PARENTAL PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM IN GOVERNMENT PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF SOUTH WEST SHOA ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the Parental Perceptions towards Early Childhood Education Program in Government Pre-primary Schools of South West Shoa, Zone Oromia Regional State. A quantitative research approach with survey design was employed to investigate the perception of parents towards ECE programs. Six pre-primary schools were selected using purposive sampling technique. Data were collected from parents whose children were attending Pre-primary school (N=165), using a questionnaire designed to measure parental perception towards ECE programs. Data obtained through the questionnaire was collected using a five-point Likert scale. The major findings of the study revealed that: parents’ had a positive perception of the benefits of pre-primary education for their children. However, parents’ had a negative perception of the quality of pre-primary school education. There is a significant difference between male and female parents in their perceptions about the perceived reason to send their children to government pre-primary school education and perceptions of the quality of government pre-primary school education. Parents' perception of the perceived reason to send their children to pre-primary education and the quality of pre-primary school education differ significantly between parents of different educational levels. There is no significant difference between parents’ perception of the perceived reason to send their children to pre-primary school and its quality across various categories of parents’ income. Finally, it is recommended that the stakeholders need to organize awareness raising programs for parents on the one hand and enhance the quality of educational provisions on the other hand to develop more positive perceptions in parents and thereby foster the education of the children in the early years that lays a strong foundation for later years.