| dc.description.abstract | The Government of Kenya has since 1963, directed its effort toward raising the quality of
teaching and the relevance of education offered all tiers of the school system. To ensure
quality instruction and relevance of education, the government has been striving to
improve on curriculum implementation at all levels of education. The investment in
implementation not withstanding quality and the relevance of curriculum continue to be
“wanting” especially in science activity in pre-schools. The study sought to answer how
teacher’s characteristics such as age, gender, professional qualification, experience and
planning, pre-school children’s parent’s participation in ECD activities; instructional
resources and facilities influence implementation of science activity curriculum in Early
Childhood Education Centres in Ongata Ronkai Zone. The purpose of this study was to
establish the factors influencing implementation of science activity curriculum in Ongata
Ronkai pre-schools. Descriptive survey method using stratified and random sampling was
used to sample respondents. Respondents were education officers, head teachers, preschool
teachers and pre-school parents. Observation was done in randomly selected preschools.
The study targeted four public and eleven private pre-schools, three education
officers, fifteen head teachers, thirty five pre-school teachers and thirty parents. The
researcher used three questionnaires, one interview schedule and one observation
schedule to obtain information. Data collected was converted into quantitative data and
summarized into descriptive statistics in-form of frequency, percentage, mean, variance,
median and standard deviation. The results were presented in tables and figures. The
study found out that; teachers’ characteristics, planning and parents participation in such
ways as availing children to schools, payment of fees and teachers, making instructional
resources, participating as key resource teachers, assisting pupils in doing homework and
accompanying pupils for trips. Instructional resources influencing implementation of
science activity curriculum in ECD centers by provision, availability and utilization of
teaching learning resources and facilities, Early Childhood Development curriculum,
Science textbooks, furniture and playgrounds. The study concluded that majority of preschool
teachers were young, experienced professional qualified and energetic to work.
Pre-school teachers were not regularly in serviced and planning of schemes of work and
lesson plans was rarely done. Head teachers and education officers did not regularly
supervise pre-school teachers, which has encouraged laxity in planning. Pre-school
children’s parents participated in pre-school activities though it was mainly influenced by
financial status, educational qualification and value attached to education. . Instructional
resources were used in the process of teaching and were available though inadequate
because of insecurity, lack of finances and inadequate parental participation in pre-school
activities. Further research should be carried out on the following areas: Factors
influencing implementation of science activity in a larger population of Kajiado North,
influence of other stakeholders, factors hindering in-service courses, seminars and
effectiveness of teaching methods in implementation of science activity. | en |
