Community support grants in promoting children's access and retention in early childhood development centres in Laikipia County, Kenya
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Date
2016-06
Authors
Ndung'u, Mercy Muthoni
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Early Childhood Education is a crucial program that lays foundation for the holistic and
integrated development and education of a child. A knowledge gap therefore exist in that there is
no tangible evidence reviewed, analyzed or documented on why Community Support Grants
(CSG) have failed to enhance access to equitable and quality Early Childhood Development and
Education (ECDE) to preschoolers and their retention in ECDE centres in Laikipia Central Subcounty,
Laikipia County. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the impact of
community support grants on children's access and retention in early childhood centres in
Laikipia Central Sub-county, Laikipia County. The study sought to achieve the following
objectives: established the level of funding to the ECDE Centres; explored the management
structures in regard to the Community Support Grants (CSG) in the Early Childhood
Development and Education (ECDE) centres; explored the extent to which the community
participates in the implementation of CSG in the ECDE centres and found out the impact of the
CSO on children's access and retention in ECDE centers in Laikipia Central Sub-county. This
study employed a descriptive survey design. The study population involved all the ECDE
teachers, head teachers, and committee chairpersons. The researcher used both purposive and
stratified sampling. Primary data collection procedure was used on the respondents through a
semi-structured questionnaire comprising of closed and open ended questions and interview
schedule for head teachers. This study involved ECDE centres located in Laikipia County. Data
from the head teachers/teachers were collected using questionnaires while that for committee
chairpersons were collected using interview schedules. A test retest method was used to
determine the reliability of the instruments. The study assessed the reliability by having two
independent early childhood education scholars weigh the items of the research instruments used
to determine consistency. Data analyses were done using both descriptive and inferential
statistics. This study found the level of funding to the ECDE centres is inadequate and that there
are management structures in place from the community level to the National government
involved in the implementation of CSG. This study also established that the community
participates in various ways in the implementation of the CSG and that the CSG has had a
profound impact on children's access and retention in ECDE centres in Laikipia Centreal Subcounty,
Laikipia County.
Description
A project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement of the degree of masters in education in early childhood education of Kenyatta University