THE IMPACT OF FEEDING PROGRAMME ON ENROLLMENT IN ECDE CENTERS IN AILA ZONE BONDO DISTRICT
BY
THE LATE BENARD
OMONDI OTIENO
ADMISSION
NUMBER: DIP/066/013
INDEX NO.:
A RESEARCH REPORT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
TO KNEC FOR THE AWARD OF DIPLOMA IN ECDE
April
2014
I,
OMONDI BERNARD OTIENO INDEX NO………………………………Admission
Number DIP/066/013. Do hereby declare that this research proposal is my own
original work and not a duplicate of a similar proposal that has been published
by any scholar for academic purpose or for the requirements of any college or
University. It has therefore never been presented to any other institution of
higher learning for the award of diploma or degree in Early Childhood Education
(ECDE).
I
also declare that all the materials cited in this paper which are not my own
work have been acknowledged.
SIGNATURE…………………
NAME: OMONDI BERNARD OTIENO DATE………………………….
SUPERVISOR: This
report has been submitted for review with my approval as college supervisor.
SIGNATURE:………………………………………. DATE:……………………………..
NAME:………………………………………………...
The
researcher dedicates this research proposal to his dear father Francis Otieno Oyier
who has been encouraging him for further learning. Mama Salome Aloo Otieno for
supporting him morally. He also remembers his beloved family members his wife
Winfred Akinyi Omondi, his son Gift Otieno Omondi who suffered with him and
having withstanding his absence during the study. He will never forget to
appreciate his brothers Paul Ochieng’ Otieno and Luke Ooko Otieno for
supporting him financially.
The
researcher would like to thank all who contributed during the proposal writing.
The
researcher extends his thanks to all Wilcos Early Childhood Development
Education (ECDE) centre lecturers, all teachers’ trainees who guided the
researcher during the proposal writing.
Table of Contents
E.C.D.E -Early Childhood development Education
K.E.C.E -Kenya Early Childhood
Education Series.
M.O.E -Ministry
of Education.
S.F.P.S -School Feeding
Programmes.
W.H.O -World
Health Organization
The
study found out the effects of feeding programme on the enrolment of children
in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centers in Nyayiera zone
Rarieda Division of Rarieda District in connection with high or low enrolment.
The researcher
tried to elaborate on the states of Early Childhood development Education
(ECDE) centers programmed in Nyayiera zone and objectives were achieved at the
end of the study.
Despite the fact
that there were a good number of trained ECDE teachers, good infrastructure put
in place and also provision of teaching/learning materials like books, pens and
so on, still there were low enrollment in the centers in Nyayiera Zone.
The researcher
based his study to find out importance of feeding programme in ECDE centers,
factors that influenced enrollment in ECDE centers and effects of feeding
programme in ECDE centers and effects of feeding programme and enrollment of
children in ECDE centers.
The study targeted
fourteen (14) public and private schools with Early Childhood development
Education (ECDE) centers attached to them and around thirty five (35)
pre-school teachers. The analysis was taken from the head teachers, pre-school
teachers and parents or guardians whose children are enrolled in those early
Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centers.
The accessible
schools were selected randomly from the fourteen (14) public and private
schools in the zone with ECDE centers attached to them; only eight (8) centers were
selected. The information from headteachers and pre-school teachers from these
ECDE centers were based on the interview and questionnaires.
On the
methodology, the researcher used quantitative survey design approach; the
researcher also employed interview schedule, observation schedule as tools to
state the target population, sampled population and sample procedure.
Analysis of the
data will be through tables, pie charts and histograms for a clear presentation
of the results.
The results will
clearly reveal other factors that may contribute to low or high enrolment in
Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centers.
This
chapter is comprised of background of the study, statement of the problem,
purpose of the study, objectives of the study, research questions, significance
of the study, limitations of the study, scope of the study and operational definitions
of key terms and concepts.
This
is the setting or position of the study. It is a brief overview of the problem
the researcher aspired to tackle. Background of the study may be in three dimensions
i.e historical, theoretical and conceptual dimension. The researcher tackled
the three dimensions. The background of the study clarified what had brought
about the need for the study. It indicated the opportunities for improvement. It also pointed out
the challenges faced due to the identified issues.
Pre-school children need a list of
energy in their body. They are very active and involve themselves in a lot of
play. They can get energy from food that they feed on. Good feeding will enable
the children not to get exhausted. Good feeding therefore provides materials
for growth and replaces worn out tissue. Energy for physical activities which
make them play without feeling tired and even learn much better by being
attentive. According to developing alternative complementary approaches to
early development in Kenya (1999), 68% of children aged 4-6 years old are not
catered for in the present ECDE programmes.
Stations
from MOE (1990) shows that current national enrolment figure for pre-school levels
stands at 1176506 in terms of age group 4-5 years. Almost high percentage are
vulnerable group of children who are not reached by the ECDE programmes.
According
to Kenya Early Childhood Education Series (KECES) of 2002, food ought to be
eaten after some intervals, not all time. It also asserts that children have
small stomachs which cannot hold much food hence it needs to be served in small
quantities at intervals in ECDE in centers where children spend more than half
of the early life and day.
For
survival therefore the healthiest ones need to eat a balance diet as lack of
adequate food nutrients leads to malnutrition and lack of vital nutrients
needed by the body can cause deficiency diseases such as Marasmus and
kwashiorkor.
This
refers to what the researcher identified as existing in the literature theory
or practice. It also referred to an issue or concern that disturbs the
researcher.
In
Kenya, ECDE centers have been side-lined/ignored by most communities. Most
people have negative attitudes in ECDE. They feel that it is time wasting
institution where children go to sing, play and recite letters of alphabets.
The
government of Kenya through the Ministry of Education (M.O.E) has come up with
awareness programme on the importance of feeding programme in ECDE centers. It
ensures that the feeding programme is sustained in Nyayiera zone by giving
support through grants to the centers with the existing feeding programme. The government
also stress on the youthful stage of the child since it contributes a lot to
the learning and development of the child.
The
issue of feeding programme is so vital that lack of it would make most of the ECDE
children drop-out of school.
The
children need it frequently to avoid diseases resulting from insufficient feeding.
As a result it leads to low development hence the child may not develop
holistically.
Malnutrition
also results due to high rate of illiteracy. Child mortality rate hence may increase.
In addition, poverty may probably be the factor to this. Despite the effects of
mobilization and awareness done by the government, some ECDE centers in Nyayiera
zone still have no feeding programme.
This
is the general intention of the research. The researcher identified the goals
of the study. It specified what the researcher carried out. Therefore the
purpose of the study is to find out how feeding programme affected the
enrolment level of children in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centers
in Nyayiera zone, Rarieda District.
These
are the specific aims or goals that arise directly from the purpose of the
study. They are also statements of intended specific outcomes that specify more
directly what the researcher is going to do.
The research study will be guided
by the following objectives:-
(i)
To determine the importance of feeding
programme on the enrolment of children in ECDE centers in Nyayiera zone.
(ii)
To identify factors that influence
enrolment of children in ECDE centers in Nyayiera Zone, Rarieda District.
(iii)
To determine effects of feeding
programme and enrolment of children in ECDE centers in Nyayiera zone, Rarieda
District.
(iv)
Types of feeding programmes in ECDE centers.
These
are the questions which drives the researcher in the study. These questions
derive from the research objectives.
The
researcher will have the following research questions during his study:-
(i)
What are the importances of feeding
programme on the enrolment of children in ECDE centers?
(ii)
What are the factors that influence the
enrolment of children in ECDE centers?
(iii)
What are the effects of feeding
programme in ECDE centers?
The
study findings were useful/beneficial to schools; parents; teachers, education
administrators and the government. The researcher hoped that the findings that were
obtained from the study were used to improve parental care as parents discovered
the importance of enriched foods in school feeding programme and even back at
home since a well fed child is active in various activities both indoor and
outdoor.
The
study also enabled the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) to identify
within the zone areas with poor feeding programme in their learning centers and
set up projects which may boost their production hence being in position to
support feeding programme in ECDE centers.
These
are constrains /problems that the researcher encountered during the research
study.
The
researcher faced some of the challenges such as limited time to carry out the
study due to other duties at the place of work which must be accomplished even
during the study. Harsh climate for example during rainy season, it was difficult
to access some respondents due to mud. There was poor response from the
targeted group. The group did not respond promptly within the time frame as
expected by the researcher. Inadequate funds were also a problem due to
economic constraints. This hindered effective working and data collection. This
hindered the researcher from visiting all the sampled schools and reach
researcher from and reach all the respondents that the researcher have
targeted.
The
respondents also attempted to give wrong information on the study and this lead
the researcher to some wrong results from the study.
Some
respondents were not willing to co-operate in that, they needed money in order
to give out information. This forced the researcher to waste a lot of time and
resources on such respondents.
The
time for carrying out the study was rather being short because the respondents
include parents, ECD teachers and ECDE children. These respondents were just to
be met within a school term.
This
is the description of the boundaries of the study. It can be in terms of
methodology and geographical coverage such as time, design, data collection
tools and techniques and the out come.
The
study was conducted in both private and public schools within Nyayiera Zone
because the researcher had enough geographical knowledge of the area. The
researcher used the language of the catchment area to ease the work process.
The
respondents for the study were both trained and untrained teachers of the
sampled ECDE teachers within the zone, parents and pupils were also be included
in the study since they gave first hand information.
The
study was carried out between the months of May and July 2014. The researcher based
his study on the effects of feeding programme on the enrolment of children in
ECDE centers and did not cover any other factors that affect enrolment.
Child:
Any person undergoing developmental stages in early years and is in ECDE centers.
Pre- school:-
Day care where children spent most of their early years and offered essential needs
for holistic development.
M.O.E:-
Ministry of Education
Nutrition
:- Food rich in all nutrients which enable the body to function well.
Feeding:
Giving food substance to a person.
Researcher:- A person undertaking a study on a given
topic and finding out solutions through it.
Literature review is an account of what
has been published on a topic by a credited scholar and researchers. It is also
a systematic identification, location, retrieval analysis and evaluation of
documents that are related to the research problem/topic literature review
sharpens and deepens the theoretical foundation of research by studying
different literature which contains theories, researcher gains clarity and
better understanding of foundations related to current research.
It enabled the researcher to avoid
duplication of work hence this enabled the researcher to identify the kind of
additional data needed in the study. It also helped the researcher to develop a
significant problem which provided further knowledge in the field of study the
researcher can do this through comparing what has already been done with what
would be useful to focus on in the current study.
Literature review also helps in
developing analytical framework /a base for analyzing and interpreting data. It
is also useful for planning in future researchers.
According to scholar link Research
Institute Journals (2013), Elimu (2007) the school feeding program (SFP) is an
essential aspect of child growth and holistic development. To establish a
functional school feeding programme (SFP), parents should be involved in all
procedures to ensure sustainability of the programme which will cater for the
children from diverse socio- economic backgrounds hence academic achievements
among early Childhood and development (ECDE) children.
A school feeding programme (SFP) is essential
to provide a balance diet to ECD children who would in turn enable the children
to increase their attention span hence better academic achievement.
The school feeding program is a crucial
component in the development of a holistic child. Feeding program is a powerful
influence on a child’s learning and how well a child performs in a school. The effect
of under feeding on young children aged (0-8) years can be deviating and
enduring in the area of cognitive development, when there isn’t enough food,
the body has to make decision about how to invest the limited food staffs available.
Survival comes first, growth comes second. Good feeding involves consumption of
a variety of foods in appropriate amounts, since no single kind of food can
provide children have short attention which is linked to low glucose levels,
food provides a good amount of glucose amongst children, and provision of
balanced diet would enable children to develop their cognitive, psychomotor and
affective domain. A healthy child will concentrate more in class work hence
developing the cognitive part. He /she can also play to develop physically and
will interact with others with a lot of ease and grow in self esteem.
School feeding programmes (SFPs) are one
of several interventions that can address some of the nutrition and health
problems of school age children. SFPs and other school-based nutrition and
health programs. (Meyers, 1989) states that United States of America showed the
benefits of providing breakfast to disadvantaged children. Once in program,
however, tests scores of children participating in the program improved more
than the score of non-participants. The attendance of participating children
also improved.
In Parkistan, a program provides an
income in form of one or two tins of oil to families whose girls attend school
for twenty days per month. In its pilot phase the oil incentive program
demonstrated that it could make a significant contribution to full attendance.
In participating schools enrolment
improved by 76% compared to 14% in the province overall. Attendance increased
from 73% to 95% among participants. The program also claims to put additional
food in the lands of mothers to serve as a contact between mothers and teachers
on distribution days (WFP, 19996).
Ahmed and Billah (1994) stated that in
Bangladesh, a program of school based food distribution increased enrolment by
20% versus a 2% decline in non participating schools.
According to Early Childhood Development
and Education (ECDE) standard guidelines of Kenya (2006) the school going children
require enriched porridge, a balanced diet at lunch hour to increase their
attention span.
Pollit, Jacoby and Cueto, 1995, stated
that School feeding programs, (SFPs) can motivate parents to enroll their
children in school and see that they attend regularly, programme effectively
reduce absenteeism and drop outs. The programme also improved the children’s
cognitive performance.
According to both Nindi (1991), school
going children are seen to be the only caregivers or provider in many families.
This cause a lot of dropout from school hence low enrolments in ECDE centers.
The researcher will do research in Nyayiera zone to find out if school going
children are held back at home to provide care for their younger siblings at
the expense of their education.
From the above citations, it is certain
that children in households with an AIDS patient are likely to remain home or
be absent from school because of the need to care for the sick member of the
family. The researcher will conduct the research in the zone to find out if
children from homes with AIDS patients frequently absent themselves from
schools.
According to (Mukogoyo and Wiliam 1990)
in Tanzania, there has been generally low enrolment in schools without feeding
program. The researcher will therefore carry out a study in ECDE centers in Nyayiera
zone to find out whether ECDE centers without feeding programme have fewer children
compared to those centers with feeding programmes.
Jayshree & Balachander (2001) There
are various types of distribution regarding school feeding programme. These
include on-site meals. These are foods that are distributed to children while
at school during morning and afternoon meal and snack times, which may include
a bowl of porridge or nutrient –fortified crackers.
Take–home rations are collection of
basic food items such as a bag of rice and a bottle of cooking oil, which may
be sent home and transferred to the families of girls that regularly attend
school. The food items needed for school feeding programs may be transported to
various parts of the country from the government and Non Governmental
Organizations. This exercise looks forward to expand feeding programmes in pre
and primary schools. This type of feeding programme is also known as
“Home-grown school feeding”. It requires food that is provided through
purchasing through the country to the greatest extend possible.
It
is beyond reasonable doubt that feeding programme boosts enrollment and promote
effective learning.
Kithimba
(1997) cites that by the time the children join pre-school at about 3 – 4 year
they need to be fed five times in a day. This will enable children to maintain
good health, attend school regularly and actively participate in class.
According to him if schools prepare meals which are not nutritious children
will often fall sick and be absent from school. The situation will lead to low
enrollment hence affect leaning.
Giving
the meals in time, training on personal hygiene and good eating habits should
be emphasized so as to enable children come to school regularly, learn and
retain knowledge throughout their lifetime. It is therefore the responsibility
of the teachers to ensure that school environment is friendly and warm to
support the feeding programme.
GOK
on seasonal paper on Early Childhood Policy review mission (2004) says that availability
of feeding programme can motivate parents to enroll their children in ECD
centers and to see that they attend regularly. Feeding program can effectively
reduce absenteeism and dropouts and this translate into better performance.
According
to Pillite and Cuete (1995) absenteeism is rampant among nutritionally
disadvantaged children. He suggests that for this problem to be solved feeding
programme should be introduced in ECDE centers.
Sheila
R. I. (2005) states that the teacher’s experience gives children a better
chance in school. This will be useful to them concerning the children’s daily
rations of meals. Giving recommended quantities of food will promote children’s
learning hence increase their academic performance.
Journal
of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies (4(3):505-513)
cites that children from poverty stricken homes are not regular at school due
to hunger and nutritional deficiency diseases. Worse still, some children also
come from child headed families due to their parents’ death. Such children will
stay at home without going to school.
To
increase enrollment and attendance in ECDE centers feeding programmes should be
introduced. Teachers should also ensure that the school environment is clean as
this will provide an environment free from conditions that can lead to low
enrollment.
This chapter discusses research design
/approach, location of the study, target population, sample and sampling
techniques, research tools/instruments, data collection procedures as well as
data analysis, presentation and interpretation.
This is the way the information is
gathered from the subjects. It is the pattern that the research intended to
follow or the strategy for conducting research.
The research strategy that the
researcher used was quantitative in nature. Quantitative research involves
obtaining a large body of data in order to produce results that can be
generalized to the target population. Quantitative approach yields the data
that are quantifiable. It is also preventative as a large sample of the
population is involved. It analyses the data deductively by use of statistical
references. The techniques /methods used in this approach are survey method,
structured interview method and questionnaires.
The design was descriptive survey. In
survey method, the researcher selected a group of respondents, collects
information and then analyzed the information and answers the research
questions.
The subjects were selected from a large
population through sampling so as to be representative of the larger population.
This allowed accurate information to be collected about the large population
from a small sample. Survey described incidents, frequencies and distribution
of the characteristics of the population.
This refers to the place/area where the
study was carried out. The study was carried out in the sampled ECDE centers in
Nyayiera zone, Rarieda Division, Rarieda District, Siaya County. The study was
carried out in Nyayiera zone.
The zone was located in Central Asembo
Location. It bordered Nyayiera zone of Rarieda Division to the North and Nyilima
zone of Rarieda Division to the south. The schools in zone were accessible
because the main Ndori-Lwanda Kotieno road is well tarmacked and it passes near
most schools in the zone.
This is the zone where the researcher
resided in; the researcher chose to carry out his research study in Nyayiera
zone because he felt he had ample time to carry out the study. The schools
within the zone are also accessible.
Population is a group of individuals,
objects or items from which samples are taken for measurements. It is also an
entire group of persons or elements that have at least one thing in
common/characteristics. Target population is the total number of subjects that
the researcher is interested in. The researcher targets all the schools both
public and private schools attached to ECDE centers in Nyayiera zone.
The researcher will also target all the
head-teachers of public schools and private schools with ECD centers since they
are in charge of admission of ECDE children. The headteachers were also having
much information regarding the background of the children and even feeding
program. The researcher also targeted all the ECDE teachers in all the ECDE
centers. ECDE teachers gave first hand information on the feeding programme in
their centers. They are also aware of the challenges they encountered in their
centers concerning feeding programme. The researcher did not left out the
parents whose children are learning at the ECDE centers. The parents helped the
researcher to get more information concerning feeding programme. The researcher
covered fourteen 914) schools within Nyayiera zone. These schools included:
Kusa primary, Lela primary, Oboch primary, Ramba primary, St. Lazarus primary,
Kitambo primary, Majengo Primary, Saradidi Primary, Luoro Primary, Gunda –Rut
Primary, Got-Rarieda Primary and academics such as Jayson Academy, St. Francis Ebenezer
Academy and Little kids Junior Academy.
The researcher also targeted all parents
of children in ECDE centers within Nyayiera zone. The trained and untrained
ECDE teachers within the sampled schools were also be targeted during the
study.
Sample is part of the target/accessible
population that has been procedurally selected to present it. Sample size is
part of the large population that was selected.
In this study, the researcher sampled
eight (8) schools out of the fourteen (14) schools in the zone. This is 57% of
the schools in Nyayiera Zone. In fourteen schools (14) there are thirty five
(35) ECD teachers. The researcher targets 25 teachers out of the 35 teachers.
This will be 71% of ECD teachers in the zone. Out of 14 headteachers in the
zone, the researcher targeted 7 headteachers and this is 50% of headteachers of
the zone.
The sample was large enough to serve as an
adequate representation of the population about which the researcher wished to
carry out the study on and small enough to be selected economically in terms of
subject availability.
The researcher used simple random
sampling procedure to arrive at schools in the zone. Simple random sampling
allowed the selection of a sample from the population without biasness. It
yielded research data that was easily generalized. It provided equal
opportunity of selection. It was also easy to employ since it is void of
complexities. The researcher used the technique of placing the numbers in a
container and by picking at random.
The researcher used different sampling
techniques. Sampling techniques is the process of selecting a number of
individuals, objects for a study in such a way that the individuals/subjects
selected represented the large group from which they were selected.
These are tools that are used by the
researcher when collecting data/information. They include questionnaires,
observation schedules and rating scales. In this study, the researcher used
questionnaires to collect data. The instrument was sent to respondents by
various mean such as posting them to the post office or sending them by hand
delivery. It enabled the researcher to collect data even if she/he was absent.
Questionnaires were issued to head
teachers and both trained and untrained ECD teachers.
The questionnaire gave the respondent an
ample time to think, reflect and respond to the questions.
The questionnaire as a tool also saved
time. It enabled the researcher to reach more respondents at the same time. It
also enhanced confidentiality and the result given out was fairly easy to
tabulate and analyze.
The researcher got permission from the
school administration to allow him carry out his study and be out of the school
compound during his research study.
He as well got permission from District
Education Office to allow him conduct his study and be away from his working
station during the study at some circumstances. Once the permission was granted
by both the school administration and the District Education Office (DEO), the
researcher carried out his study as planned.
The researcher went to the sampled
schools to give out/distribute the questionnaires to the ECDE teachers and
head-teachers. He later followed up whether the questionnaires he gave out are
answered. He also ensured that he reached the sampled ECDE, parents and ECDE
children and interviewed them. By so doing, he gathered relevant information.
The researcher used interviews,
questionnaires, observations schedule to collect data. The researcher chose the
method(s) which suit(s) the objectives of the study. Other instruments for data
collection were included interview schedule for parents, teachers and head
teachers. Observation checklists were used to validate information from previous
instruments.
Data analysis refers to the process of
systematic searching and arranging field findings for presentation. It also refers
to examining what has been collected and making deductions and inferences. It
involves organizing the data, breaking the data into categories and units.
The researcher used tables of frequency
and figures for data presentation and analysis. This method organized and
presented data in frequencies and percentages thus enabled the reader to
understand and interpret the data with ease relationships. Therefore the data was
presented in tables of frequency and percentages, pie-charts and histograms.
This chapter presents results/findings of
the research study based on effects of feeding programme on enrollment of
children in ECDE centers.
The raw data was collected from all the
sampled Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centers by the use of
questionnaires and interview schedules.
The first objectives of this study were
to identify the importance of feeding programme on enrollment of children in
ECDE centers in Nyayiera Zone.
To achieve this respondent were asked to
react to the questions asked react to the question or statement on these
objectives of the study.
Table
4.1 number of respondents who respondent
Yes
|
No
|
8
|
6
|
Fig
4.1: Pie chart showing the response rate
Table
4.2: Enrolment level in ECDE centers in Nyayiera Zone
ECDE
centers
|
Enrolment
level 2014
|
Oboch
|
25
|
Luoro
|
30
|
Kusa
|
26
|
Lela
|
34
|
St. lazarus
|
42
|
Gundarut
|
25
|
Got Bondo
|
40
|
Total
|
230
|
4.2.1
Bar graph
Table
2: Changes in enrollment in ECDE centers 2014 compared to 2013
ECDE
Center
|
2013
|
2014
|
Decline/increase
|
%Increase/decrease
|
Oboch
|
21
|
25
|
+4
|
|
Luoro
|
35
|
38
|
+3
|
|
Kusa
|
20
|
26
|
+5
|
+25%
|
Lela
|
37
|
34
|
-3
|
-8.1%
|
St. Lazarus
|
40
|
42
|
+2
|
+5%
|
Gunda rut
|
30
|
25
|
-5
|
16.66%
|
Got bondo
|
38
|
40
|
+2
|
+5.26%
|
221
|
230
|
4.07%
|
As noted in the above table, it is clear
that more than half of the sampled ECDE centers i.e. five centers had a positive
change in enrollment in the year 2014 compared to the 2013. These were Oboch ECDE,
Luoro ECDE, Kusa ECDE. This gave an increase of 71.42%. on the other hand, two
ECDE centers i.e. Lela ECDE and Gudarut ECDE had a decrease in their enrolment
despite the fact that feeding programme was available in the centers.
The researcher therefore concluded that
the enrollment in most ECDE centers increased due to the availability of
feeding program.
Table
3: Data analysis
Changes
in enrollment
|
Respondents
|
||||
Head
teachers
|
ECDE
teachers
|
Parents/guardians
|
Total
|
Percentage
|
|
Increase
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
15
|
71.46%
|
Decrease
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
6
|
28.57%
|
Total
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
21
|
99.99%
|
As noted in the table above, respondents
from the head teachers, ECDE teachers and parents/ guardian from 5 five centers
recorded an increase in enrollment by 71.42% in the year 2014 compound to the
year 2013. Only respondents from the headteacher, ECDE teachers and
parents/guardians from (2) two ECDE centers recorded a decrease in enrollment
by about 28.57% in the year 2014 compared to the year 2013. The researcher after
analyzing the enrollment, he noted that the increase which was noted to be high
or the decrease in enrollment in ECDE centers were majorly contributed by
factors such as feeding programme in the centers, free primary education (FPE),
teaching/learning materials, community development grants and government
policy.
It was therefore noted that the most
importance in ECDE centers was to increase the enrollment.
4.3
Factors that influence enrollment of children in ECDE centers
Table
4
Factors
|
Responses
|
Percentage
|
Feeding programme
|
20
|
95%
|
Poverty
|
15
|
71%
|
F.P.E.
|
10
|
47%
|
Lack of uniforms
|
12
|
57%
|
Fig
4.3 Bar graph on factors that influence enrollment of children in ECDE centers
Given by the respondents, 95%
respondents represented feeding programme followed by 71% representing poverty,
57% representing lack of uniform and lastly 47% representing free primary
education (FPE).
Therefore it is indicated that feeding
programme was the major factor behind high enrollment in ECDE centers in
Nyayiera Zone. Disputes of feeding programme, there were other factors which
lead to high enrollment such as free primary education.
Table
5 Respondents of effects of feeding programme and enrollment of children in
ECDE centers
Response
|
Respondents
|
||||
Head
teacher
|
ECDE
teachers
|
Parents/guardian
|
Total
|
Percentage
|
|
Yes
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
21
|
100
|
No
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Total
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
21
|
100
|
As
noted in the above table, respondents i.e. head teachers, the ECDE teachers and
parents/guardians from the sampled schools/centers all accepted that there are
some effects of feeding programme and enrollment of children in ECDE centers.
Table
6
Effects
|
Responses
|
Percentages
|
Poor infrastructure
|
15
|
71.42%
|
Lack of enough T/L materials
|
20
|
90%
|
Lack of enough teachers
|
18
|
80%
|
Overcrowding
|
12
|
57.14%
|
As noted in the above table, respondents
i.e. head teachers , parents/guardian cited that the effect of feeding
programme on enrollment of children in ECDE centers were; lack of enough
teachers 80%, poor infrastructure, 71.42% and finally overcrowding in the
centers 57.14%.
Table 7 Types of feeding programmes in
ECDE centers
Types of feeding programme
|
Respondents
|
||||
Headteachers
|
ECDE teachers
|
Parents/guradina
|
Total
|
Percentage
|
|
Prepared in the center
|
3
|
4
|
2
|
9
|
42.85%
|
Carrying packed meals
|
4
|
3
|
5
|
12
|
57.14%
|
Total
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
21
|
100%
|
As cited in the above table, respondents
i.e. headteachers, ECDE teachers and parents/guardian respondents i.e.
headteachers, four ECDE teachers and two parents said that their children were
prepared in the ECDE centers. Four head teachers, three ECDE teachers and five
parents/guardian cited that their learners carry their packed meals from home.
This was 57.4%
This information has been analyzed in
the pie chart below.
Figure
2: Pie chart showing the response on the types of feeding programme in ECDE
centers.
This chapter contains
discussions/findings/results and conclusion drawn from the same and
recommendation.
The first objective of this study was to
determine the importance of feeding programme on the enrollment of children in
ECDE centers in Nyayiera.
The first objective of this study was to
determine the importance of feeding programme on the enrollment of children in
ECDE centers in Nayiera Zone.
Data analysis and interpretation of
response was (8) out of the fourteen ECDE centers in Nyayiera zone. Out of the
8 ECDE centers, the researcher managed to recollect questionnaires for 7 ECDE
centers.
These revealed that the enrollment in
most of the ECDE centers in Nyayiera zone has increased by 4.07% compared to
the year 2013. This could be due to the effort of parents providing and
donating meals in the ECDE centers. The findings in the agreement in the views
of (Meyers 1989) who expressed the same. The findings also was agreed in the
view of Ahmed and Billah, 1994 who also expressed the same.
The second objective of this study was
to identify factors that influences enrollment of children in ECDE centers in
Nyayiera Zone.
Data analysis and interpretation of
responses was forty seven (47). The response revealed that feeding programme
among other factors such as poverty, free primary education (FPE) and lack of
school uniforms affect enrollment in ECDE centers either positively or
negatively. The findings indicate that feeding programme influences the
enrollment in ECDE centers positively by 95% while free primary education (FPE)
by 47%.
The findings in the agreement in the
views of Mukogoyo and William 1990 who expressed that there was generally
enrollment in ECDE centres without feeding programme.
The third objective of this study was to
determine effects of feeding programme and enrollment of children on ECDE
centers in Nyayiera Zone.
Data analysis and interpreting responses
and interpretation of response was twenty one. It revealed that feeding
programme and enrollment of children has many effects in ECDE centers. Feeding
programme has increased the enrolment in the ECDE centers in Nyayiera zone.
This led to overcrowding in the centers, poor infrastructures, lack of enough
teaching and learning materials and lack of enough teachers. Due to this, children
not getting what were expected of them. The finding in the agreement in the
views of Kabiru and Njenga 2007 who expressed the same views.
The fourth objectives of this study were
to find out types of feeding programme in ECDE centers.
Data analysis and interpretation of
responses was twenty one, revealed that 57.14% depend on packed meals that are
carried from home and 42.85% feed in their centers. This could be due to
poverty in the area and lack of government support in all the ECDE centers in
the zone.
The finding in the agreement in the
views by Jayshree Balachander 2001 who expressed the same views.
The study investigated how feeding
programmes is higher than ECDE centers in the zones and see how it can enhance
implementation of the goals of education. In the views of this finding, it was
concluded that most ECDE centers in the zone have feeding programme provided in
each center varies from center to center. It is concluded that the enrollment of
children in ECDE centers is influenced by some factors. Some parents are poor
and unable to provide for the children’s for the children’s basic needs hence
their children end up being enrolled in public ECDE centers’ some of these
parents are also unable to afford school uniforms for their children hence
hinder their children from being enrolled in the ECDE centers. It is concluded
that free primary education increase the enrollment of children in the ECDE
centers in the zone. This leads to high enrollment in the centers. Finally
feeding programme has lead to high enrollment in the centers.
In the view of this finding it is
concluded that there is relationship between feeding programme and enrollment.
Inn the centers with feeding programme the enrollment are very high as compared
to those without.
From the results of findings of the
study, the researcher recommends as follows:
-
That all the schools in the zone should
enhance feeding programme in their centers to motivated children being enrolled
in the ECDE centres.
-
That the government should support all
the ECDE centers to maintain feeding programme.
-
That the stakeholders should ensure that
all ECDE centers are supported to maintain feeding programme.
-
That parent should be enlightened on the
importance of feeding programme in ECDE centers.
-
That caregivers/parents should also
ensure that they pay much need or contributed to maintain their children’s
feeding the centers.
Agnes Kithimba
(1997), Home Science University
(Education Africa), Nairobi.
Ahmed and Billah
(1994): Introduction to Educational
Resources – Part 1 (Theory) Nairobi, KISE
E. S. Cuete
& E. Pillite (1995), Benefits of a
School Breakfast Programme among Indian Children
Elimu (2007): A Policy and Seek to Expand and Improve
Journal of
Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policies (4(3): 505 – 513)
Nindi (1991), Food and Nutrition in ECDE, Oxford
University Press
Sheila R. I.
(2005) How to Observe Children.
London Heinemann Education Publisher
Sugai, G and
Horner R. H. (1999). Discipline and
Behavioral Support: Practice, Pitfalls and Promises, Effective School Practices
Winsconi, N.
2010, Expand feeding Programme in ECDE Centre
