Monitoring and Evaluation for Quality Service Delivery in Pre-Primary Schools in Murang’a County, Kenya

Kamau Joyce Muthoni,Ong’Ang’A H Ouko,Kimamo Githui

doi:10.4236/jss.2021.95022

Abstract

Monitoring and evaluation of the National Early Childhood Development (ECD) Policy framework in Kenya which has been in place since the year 2006 accompanied by a service guideline is important in promoting its implementation. The extent to which the policy is implemented would have a direct pairing with the quality of early childhood service delivery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of monitoring and evaluation in implementation of the National Early Childhood Development Policy framework for quality service delivery in pre-primary schools in Kenya. Conflict Ambiguity Model of Policy implementation, Broffenbrenner’s Ecological systems theory and Lilian Katz perspective on quality theory were used. Mixed methods research approach and concurrent triangulation design guided the study. Data was collected using questionnaire, observation schedule and interview guides. Instruments reliability coefficient was 0.85. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings indicated that a strong relation between monitoring and evaluation at p < 0.001 and quality service delivery in pre-primary schools. The study concluded that goals of the ECD policy in Kenya of enhancing quality service delivery may not be realized thus compromising on the quality of pre-primary education. Subsequently, the study recommended that the county government should allocate adequate resources both financial and human to ensure regular monitoring of pre-primary schools in an effort to promote actualization of policy guidelines in delivery of quality services and consequently promoting positive child development outcomes.

Highlights

Policy in any education plays a critical role in ensuring quality of any educational programme
Pre-primary teachers were presented with a questionnaire which had eight items and the respondents answered using any of the following five terms: never rated as one which meant that practice is not there at all, rarely rated two which meant that the practice recurs only after a long interval that is more than one year, sometimes rated as three which meant that monitoring and evaluation is occasional and inconsistent, often rated four meaning that the practice is frequent that is every term and very often rated five meaning that the practice is done on monthly basis
The results of this research paper revealed the extent of monitoring and evaluation of pre-primary schools in Murang’a County

Summary

Introduction

Policy in any education plays a critical role in ensuring quality of any educational programme. ECD policy framework was published in 2006 in Kenya to ensure quality of service delivery in the area of early childhood education. This was catalyzed by two global policies which are Education for All (EFA) and Millenium Development Goals (MDG) as outlined in these documents (UNESCO, 2000; UN, 2000). These policies obligated nations to expand and enhance comprehensive ECD programmes. The developed policy was in cognizant of the declining status of child development in Kenya, significance of early developmental years and benefits of investing in early years (Republic of Kenya, 2006a)

Objectives

Methods

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Conclusion