Teacher's competencies and implementation of the learning framework for early childhood development in selected pre-primary schools; case study: Kasese municipality, southwestern Uganda

Abstract

The problem was that The Early Childhood Development (ECD) Policy (2007) makes it mandatory for all ECD centers to use the Learning Framework for ECD however; Pre-primary teachers have put it aside resorting to other unauthorized references to teach children, denying children of the rightful care and education geared towards full potential development. The study aimed at assessing whether Pre-primary teachers had the necessary competences in implementing the Learning Framework (LFW) for ECD and it was guided by three objectives which were; to establish whether Pre-primary teachers have the content knowledge competence to design appropriate learning activities using the Learning Framework, to investigate whether Pre-primary teachers have the pedagogical competence to plan for teaching using the Learning Framework, and to examine whether Pre-primary teachers have the managerial competence to involvement of parents in their learners‟ education as prescribed by the Learning Framework. The study used Cross-sectional research design which was advantageous because it was used to prove and/or disprove assumptions, not costly to perform and does not require a lot of time yet it captures a specific point in time. The study adopted a mixture of qualitative and quantitative research approaches to collect the data. The study was conducted from selected Pre- Primary s in Kasese Municipality, South Western Uganda. The study found out that; teachers don‟t have sufficient Content knowledge to design appropriate activities using the LFW for ECD 3-6 years, they do not have the key competencies required in planning using the learning framework and that parental involvement in their children academic life was considered important for the teaching and learning of pre-primary school children using the school learning framework. The study recommended that efforts should be made by the directorate of education standards in the Ministry of Education in organizing for relevant in-service programs for all teachers and head teachers in pre primary schools to be enlightened and sensitized on the utilization of the learning framework. It also recommended that teachers teaching children in preschool should be given frequent workshops and seminars to keep abreast with the current trends of the education and that Parents should get involved in their children‟ education by providing them with all scholastic materials, communicating to teachers, reading the learning framework themselves, getting involved in school activities in order to give their children the necessary support.