EVALUATION OF SCHOOL READINESS OF PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN IN KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Pre-primary education programmes aim at increasing children’s school readiness and positive long-term improvement in cognitive (literacy and numeracy), psychomotor and socio-emotional skills as well as school performance in general. However, there are evidence that most pre-school children in Kogi State find it difficult to excel in primary school admission assessment tests. Previous studies have focused largely on primary school pupils and secondary school students with little emphasis on pre-school children. This study therefore was designed to evaluate the extent to which pre-school children are ready for the primary school education in Kogi State, Nigeria. The influence of parent’s school readiness (provisions of conducive home environment and emotional care) and school readiness (provisions of qualified teachers, class size, whole class activity) factors were also examined.

Antecedents Transaction and Outcome (ATO) Model served as the framework, while ex- post facto design was adopted. Two senatorial districts (Kogi West and Central) were randomly selected, while five Local Government Areas (LGAs) were randomly selected from each district. Proportionate to size sample technique was used to select 36 schools (10 private and 26 public) across the 10 LGAs, while an intact class was adopted from each school which gave a total of 400 pre-school children. Their teachers (36) and parents (400) were selected. Five instruments used were: Teacher-Child Indicator (r=0.76), School Environment Readiness Indicator (r=0.83), Parental School Readiness Support (r=0.75) and Teacher Interaction (r=0.68) Checklists; and Cognitive Development Skills (numeracy- r=0.73, literacy- r= 0.73) tests. Data were analysed using percentages, t-test and Multiple regression at 0.05 level of significance.

The mean age of the pre-school children was 4.9±1.3 had possessed psychomotor (59.0%), socio-emotional (55.0%) and literacy (51.0%) skills needed for primary education. Thirty-eight percent of parents helped their children in school-related matters, while 36.0% provided school-related materials. Eighty-nine percent of schools provided 97.0% of the schools did not provide indoor learning materials (toys, DVD, letters and number cards) and aesthetic environment, while 97.0% did not provide the needed outdoor materials (swings, slides, playground). The independent variables had significant joint prediction in school readiness skills (literacy (f(15, 384) =2.89), numerical (f(15, 384) =2.41), psychomotor (f(15, 384) =2.83) and socio-emotional (f(15, 384) =4.46). Qualified teachers (β=0.667; β=0.616; β=0.380), class size (β=0.405; β=0.408; β=0.-.387; β=0.069), and whole class activity (β=0.015; β=0.043) had significant contributions to literacy skill, numeracy skills, psychomotor and socio-emotional skills, respectively. There was no significant difference between public and private schools in terms of their level of readiness in cognitive, psychomotor and socio-emotional skills.

School readiness has not effectively achieved its objectives in Kogi State. Pre-schools stakeholders should make provision for in-door and out-door learning materials. Also, flowers should be planted for school beautification. Parents should make adequate provision for school related materials for their children. Pre-schools proprietors and proprietresses should adhere to the minimum standard for the establishment of pre-school child. Pre-schools in the state should be properly monitored by the Ministry of education to ensure standards are maintained.