Caregivers’ and parents’ views about preschool education as a school readiness programme in the Queenstown Education District
- Mtyuda, Pamela Nomonde Pettina
- Authors: Mtyuda, Pamela Nomonde Pettina
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Education, Preschool Readiness for school
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16166 , vital:40674
- Description: The aim of this study was to uncover preschool caregivers’ and parents’ views about preschool education as a preschool readiness programme in the Queenstown education district. The research study addressed the following specific objectives, to determine: the caregivers’ and parents’ understanding of school readiness nature of preschool education; the extent to which the caregivers’ practices can make children ready for formal schooling; the parents’ assessment of the preschool centres as places that make children ready for formal schooling; caregivers’ and parents’ views on the challenges facing preschool centres against making children ready for formal schooling; and lastly, the possible solutions to the challenges facing preschool centres. In the present study, both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Quantitative data were gathered through questionnaires from 40 preschool caregivers at preschools and 40 parents of the children in those preschools that were chosen by the caregivers on the basis of parents who are highly committed in the education of their children. The qualitative data were gathered through focus group discussions with 2 focus groups located in the Queenstown Education district. Twelve participants were interviewed, and these comprised 6 caregivers that formed the focus group discussion 1 and 6 parents that formed the focus group discussion 2, using the interview schedules as guides. Purposive sampling to select the participants was used. Triangulation design was used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data at the same time and to integrate the two forms of data in order to have a better understanding of the research objectives. The research findings indicated that the most frequently reported issues by the participants were the problems with some caregivers who had limited knowledge to make children ready for formal schooling. Some of the parents and caregivers do not understand the importance of the domains of development in making children fully ready for formal schooling. There is still lack of parental involvement in those centres; no effective communication between parents and staff; caregivers are not aware of the policies that govern the preschools; poverty and unemployment are factors that inhibit the right of young children to education; no proper resources in preschools and the unregistered preschools also still need to be helped by coordinated efforts from communities and the government bodies. It was concluded that the quality of early childhood development(ECD) programmes in Queenstown preschools was still compromised. The study recommended extensive investment in infrastructure and learning and teaching support materials is necessary; there should be sufficient staffing with ECD expertise; programmes should be designed in order to educate and encourage parents to actively involve themselves with preschool activities.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mtyuda, Pamela Nomonde Pettina
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Education, Preschool Readiness for school
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16166 , vital:40674
- Description: The aim of this study was to uncover preschool caregivers’ and parents’ views about preschool education as a preschool readiness programme in the Queenstown education district. The research study addressed the following specific objectives, to determine: the caregivers’ and parents’ understanding of school readiness nature of preschool education; the extent to which the caregivers’ practices can make children ready for formal schooling; the parents’ assessment of the preschool centres as places that make children ready for formal schooling; caregivers’ and parents’ views on the challenges facing preschool centres against making children ready for formal schooling; and lastly, the possible solutions to the challenges facing preschool centres. In the present study, both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Quantitative data were gathered through questionnaires from 40 preschool caregivers at preschools and 40 parents of the children in those preschools that were chosen by the caregivers on the basis of parents who are highly committed in the education of their children. The qualitative data were gathered through focus group discussions with 2 focus groups located in the Queenstown Education district. Twelve participants were interviewed, and these comprised 6 caregivers that formed the focus group discussion 1 and 6 parents that formed the focus group discussion 2, using the interview schedules as guides. Purposive sampling to select the participants was used. Triangulation design was used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data at the same time and to integrate the two forms of data in order to have a better understanding of the research objectives. The research findings indicated that the most frequently reported issues by the participants were the problems with some caregivers who had limited knowledge to make children ready for formal schooling. Some of the parents and caregivers do not understand the importance of the domains of development in making children fully ready for formal schooling. There is still lack of parental involvement in those centres; no effective communication between parents and staff; caregivers are not aware of the policies that govern the preschools; poverty and unemployment are factors that inhibit the right of young children to education; no proper resources in preschools and the unregistered preschools also still need to be helped by coordinated efforts from communities and the government bodies. It was concluded that the quality of early childhood development(ECD) programmes in Queenstown preschools was still compromised. The study recommended extensive investment in infrastructure and learning and teaching support materials is necessary; there should be sufficient staffing with ECD expertise; programmes should be designed in order to educate and encourage parents to actively involve themselves with preschool activities.
- Full Text:
Influence of trans-border trading activities on senior secondary school students' academic performance in economics in Ogun State, Nigeria
- Authors: Titus, Adesegun Benedict
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Smuggling -- Education (Secondary) Borderlands -- Nigeria
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/9659 , vital:34814
- Description: The study investigated the influence of transborder trading activities on senior secondary school students’ academic performance in economics in Ogun state, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design involving 320 students that comprised males and females were selected through stratified random sampling technique. Two self-developed instruments were used: student questionnaire on transborder trading activities (SQTTA) with a Cronbach alpha index of 0.7845; and the economics achievement test (EAT) with a co-efficient index of r= 0.814. The results of the data collected were collated, coded, analyzed and interpreted through the use of descriptive research statistics of frequency, mean, percentages, and standard deviation while Step-wise regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses raised in the study, and the inferential statistics t-test was used to test the significant differences between the independent and dependent variables. The results revealed that there is a positive significant influence of smuggling on students’ academic performance in economics concepts (t=4.123; df =307, p<0.05) and a negative significant influence of school location on students’ academic performance in economics concepts (t=0.952; df=307, p>0.05). The study revealed that the most prevalent transborder trading activities like smuggling of used tyres, small firearms and fairly used clothes had negative influence on students’ academic performance. Based on these findings, discussions were focused on the involvement of students in trans-border trading activities and the location of schools, amongst others, which has no significant influence on students’ academic performance. However, it was recommended that schools should not be located near border areas in future.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Titus, Adesegun Benedict
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Smuggling -- Education (Secondary) Borderlands -- Nigeria
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/9659 , vital:34814
- Description: The study investigated the influence of transborder trading activities on senior secondary school students’ academic performance in economics in Ogun state, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design involving 320 students that comprised males and females were selected through stratified random sampling technique. Two self-developed instruments were used: student questionnaire on transborder trading activities (SQTTA) with a Cronbach alpha index of 0.7845; and the economics achievement test (EAT) with a co-efficient index of r= 0.814. The results of the data collected were collated, coded, analyzed and interpreted through the use of descriptive research statistics of frequency, mean, percentages, and standard deviation while Step-wise regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses raised in the study, and the inferential statistics t-test was used to test the significant differences between the independent and dependent variables. The results revealed that there is a positive significant influence of smuggling on students’ academic performance in economics concepts (t=4.123; df =307, p<0.05) and a negative significant influence of school location on students’ academic performance in economics concepts (t=0.952; df=307, p>0.05). The study revealed that the most prevalent transborder trading activities like smuggling of used tyres, small firearms and fairly used clothes had negative influence on students’ academic performance. Based on these findings, discussions were focused on the involvement of students in trans-border trading activities and the location of schools, amongst others, which has no significant influence on students’ academic performance. However, it was recommended that schools should not be located near border areas in future.
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Implementation of gender policies to promote gender parity in leadership in academia : a case study of two universities in Bindura Urban Mashonaland Central Province Zimbabwe
- Authors: Mandoga, Edward
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Women in higher education -- Zimbabwe Education, Higher -- Zimbabwe Sex discrimination in higher education -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5260 , vital:29178
- Description: The study is premised on the assumptions that the under-representation of women in leadership in academia is aggravated by weak implementation of gender policies. In light of this, the aim of the current study was to assess the nature and extent of the implementation of gender policy frameworks as a way of engendering gender parity in leadership in academia. The study was informed by the socialist-feminist theory and John Rawls’ and David Millers’ theory of social justice. The theories were chosen on the basis of their socialist-scientific approach to gender issues and also because of their resonance with the situation in Zimbabwe’s tertiary institutions. The theories were analysed within the context of Agenda 2063. The relevance of the agenda’s vision for this study is its recognition of gender equality, particularly in leadership in academia, as a critical cog for Africa’s development agenda. The researcher opted to use the qualitative approach which is embedded within the interpretivist research paradigm. The interpretivist approach makes use of qualitative methods of data collection, presentation and analysis. Data were generated from a sample of twenty four lecturers, two vice-chancellors, two pro-vice-chancellors and two registrars from two universities, a private church-run institution and a state university, mainly through interviews. Data were also generated through focus group discussions and document analysis. Data from documents were used to buttress data from the interviews and focus group discussions. The findings of this study showed that the male-management norm dominated in almost every strategic section of the structures of the two institutions. This was attributable to weak implementation of gender policies. The failure of the gender policies to bring a visible change to the institutional landscape in terms of gender equality was a result of an interplay of personal, cultural and organisational factors. Some of the factors that thwarted women’s career progression to leadership positions included, lack of inspiration from role models, lack of support from colleagues, lack of training in leadership, and the Zimbabwe Council of Higher Education’s (ZIMCHE) indiscriminate policy on recruitment of staff members. All the factors however, were encapsulated within the patriarchal stereotypical conception of a women as fit for domesticity. Within the same conception, men were considered to be imbued with the clout and traits consistent with leadership demands. Studies carried out elsewhere in Zimbabwe and outside the boarders of Zimbabwe have yielded similar results. This explains the continuing and relentless nature of gender inequality in academic institutions. In order to increase the participation of women in leadership positions, the study recommends the following: establishment of a monitoring and evaluation exercise designed to audit the effectiveness of the gender policies; establishment of a review of the university programmes with the aim of establishing or intensifying training programmes in academic leadership and management; establishment of a scholarship and research fund to encourage women to undertake higher degrees studies, and the intense application of affirmative action policies and gender mainstreaming in the universities.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mandoga, Edward
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Women in higher education -- Zimbabwe Education, Higher -- Zimbabwe Sex discrimination in higher education -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5260 , vital:29178
- Description: The study is premised on the assumptions that the under-representation of women in leadership in academia is aggravated by weak implementation of gender policies. In light of this, the aim of the current study was to assess the nature and extent of the implementation of gender policy frameworks as a way of engendering gender parity in leadership in academia. The study was informed by the socialist-feminist theory and John Rawls’ and David Millers’ theory of social justice. The theories were chosen on the basis of their socialist-scientific approach to gender issues and also because of their resonance with the situation in Zimbabwe’s tertiary institutions. The theories were analysed within the context of Agenda 2063. The relevance of the agenda’s vision for this study is its recognition of gender equality, particularly in leadership in academia, as a critical cog for Africa’s development agenda. The researcher opted to use the qualitative approach which is embedded within the interpretivist research paradigm. The interpretivist approach makes use of qualitative methods of data collection, presentation and analysis. Data were generated from a sample of twenty four lecturers, two vice-chancellors, two pro-vice-chancellors and two registrars from two universities, a private church-run institution and a state university, mainly through interviews. Data were also generated through focus group discussions and document analysis. Data from documents were used to buttress data from the interviews and focus group discussions. The findings of this study showed that the male-management norm dominated in almost every strategic section of the structures of the two institutions. This was attributable to weak implementation of gender policies. The failure of the gender policies to bring a visible change to the institutional landscape in terms of gender equality was a result of an interplay of personal, cultural and organisational factors. Some of the factors that thwarted women’s career progression to leadership positions included, lack of inspiration from role models, lack of support from colleagues, lack of training in leadership, and the Zimbabwe Council of Higher Education’s (ZIMCHE) indiscriminate policy on recruitment of staff members. All the factors however, were encapsulated within the patriarchal stereotypical conception of a women as fit for domesticity. Within the same conception, men were considered to be imbued with the clout and traits consistent with leadership demands. Studies carried out elsewhere in Zimbabwe and outside the boarders of Zimbabwe have yielded similar results. This explains the continuing and relentless nature of gender inequality in academic institutions. In order to increase the participation of women in leadership positions, the study recommends the following: establishment of a monitoring and evaluation exercise designed to audit the effectiveness of the gender policies; establishment of a review of the university programmes with the aim of establishing or intensifying training programmes in academic leadership and management; establishment of a scholarship and research fund to encourage women to undertake higher degrees studies, and the intense application of affirmative action policies and gender mainstreaming in the universities.
- Full Text:
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