Influence of Pre-School Teachers’ Early Identification of Learners with Special Needs in Public ECDE Centres in Keiyo South Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

Inclusive education is an issue of social and policy significance in the education system. Apparently, the implementation of the inclusion policy appears with statistics showing that less than 10.0% of special needs children have been enrolled in pre-schools in Keiyo South Sub County, Kenya. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of pre-school teachers’ identification of learners with special needs in public ECDE centres in Keiyo South Sub County, Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya. The target population involved 247 teachers from 153 public pre-schools and 5 Sub County ECDE programme officers. A sample size of 151 of pre-school teachers and 5 ECDE field officers were selected to participate in the study through cluster sampling technique. The instruments used in this study were a questionnaire and the interview schedule. Results showed that pre-school teachers had moderate competencies in identifying learners with special needs in public pre-primary centres in Keiyo South Sub County, Kenya. There is need for pre-school teachers to be provided with training to gain skills on early identification of SNE learners to enable appropriate early interventions to be provided.