abilities of all the learners. This study purposed to investigate the instructional strategies of teaching and learning used for the learners with hearing impairments and challenges faced by the teachers in inclusive classrooms. The study was conducted at Oriang’ Inclusive Primary School in Homa-bay County, Kenya. Ecological Systems Theory by Bronfenbrenner model (1989) was used. The study targeted all the 17 teachers and 620 learners. Purposive sampling technique was used to draw a sample of 26 respondents comprising the Head Teacher, 13 inclusive classroom teachers and 12 learners. Data collection instruments comprised a semi-structured interview guide and focus group discussion guide. NVivo software was used for analysis that involved systematic coding and organisation of data to identify recurring themes. The findings established that teaching and learning resources must be available to enable diversified instructional methods in inclusive classrooms that include learners with hearing impairments. Challenges included teachers lacking training in inclusive education, large class sizes and limited lesson duration that is not enough to attend to all the learners. The study recommends that the government, through the Ministry of Education, should allocate more funds to inclusive primary schools for the purchase of adequate teaching and learning resources to support the effective inclusion of LHIs and the County Governments should allocate funds for the construction of additional classes in inclusive primary schools to help in decongesting the classesItem ECD Policy Framework and Pre-Primary School Teachers’ Capacity in Quality Service Delivery in Muranga County Kenya(Scintific Research Publishing, 2022-07) Muthoni, Kamau Joyce; Ouko, Ong’ang’a H.; Githui, KimamoThe National Early Childhood Development Policy Framework in Kenya has been in place since the year 2006 accompanied by a service guideline to promote its implementation. The goal of the policy framework was to enhance access, equity and quality service delivery for all children from conception through 8 years. However, even with the policy in place there are quality issues in pre-primary schools in Kenya. Implementation of the framework has been slow hence affecting quality of services. This is even so with the Muranga County whose education achievement in early grades is still below the national standards. It is documented that Pre-primary schools in the County have poor infrastructure coupled with poor delivery of content at this level. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess pre-primary teachers’ capacity and the Quality of Service Delivery. The purpose of the study was to determine pre-primary teachers’ capacity in promoting quality service. Lilian Katz’s theory on perspective of quality was used. The study applied mixed methodology research approach in which stratified random sampling, proportionate simple random and purposive sampling were employed to select the sample. Data from; teachers, head teachers and parents was collected using questionnaire, observation schedule and interviews respectively. The study used thematic analysis for qualitative data while quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and presented using tables and figures. The study established that Pre-primary teachers’ capacity at p = 0.023 influences quality service delivery. Subsequently, the study recommended that the government should empower/retool pre-primary teachers in order to achieve quality services.Item Teacher-Factor a Hindrance to Effective Implementation of the Competency Based Curriculum(CBC) in Kenya(International Journal for Innovative Research in Multidisciplinary Field, 2023-07) Ong’ang’a, Hudson OukoCompetence-based-curriculum is now in its early years of secondary school grades in Kenya. This far, the programme has experienced many successes as well as challenges in equal measure. The purpose of this paper was to illuminate the teacher-factor as an important agent in curriculum change. While there are a number challenges documented as facing curriculum change, the teacher-factor largely has been inclined to mean staff establishment. Far from it, the quality and capacity of the teacher is equally indispensable. Teacher preparation and training cannot be of lesser significance. This paper reviewed current trends in the implementation of CBC in Kenya in order to determine the space of teacher-factor as a hindrance to successful CBC implementation in Kenya. The review established that teacher preparation and training was inadequate and teachers were illprepared for CBC roll-out. The paper therefore recommends that the government should provide teacher training programmes beyond the teacher training colleges(TTCs). This will help in retooling the teachers on the job.Item Attribution of Parental Alcohol Abuse as a Predictor of Enrolment and Transition Trends among Pre-Primary Schools in Kiambaa, Kiambu County Kenya(International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation, 2023-10) Wanjiru, Lucy Njeri; Ong’ang’a, HM OukoDrug abuse is a contemporary issue globally. It affects youth and adults in equal measure. Young families and young parents for that matter are the most vulnerable cadre. Communities in the central parts of Kenya are experiencing the greatest effects of alcohol and substance abuse as manifested in their socio-economic engagement and school involvement. This means early grade enrolment could be the most causality in the long run. The purpose this study was to investigate the extent to which alcoholism and substance abuse among parents predicts the enrolment trends among pre-primary school centres. The study target population was all the 220 public and private preprimary schools in Kiambaa sub-county. The study adopted ex post facto research design as the researchers could not envisage manipulation of the study variables. The study was anchored on the ecological systems theory by Urie Bronfenbrenner (1979). Two data instruments were employed to generate data namely questionnaire and a documentary analysis form. Pilot study was conducted in two schools which were not to be included in the actual study. Content validity used. Test-retest was used to test reliability where a coefficient of P≤0.07 was acceptable. Descriptive data analysis techniques were used to analyze and present the findings. The study established that 38(76%) of the respondents agreed that alcoholism and substance abuse had a significant negative effect on parental involvement. They also agreed that enrolment of pupils to pre-primary schools low. The study recommended to teachers to take a major role of sensitizing parents on the importance of early years education. Further, policy makers should look for ways of dealing with drugs and substance abuse among rural folks to reduce the declining enrolment trends in pre-primary schools.Item Classroom Accommodations that Promote Inclusive Learning for Learners with Hearing Impairments at Oriang’ Inclusive Primary School, Homa-Bay County, Kenya(International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 2025-05) Odhiambo, Lucy Atieno; Ong’ang’a, H. M. Ouko; Isanda, Beatrice OnchariClassroom accommodations are key to promoting inclusive learning in a class that includes a diversity of learners. This study purposed to determine the classroom accommodations that enable the inclusion of learners with hearing impairments in inclusive classrooms. The study was conducted at Oriang’ Inclusive Primary School in Homa-bay County, Kenya and was guided by Ecological Systems Theory by Bronfenbrenner model (1989). The study targeted all the 17 teachers and 620 learners. Purposive sampling technique was used to draw a sample of 26 respondents comprising the Head Teacher, 13 inclusive classroom teachers and 12 learners. Data collection instruments comprised an observation checklist and an interview schedule. NVivo software was used for analysis that involved systematic coding and organisation of data to identify recurring themes. The findings established that all classes at the school were inclusive of learners with hearing impairments. Classroom accommodations included proper lighting, preferential seating, raised windows above the heads and painted doors to ensure conducive learning environment for learners with hearing impairments. The researcher recommends that the government, through the Ministry of Education, should allocate funds for purchasing cushioned seats, long curtains for the windows, chairs with legs fitted with rubber as mechanisms for noise reduction within the inclusive classrooms to promote the inclusion of learners with hearing impairments.Item Critiquing The Quality of Education in Public and Private Pre-Primary School Centers in Kenya:A Case of Nairobi County Kenya(World Journal of Innovative Research (WJIR), 2018-07) Vihenda, Christine Ratemo; Ouko, Ong’ang’a HudsonQuality education is paramount for the realization of holistic development of learners. Parents invest a lot in their children’s education which calls for the provision of quality education. Both public and private sector have to ensure that quality education is provided. The purpose of this study was to compare the quality of pre-primary school education offered by public and private pre-primary schools in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The target population was all public and private pre-primary schools in Nairobi City County. A sample size of 28 0ut of 280 pre-primary school teachers and head teachers were selected randomly. The transformational theory by Freire and Mezirow was used in the study. It is concerned with transformation of learners who are believed to be empty when they come to first contact with school practices. Descriptive research design was used. Questionnaire for the pre-primary teachers and interview schedules for head teachers were used as the research instruments for data collection. The study involved both qualitative and quantitative approaches respectively. Data analysis was done through descriptive statistics to obtain the quantitative data. To pre-test reliability a pilot study was conducted. This was achieved through the aid of SPSS version 20.0. Data presentation was done majorly through tabulation and a bar graph both in frequencies and percentage units. The respondents were selected through stratified random sampling and simple random sampling techniques to come up with a rich data that was inferred to all the private and public pre-primary schools in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Among the findings of the study were that staffing affects quality of education. Schools that were poorly staffed recorded poor performance compared to the well-staffed pre-schools. Secondly, teachers who were well motivated performed their duties with minimal supervision, thirdly parental participation affected learning. Learners whose parents got involved in their education had good transition rate. Finally the head teachers had a role to play in ensuring that the educational goals are achieved through proper curriculum implementation and school management. The study recommendations included: there should be a need for the policy makers who are majorly the government officials to increase educational funding to pre-primary schools to improve on quality of education; head teachers should try as much as possible to recruit qualified staff for effective curriculum implementation and encourage the stakeholders to motivate the ECDE teachers to increase their efficiency; Parents need to increase their support to schools in procurement and purchase of school facilities (desk, classrooms, land), purchase of instructional materials (books, pens, charts) and hiring of new teachers to improve on quality and finally Christine Ratemo Vihenda Research Scholar, department of early years education (formally early childhood education) at Kenyatta University Kenya. Ong’ang’a Hudson Ouko, lecturer, department of early years education (formally early childhood education) at Kenyatta University Kenya. further research should be conducted on interaction between teachers and pre-primary pupils in the pre-primary schools. Index Terms— Critiquing, Education, Pre-primary school, QualityItem Prevalent Forms of Child Abuse Among Pupils in Lower Primary Schools in Gatimu Zone in Nyandarua West SubCounty, Kenya(International Journal of Science Arts and Commerce, 2017-11) Mutua, Mukami T.; Ouko, HudsonChild abuse is a social phenomenon which erodes the fundamental human rights of the child. Basing on the context of this study, child abuse is perceived as any act of omission or commission by individuals and any conditions resulting from such acts, which deprive children equal rights and liberties and or interrupt with their optimal development. Child abuse takes various forms and it is committed by parents, guardians, caretakers and so on. The world has assumed increasingly the character of a global village and the issue of child abuse has gained universal attentions with regards to its impacts on both education and holistic development of children. This study sought to investigate the prevalent forms of child abuse in Gatimu Zone in Nyandarua West Sub-County, Kenya. To achieve this purpose, a sample of 42 respondents was randomly selected for the study. Questionnaire was the major instrument used to collect data. Test re-test reliability of the instrument was established, while Parson Product moment correlation analysis was the statistical technique considered appropriate. The result of the analysis revealed that child abuse in forms of physical and emotional forms of abuse were the most prevalent even though some sexual abuse were noted among the pupils in lower primary schools.Item Parental Marital Status as a Determinant of Their Involvement in Pre-primary School Activities in Yatta Sub-County, Machakos County, Kenya(Journal of Research Innovation and Implications in Education, 2025) Makau, Paul Musyoki; Kangara, Hannah; Ong’ang’a, Hudson OukoParents’ involvement in pre-primary school activities is important in ensuring that learners acquire quality education. However, in Yatta Sub-County, levels of parents’ involvement in school meetings, volunteering activities and learning material development is low. The study sought to examine how parental marital status determines their involvement in public pre-primary school activities in Yatta Sub-County. The study was guided by the dynamic theory of determinants and the parental involvement theory. The study adopted a mixed methodology and thus applied concurrent triangulation research design. Target population was 256 respondents which comprised 64 headteachers, 128 pre-primary schoolteachers and 64 parent representatives from which a sample of 155 respondents was determined using Yamane’s Formula. This consisted of 15 headteachers, 15 parents’ representatives and 125 pre-primary schoolteachers. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically along the objectives and presented in narrative forms. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively by computing frequencies and percentages while inferential analysis was done by running Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Analysis in Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS 25) and presented using tables. The study established that parents rarely participated in pre-primary school education of their children. Parents rarely attended school meetings, participated in volunteering activities or development of learning materials. This could be attributed to their marital status. The study recommends that parents value the education of their children regardless of their marital status and participate in their pre-primary school activities. They also focus on creating a stable routine at home that includes designated study times, emotional support and encouragementItem Family Income Dynamics’ Ramification Pre-Primary School Pupils’ Reading Readiness in Siaya in Kenya(International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 2021-05) Obilloh, Otieno; Githinji, Wanjohi; Ouko, HudsonThe role of the family in the life of an individual child cannot be overemphasized. Available studies globally have shown that family dynamics have a significant influence on reading readiness of pupils at the early years of school. Many attempts have been made by the government and different organizations to improve reading but not equal effort is put to promote reading readiness. This study therefore explored family dynamics that influence reading readiness among pre-primary school pupils in rural pre-schools in Siaya, Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive research design which allowed for in-depth exploration of the study variables. This study was guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory. The dependent variable for the study is pre-primary pupils’ reading readiness while the independent variables were family dynamics. The target population of the study was pre-primary school pupils in Siaya County. The study adopted stratified random sampling to sample schools as public and private pre-primary schools while purposive sampling was used to select Siaya County for the study. A sample of 96 public pre-primary school pupils and 16 private pre-primary school pupils were sampled for the study. Questionnaires and reading readiness checklists were utilized for data collection. Reading readiness test/checklist analyses gathered pupils’ reading readiness data while questionnaire was used to collect data from the parents. Data collected was analyzed using inferential and descriptive statistics with the help of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 20. Pearson product moment of correlation was used to test the null hypothesis at p≥0.5 The key findings showed that parental socio-economic statuses significantly influenced pupils’ reading readiness. The main recommendation was that the government and the county government specifically should promote parents’ economic status to promote reading competence levels among early grade learners which can be a great boost for the overall academic performance in higher gradesItem Administration and Scoring of Measurement tools for the Three and Four-year Old’s and Women before the RCT Baseline Survey in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya(Kenyatta University, 2020) Oteyo, Samson; Gachara, Esther; Mvungu, Eunice; Henningham, Helen; Onywere, Simon; Niavasha, Dorothy; Waudo, Judith; Onditi, James; Mwoma,Teresa; Ouko, Hudson; Mwangi, MargretThe Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) child-based curriculum intervention was identified as a critical Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE) strategy because women engage in unpaid childcare, which affects their livelihood in rural Kenya. To examine the impact of enrolling 3- year-olds in PP1 class under the child-based curriculum and learning environment on both children’s developmental milestones and women's economic empowerment, there was a need to adapt existing standardised tools to the local Tharaka Nithi context to assess the participant’s at baseline, midline, and endline. The tools which were used in measuring the baseline status of the participants included Daberon-2, Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI-2030), and Preschool Self-Regulation Assessment (PSRA). The household survey was used to assess women's economic status. All the measurement tools used on children were translated into four major dialects spoken in Tharaka Nithi County (TNC), and some pictures of animals, objects, and foods were replaced with local ones. Appropriate and inappropriate responses were identified and revised, informing the administration and scoring of the instruments. To ensure consistency in administration and scoring, fifteen (15) assessors proficient in the dialects spoken within the county were recruited and trained through classroom roleplay, demonstrations, supervised field practice, and interrater supervision. Assessors were provided with administration and scoring guides to boost their proficiency. Using pilot data of 42 children aged between 3 to 4 years, the internal and test-retest reliability of the measurement tools used with the children met the threshold of 0.7. A pool of researchers constructed the household survey for WEE. Fifteen assessors with proficiency in the dialects within the TNC were recruited and trained on administration and scoring using didactical learning, demonstrations by the trainers, and role plays to ensure that the assessment was carried out in a standardised way. Assessors were taken through class training and field practice. The cultural adaptation and training of assessors were expected to boost the objectivity of the assessment because the findings were important in informing whether curriculum-based childcare intervention has an effect on women's economic empowerment and eventually inform policy decisions regarding the curriculum for the three-year-olds