| dc.description.abstract | The needs of children are complex and diverse, and involve catering for all areas of development, including physical, mental, social, emotional, moral and spiritual. For children to realize their full potential in life, they require quality healthcare, nutrition, early stimulation, protection, care and training services. No one partner can adequately provide all these services effectively to safeguard rights and meet the needs of young children. Thus, the purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of parental involvement on learners’ participation in Early Childhood Development Education, Lower Nyokal division, Homa Bay District. The objectives of the study were; to determine the effects of prompt fee payment, examine ways by which parental participation during open days, and establish ways through which parental facilitation of learners’ homework and ways by which parental contribution to health of learners’ influence their participation in ECDE centres in Lower Nyokal division. This study was based on Bronfenbrenners’ theory of ecological systems which postulates that children develop within a complex system of relationships affected by multiple levels of environment. The study used descriptive survey design because data was collected at a particular point in time and used to describe the nature of the exiting circumstances. The instruments for data collection were questionnaires for head teachers, questionnaires for ECDE teachers, questionnaire for parents and an observation checklist for primary source of data. The target population was 105 ECDE teachers, 35 head teachers and 900 parents but the researcher only considered 30% of these for the study. For the two strata (West Kochia zone and East Kochia zone) ECDE centres to form the sample, simple random and convenience sampling techniques were employed. Piloting was done to ensure content validity and questionnaire items were carefully chosen to ensure they were representative of the vast range of questions in the area of study. Split-half method was employed to test the reliability of instruments. Data obtained was analyzed descriptively and presented in tables, graphs and charts. The study had the following conclusions: Imprompt fee payment resulted to inconsistent attendance, mobility and drop out of learners from the ECDE centers. On parent’s participation during open days, the study revealed low participation. Parental facilitation of learners’ homework was poor as parents reported lack of materials,
time and knowledge to do it successfully. The study also revealed that ill health affected attendance of ECDE learners as most of the learners’ attendance was inconsistent. The study therefore recommends that the government considers developing and implementing policies that support parental involvement since the collaborative effort enhances children’s learning. The study suggested that further research be carried out to compare parental involvement in public ECDE centres and private centres and to establish differences in development dimensions
between children who attended public pre-schools and those who attended private pre-schools at the lower primary level | en_US |
