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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 8, No. 11
Publication Date: November 25, 2021
DOI:10.14738/assrj.811.11278. Agbayisah, S., & Dzakadzie, Y. (2021). Assessment of Training and Perception of Teachers About Early Childhood Education
Programme in Adaklu District, Volta-Region, Ghana. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(11). 463-472.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Assessment of Training and Perception of Teachers About Early
Childhood Education Programme in Adaklu District, Volta- Region, Ghana
Seth Agbayisah
Agogo Presbyterian Women College of Education, Akyem-Agogo
Yayra Dzakadzie, PhD
Faculty of Educational studies, University of Education, Winneba
INTRODUCTION
The benefits of Early Childhood Education for individuals as well as for the society have been
recognized and documented across a range of academic disciplines (Heckman & Masterov,
2007; Heckman, 2006; Alabi & Ijaiya, 2014). Oduolowu and Olowe (2011) noted that the early
years of children are years of extreme vulnerability and tremendous potentials, during which
adequate protection, care and stimulation are essential to provide the foundation for well-being
and development. In providing this foundation during the early years therefore, Early
Childhood Education (ECE) becomes a key factor which cannot be ignored or underplayed.
Stallings and Porter cited in Bartels (2004), contended that children who go through KG
education are likely to stay longer in education, climbing higher, getting good jobs and
supporting themselves and leading exemplary lives in the society and this they think is possible
because they (children) had earlier and better initial behavioral nurturing. Also, Leggett (2017)
noted that creativity is an important skill that preschoolers develop during their early year’s
education. Rolnick cited in Oppong Frimpong (2019) noted that Quality Early Childhood
Education (QECE) can play a significant role in children’s ability to develop a stronger academic
adaptability. These skills are important when children enroll in the primary school level and in
later life. Contrary to this, Lemaire, Amoah, Ntsiful, Micah and Bonney (2013) indicated that
stakeholders in the Western Region of Ghana have low perception of Early Childhood Education
provision and this adversely affects the performance of their roles to ensure effective
implementation of early childhood programmes and policies in the region.
Many scholars in Early Childhood Education defined the term “Early Childhood Education” in
several ways mostly to suit their philosophical ideologies. For instance, Oppong Frimpong
(2017) defined Early Childhood Education as an educational provision aimed at meeting the
academic, health, nutritional and psycho-social needs of children between 0 and 8 years old in
an interactive environment conducive to their optimal development. UNESCO cited in Jaramillo
and Mingat (2008) define the term as educational programs and strategies geared towards
children from birth to the age of eight. In this study however, Early Childhood Education is
defined as a specially designed and deliberately planned educational program intended to
ensure the holistic development of children between the ages of 0 and 8 years within a
developmentally appropriate environment, by experts who are well and professionally trained
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 8, Issue 11, November-2021
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
on how children learn and develop. Developmentally appropriate environment as used in the
definition refers to the learning environment that possess or have relevant materials both for
indoors and outdoors activities of children, specially trained or professional teachers, safe
infrastructural facilities, healthy learning atmosphere and positive perception as well as
attitude towards the aim of ECE provision which is to ensure the optimal and holistic
development of children.
As indicated in the definition, central to the implementation of quality Early Childhood
Education is the teacher. Nnabuo (1996) pointed out that the quality of education depends on
the quality of teachers and what they know. In similar vein, Quist (2000) in his submission
stated that successful teaching and quality of pupil learning is closely related to the teacher’s
knowledge and understanding of the subject. In emphasizing the need of qualified teachers in
education, Al-hassan (2006) pointed out that the teacher is an important variable in learning
situations, and the teacher’s skills and personalities are instrumental in creating the conditions
for learning. Teachers need to be knowledgeable so that they can make useful decisions
regarding what should be taught, to whom, and how the teaching should be done (Eliason &
Holmes, 2012).
Research findings demonstrate clearly that among the factors that lead to students’ academic
performance are qualities of teachers (Harmer cited in Bicaj & Shala, 2018; Mosha, 2014). A
specially trained teacher for the delivery of ECE programme will help in many ways to lay the
proper foundation of a child’s learning process. Teachers’ qualification corresponds positively
with teaching and learning of children in many studies (Betts, Zau & Rice, 2003; Forrester,
2008). For instance, Betts, Zau and Rice (2003) found that teachers’ qualification correlates
fairly positive with children’s learning. Betts et al submitted that, when teachers have an
advanced degree in their teaching subjects or specializations, it has positive impact on the
children’s learning and achievement. Khurshid (2008) also observed that, if a specially trained
teacher teaches a group of learners, the performance of the learners was good and high because,
in the process of education, the teacher is very crucial.
Although, training and perception of teachers cannot be ignored as far as the implementation
of quality ECE is concerned, little has been known and documented on the training and
perception of teachers who deliver Early Childhood Education programme in the Adaklu
district and how it influences the delivery of the programme in the district. There has also been
enactment of several policies, for instance, provision for Early Childhood Care and
Development (Article, 38) in the 1992 constitution of Ghana, inclusion of ECE programme into
the main formal education system and the adoption of an Early Childhood Educational policy in
2004 to ensure effective Early Childhood Education programme delivery in Ghana, several
studies (Oppong Frimpong, 2019; Abdulai, 2014; UNESCO, 2010) indicated that there are some
challenges that hinders smooth and quality delivery of Early Childhood Education programme
in country.
The majority of these earlier studies, however, do not investigate nor do they report on the level
of training and the perception of teachers as well as the influence these elements have on the
smooth delivery of Early Childhood Education programme.
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Agbayisah, S., & Dzakadzie, Y. (2021). Assessment of Training and Perception of Teachers About Early Childhood Education Programme in Adaklu
District, Volta-Region, Ghana. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(11). 463-472.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.811.11278
The question then is, do the teachers who deliver Early Childhood Education programme have
the needed training and knowledge in the study area? What is the perception of teachers about
the provision of Early Childhood Education programme in the study area? Does the level of
training of teachers and their perception play a role or influence quality delivery of Early
Childhood Education programme in the study area? Answers to these mind-boggling questions
are vital in ensuring quality provision of ECE programme, however, these answers are not
readily documented in current literature. This study was therefore conducted to assess the
training and perception of teachers about Early Childhood Education programme in Adaklu
district, Volta-region, Ghana.
Research Objectives
The study sought to:
1. Assess the training of teachers who deliver Early Childhood Education programme in
the Adaklu District.
2. Assess the perception of teachers about quality Early Childhood Education programme
delivery in the district.
Research Questions
The study was guided by the following questions:
1. What is the training of teachers who deliver Early Childhood Education programme in
the Adaklu district?
2. What is the perception of teachers about the provision quality Early Childhood
Education programme in the district?
METHODOLOGY
The study employed a cross-sectional research design. Measurement of variables of interest
occurred at a time and there was no attempt to manipulate any of the variables measured in
this study. The study targeted all Basic schools and all the ECE teachers. The accessible
population was however made up of 40 Basic Schools from the 8 educational circuits and 200
Early Childhood Education teachers from the selected Basic Schools. Stratified random
sampling technique was used to sample the schools and all ECE teachers in a sampled school
was used for the study. This implies that the schools were the unit of sampling [(40 × 5 = 200)].
The instrument of data collection was a self-constructed 4-point Likert type scale
questionnaire. There were two sections on the questionnaire. Items on section A were used to
elicit data on the training teachers and section B elicit response on the perception of teachers
about early years’ education provision. There were eight (8) items on each section of the
questionnaire. The rating format ranges from “strongly agree” (4) to “strong disagree” (1).
Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to determine the consistency of the instrument. The
result of the reliability alpha coefficient for the instrument was approximately .831 indicating
that instrument met the threshold to be used for the study (Dörnyei & Taguchi, 2010).
Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to analyze data obtained with
respect to each research question. Population t-test or one sample t-test of one sample mean
was used to further test the results.