Influence of Teacher Recruitment on Quality Early Childhood Development and Education in Nyamira-North Sub-County, Nyamira County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to establish the influence of teacher recruitment on quality of Early Childhood Development and Education. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The study targeted 97 ECDE Centres. Simple random sampling technique was used to sample 49 ECDE Centres and 147 ECDE teachers. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 49 headteachers and one Sub-County Director was selected. Data was collected using questionnaire and interview guide. Piloting was done in Borabu Sub County whereby 30 ECDE teachers, 10 headteachers of ECDE Centres and one subcounty Director ECDE was involved. Expert judgement was sought to ensure content and face validity. Reliability of the instruments was estimated by use of Cronbach’s Alpha Correlation Coefficient and obtained as 0.87 and 0.79 for headteachers questionnaire and teachers’ questionnaires respectively. The hypothesis was tested at alpha α = 0.05 using the Chi square model and simple linear regression. Data was analyzed by aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25.0. Qualitative data analysis from the interviews was categorized according to the themes based on research hypothesis. Descriptive statistics was presented using means, standard deviation, percentages and frequencies. The findings of the study revealed that the decentralized government function of recruitment has significant influence on the quality of ECDE in Nyamira South Subcounty of Nyamira County, Kenya.  Recruitment of ECDE teachers significantly influenced quality of ECDE at 5 % significance level with chi square value χ² = 42.954 and P< 0.05. Similarly, simple linear regression revealed that recruitment of ECDE teachers significantly influenced quality of ECDE at 5% with 61.4% variation. The study concluded that there was statistically significant influence of decentralized functions of recruitment. The study recommended that Nyamira county government should establish bills through the county assembly to ensure there is sufficient ECDE teachers to improve transition rate, participation rate and competence achievement among ECDE learners.

Keywords:Recruitment, Decentralization, Quality, Early Childhood Development and Education, Competence, Transition rate.

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/14-1-09

Publication date: January 31^st 2023