https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/54 Sat, 01 Aug 2026 10:56:27 GMT 2026-08-01T10:56:27Z https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1386 Relationship between Students' Self-Esteem, Orphanhood and Educational Performance in Nyeri and Kirinyaga Counties, Kenya Gitumu, Margaret Wanjiru The aim of this study was to examine the quality of the teaching and learning environment (pedagogical ecology) in community-based preschools sampled in Kenya Coastal region, Uganda and Zanzibar, and how it influences the cognitive development of children. The quality of pedagogical ecology of 47 (25 MRC and 22 non-MRC) preschools (14 urban, 20 peri-urban and 13 rural) was assessed using Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS). At least one teacher of the participating children class in each year of follow-up was observed on their interaction, communication and participation with the children using teacher-child interaction rating scale (T-CIRS) adapted from Arnett (1989) care giver interaction scale (CIS). The preschool teacher's pedagogical beliefs were assessed through a teachers pedagogical beliefs rating scale (TPBS). A total of 563 children (291 from MRC and 272 from nonMRC) were tested on their cognitive attainment at three (pre-test, post test 1 and post test 2) time points during preschool (mean age points 4.2, 5.3 and 6.4). Using descriptive and correlation statistics, the status and quality of preschools pedagogical ecology, teacher-child interaction, and teacher's pedagogical beliefs were analysed. Considering the hierarchical and longitudinal nature of the cognitive data whereby time points are nested within children and nested within preschools multilevel regression analysis was conducted to find out the effects of the pedagogical ecology on the cognitive development of the preschool children. This study found that, 1) The quality of the teaching and learning environment in East Africa as indicated by the ECERS mean score of the 47 preschools observed is generally low (x=3.71, sd=1.29). Of the 47 preschool assessed, 15(31.9%) of them had less than ECERS mean score of 3 (the risk cut-off score) with only 9 (19.1%) scoring higher than 5 (good quality). The range of scores as indicated by ECERS is 1.58-6.09; with a wide variation of the quality of pedagogical ecology across types of preschools and preschool programmes; 2) rural preschool have better quality of pedagogical ecology compared to urban and peri-urban preschools; 3) the quality of teacher-child interaction is modest, however there are many preschool where negative forms of interaction is in practice. The positive teach-child interaction is positively and modestly correlated with the quality of teaching and learning environment (pedagogical ecology) while the negative styles of teacher-child interaction are negatively correlated with the quality of pedagogical ecology, 4) there is a no significant relationship between teachers pedagogical beliefs and the teacher-child-child centred instructional practices and 5) the quality of pedagogical ecology is a significant predictor of preschool children cognitive development though not invariantly across time. The study recommends among other things government and community increment of financial support, increased monitoring and evaluation of preschool teaching and learning environment and comprehensively robust research on the role of preshool quality in the development of children in East Africa undertaken. A PhD thesis submitted to Kenyatta University Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1386 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1195 Implication of Outdoor Environment on Children’s Physical Activity Performance Levels and Learning in Public Pre-Schools in Kenya Ayaga, Godfrey N. A growing body of knowledge suggests that quality outdoor environment has a significant implication on children’s physical activity level and learning. Globally, there is consistent evidence showing that a rich outdoor environment is a valuable complement of children’s learning and development. This descriptive survey study adopted Vygotsky’s (1978) Socio-cultural theory in examining the implication of outdoor environment on children’s physical activity performance levels and learning in public pre-schools in Borabu Sub-County. The objectives of the study were to: find out the state of outdoor environment in pre-schools in Borabu Sub-County; establish the influence of outdoor environment on children’s physical activity level; establish the influence of outdoor environment on children’s learning experiences and; find out the strategies pre-school teachers are using in providing outdoor play activities. The target population was 50 public preschools, 50 primary school head teachers, 50 pre-school lead teachers, and 1603 final pre-school class pupils in Borabu Sub-county. The study employed cluster, purposive, and simple random sampling designs. The schools were selected using cluster sampling techniques. The study comprised of 44 pre-schools, 44 primary school head teachers, 44 pre-school lead teachers, and 309 final pre-school class pupils. Data collection instruments used were questionnaires, an interview schedule, document analyses and observation. Validity of the instruments was determined through examination of the items using face validity. A pilot study was conducted in two pre-schools to determine reliability of the instruments and split-half method was used to ascertain a reliability coefficient of 0.848. Quantitative data were analysed using basic descriptive statistics involving means, standard deviations, relationships, and covariance. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The study found that; the general state of outdoor environment component was unsatisfactory; there was a relatively weak relationship between availability, adequacy, effectiveness, and location of various components of outdoor environment in ECDE centres, and the ability of pre-school children’s ability to performing various loco-motor activities and rhythmic movement activities. Further results indicated that when all the four states of the outdoors were combined, they explained only 20.6% of the variance in the pre-school overall academic achievement. Additionally, it was indicated that a rich outdoor environment had a positive influence on pre-school children‘s development of various skills. The study also established that pre-school teachers mainly monitored, directed, and provided comments as children played. Also, majority of teachers supported individual work, ensured safety measures in the playground space, developed age-appropriate play equipment, and arranged play equipment in the play space. There is need to provide adequate and secure outdoor environment where children can effectively participate in outdoor activities and thus acquire physical and psychosocial skills. The study recommends that another study be conducted in another location to confirm these findings and investigate whether the findings have any implications on the Kenyan pre-primary teachers and pupils. A PhD thesis submitted to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1195 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/486 The Tayari Pre-Primary Program in Kenya: Getting Children Ready for Primary School: Outcome Evaluation Baseline Report African Population and Health Research Center This report describes the baseline findings of an external evaluation of the Tayari1 preprimary school programme. Tayari is an early childhood development and education (ECDE) intervention funded by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF). The intervention is implemented by the RTI International, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), and in collaboration with four counties. The programme, which runs from January 2016 to October 2017, aims to develop a cost effective, scalable model of ECDE that ensures children who are preparing to join primary grade one are cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally ready to start, and succeed in primary school. The programme focuses on improving school readiness as defined by learners’ literacy, numeracy, psychosocial and executive function skills and targets preprimary schools in both public and Alternative Provision of Basic Education and Training (APBET) centres in four Kenyan counties: Laikipia, Nairobi, Siaya and Uasin Gishu. As the programme’s external evaluator, the role of the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) in Tayari is to assess the: (a) impact of the programme on preparing children for primary school; and, (b) cost-effectiveness of the programme A baseline report published by African Population and Health Research Center Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/486 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/483 Preschool Attendance, School Progression, and Cognitive Skills in East Africa Bietenbeck, Jan; Ericsson, Sanna; Wamalwa, Fredrick M. We study the effects of preschool attendance on children’s school progression and cognitive skills in Kenya and Tanzania. Our analysis uses novel data from large-scale household surveys of children’s literacy and numeracy skills, which also collect retrospective information on preschool attendance. Against the backdrop of a large expansion of pre-primary education, our regressions identify the impacts from within-household differences, controlling for a variety of child-specific covariates. In both countries, children who go to preschool tend to enroll in primary school late, and thus fall behind in terms of grades completed at early ages. However, once in school, they progress through grades faster and at ages 13-16 have completed about one and a half more months of schooling than their same-aged peers who did not attend preschool. They also score around 0.10 standard deviations higher on standardized cognitive tests, showing that there are important longer-term benefits from preschool in Kenya and Tanzania. A technical report published by IZA – Institute of Labor Economics Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/483 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z