ABSTRACT
This study assessed the attitudes of parents and teachers towards Early Childhood
Care and Education Programme in sokoto state. A total of 152 respondents,
comprising of parents and teachers who are officials of Parents-Teachers
Association in each of the 23 Local Government Areas in the state, were used as
sample and the selection of the sample was based on the Research Advisors (2006)
sampling procedure. The instrument used for data collection in the study was a
researcher constructed questionnaire titled Parents and Teachers Attitude
Assessment Scale (PTAAS). Descriptive survey method was used for the study.
The findings of the study revealed among other thing, that the attitude of both
parents and teachers towards early childhood education is not positive, and that
teachers handling public ECCE centers in the state are not well qualified.
Consequently, it is recommended that both parents and teachers should develop
positive attitude towards early childhood care of education; parents should take
keen interest in the ECCE programme and teachers to be more committed and
dedicated to their duties. Equally, teachers with the right qualification and proper
training in the field should be made to handle public ECCE centers in the state.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
DEDICATION ii
CERTIFICATION iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS v
LIST OF TABLES viii
Abstract ix
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 3
1.3 Objectives of the Study 5
1.4 Research Questions 5
1.5 Significance of the Study 6
1.6 Scope and Delimitation of the Study 7
1.7 Operational Definition of Terms 7
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction 9
2.2 Concept of Early Childhood Care Development Education 9
2.3 Early Childhood Care Development Education in Developed,
Developing Nations and Nigeria 13
2.4 Early Childhood Care Development Education in the National Policy
on Education 19
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2.5 Concept of Attitude 20
2.6 Parental Attitude Towards Early Childhood Care, Development
and Education 29
2.7 Teachers Attitudes Towards the Development of Early Childhood
Care, Development and Education Programme 30
2.8 Psychosocial Stimulation/Early Learning 31
2.9 Early Childhood Care, Development and Education Policy Control 33
2.10 Review of Empirical Studies 34
2.11 Summary and Uniqueness of the Study 36
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction 38
3.2 Research Design 38
3.3 Population of the Study 38
3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique 39
3.5 Instrument for Data Collection 40
3.5.1 Validity of the Instrument 40
3.5.2 Reliability of the Instrument 40
3.6 Method for Data Collection 41
3.7 Data Analysis Technique 41
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION
4.1 Introduction 42
4.2 Presentation of Data 42
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4.3 Summary of Major Findings 53
4.4 Discussion of Findings 54
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 61
5.2 Conclusion 62
5.3 Recommendations 63
5.4 Suggestions for Further Studies 64
References 65
Appendices 69
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.8 Background to the Study
Early Childhood Care, Development and Education programme plays
significant role as it helps children in successful completion of Basic Education. It
provides the foundation for all-round development and enables the child to
understand various issues. Children at the early stage of learning need to be
encouraged to develop positive attitude through child to child interaction. The
early childhood education is designed carefully to provide wholesome growth and
development of children. Children that receive quality early childhood education
are more likely to succeed in school and in life (Harkness and Super, 1991). Early
Childhood Care, Development and Education (ECCDE) is therefore an integral
part of child rearing experience provided by any agency for all children. Providers
of Early Childhood Care, Development and Education in Nigeria and Sokoto state
in particular include; day care centers, Nursery schools and kindergarten centers.
The Early Childhood Care, Development and Education programme is one of the
components of Nigeria’s Universal Basic Education (UBE) Scheme as enshrined
in the (FRN, 2000) (UBE Implmentation Guidelines, 1999).
Parents and teachers/caregivers play an important role in the Early
Childhood Care, Development and Education. Their involvement is linked to
children’s total learning. Parents believe that three to six is the right age for
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children to receive early childhood education, as the child is able to understand
things well, thereby removing the child’s illiteracy (Corner, 1991).
Nigeria is among the E-9 countries; the nine countries in the world with
largest concentration of illiterate adults and which are committed to total
eradication of illiteracy within the shortest possible time and equally committed to
the development of care and education services for young children. To accomplish
this effort, the Federal Government of Nigeria in September, 1999 introduced the
Universal Basic Education Programme (UBEP) as a means to overcome problems
associated with the education system in the country, with much emphasis on basic
education. UBE Programme is a reform aimed at tackling inequality, opportunities
and improving quality in education at the basic level. It is said that the programme
was introduced by the Federal Government in order to remove distortion and
inconsistencies in basic education delivery and to reinforce the implementation of
the National Policy on Education as well as to ensure access, equity and quality of
basic education throughout the country (Tahir 2006).
Early Childhood Care, Development and Education (ECCDE) education
can be said to be the education provided for children 0-3 years in Day care centers
and for children 3 years to less than 6 years in Nursery schools. It can also be said
to be a community based, low-cost project for the holistic development of the
child from 0-6 years. ECCDE also refers to a comprehensive approach to policies
and programmes for children from birth to six years of age which seek the full
involvement of parents and caregivers for the purpose of protecting children’s
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rights to develop their full cognitive, emotional, social and physical potentials
(Universal Basic Education, 2005).
Careful observation however, reveals that at present, the attitude of parents
and teachers towards western education generally can be described as
encouraging. This is evident in the parent zeal to send their sons and daughters to
primary schools coupled with increase in the number of primary school teachers in
most states in Nigeria. However, there are some parents who are still not
comfortable with the primary education sector for lack of quality. Looking at the
problem surrounding primary education, specifically the issue of quality led to the
development and adoption of the National Integrated Early Childhood
Development (IECE) policy in 2007 to cater for children age 0 – 5 years. The goal
of this policy is to expand and integrate early childhood development.
The introduction of ECCDE was made with the hope that parents will
respond by sending their children to ECCDE centers for cognitive and
psychomotor development, as pre-requisite learning experience for acquiring
sound primary education. It is based on this ground therefore, that this study was
carried out to assess the attitude of parents and teachers towards Early Childhood
Care, Development and Education programme in Sokoto State.
1.9 Statement of the Problem
Early Childhood Care, Development and Education programme is a
component of the Universal Basic Education Scheme introduced in Nigeria in
1999 by the Federal Government with the sole aim of providing early literacy
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skills, health and nutritional care for all round development of preschool children,
so that on getting to primary schools in the later years, such children will perform
optimally thereby enhancing the quality of primary education. In view of this, the
ECCDE programme seem to be a promising package which is expected by
Government to receive an overwhelming support from parents and be handle
effectively by teachers/caregiver. However, the situation in sokoto state is far from
this expectation. Most of the public Early Childhood Care, Development and
Education centers in rural towns are not having full patronage from parents.
Equally, children of preschool age that are yet to be enrolled into Early Childhood
Education could be seen in large numbers in many homes within rural and urban
communities in the state. The human right act states that everyone has the right to
education, similarly, the Universal Basic Education Act declares that every child
of school going age should be enrolled in schools or ECCDE centers. Therefore,
refusal by parents of pre-school children to enroll their children into ECCDE
centers signifies cultivation of negative attitude towards child learning and it also
means denial of children’s fundamental rights and a violation of both the human
rights and the UBE acts. This of course is a problem that requires urgent
investigation. This therefore, formed the basis for this study which was aimed at
assessing the attitude of parents and teachers towards Early Child Care and
Education in Sokoto state.
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1.10 Objectives of the Study
This main objective of this study is to access the attitude of parents and
teachers towards Early Childhood Care, Development and Education (ECCDE)
programme in Sokoto State. However other specific objectives include:
1. To find out the attitude of parent towards Early Childhood Care,
Development and Education Programme in Sokoto state.
2. To find out the attitude of teachers toward Early Childhood Care,
Development and Education Programme in Sokoto state.
3. To determine the adequacy of parents and teachers’ support to Early
Childhood Care, Development and Education Programme in Sokoto state.
4. To find out the factors affecting parental and teachers support to Early
Childhood Care, Development and Education Programme in Sokoto state.
5. To determine the qualification and nature of teachers handling Early
Childhood Care, Development and Education Programme in Sokoto state.
1.11 Research Questions
In order to achieve the above stated objectives the study seek to answer the
following questions:
1. What is the attitude of parents towards Early Childhood Care, Development
and Education Programme in Sokoto state?
2. What is the attitude of teachers toward Early Child hood Care Development
and Education Programme in Sokoto state?
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3. How adequate is the parents and teachers’ support to Early Childhood
Care, Development and Education Programme in Sokoto state?
4. What are the factors affecting parental and teachers support to Early
Childhood Care, Development and Education Programme in Sokoto state?
5. What are the qualifications of teachers handling Early Child hood Care
Development and Education Programme in Sokoto state?
1.12 Significance of the Study
This study assessed the attitude of parents and teachers towards Early
Childhood Care, Development and Education in sokoto state. The findings of the
study will be of significance to the Sokoto State Ministry of Education, State
Universal Basic Education Board, and all Local Government Education
Authorities in the state, who are makers and implementers of the Early Childhood
Care, Development and Education Acts, by providing relevant information
regarding the attitude of parents and teachers of Early Childhood Care,
Development and Education towards the development of Early Childhood Care,
Development and Education programme in the state.
The findings will equally, assist parents and teachers of Early Childhood
Care, Development and Education to understand the need for them to develop
positive attitude towards Early Childhood Care, Development and Education
programme in the state. The findings will also be valuable to students undertaking
future research in the area of Early Childhood Care, Development and Education.
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1.13 Scope and Delimitation of the Study
The study covers the public Early Childhood Care, Development and
Education centers in the 23 Local Government areas in Sokoto state. Essentially,
one primary school that has an ECCDE center was selected from each LGA in the
state. The study did not cover private or commercial centers providing Early
Childhood Education in the state. The study is however, limited to assessing
parents and teachers attitude with regard to ECCDE programme in the state.
1.14 Operational Definition of Terms
Facilities: – Early Childhood Care and Development Education Facilities: –
Which refers to Day Care Centers or any Pre-Primary Educational
institution, be it a nursery or kindergarten.
CRC- Children’s Rights Convention: – this is a document on the rights of
the child, which was adopted by the General Assembly of the United
Nation on November, 1989.
EFA- Education For All: – This is also a world declaration to provide
universal access to education opportunities designed to meet basic learning
needs of every person. The declaration was made at a world conference on
education for all in Jomtien, Thailand in 1990.
ESA- Education Sector Analysis: – A Unit set up at the Federal Ministry of
Education to carry out the instrumentation, data collecting and analysis of
the education sector in order to facilitate education sector planning in
Nigeria.
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