Social Competencies and language Academic Achievement of Students in ECE and Non-ECE Public Schools

Abstract

Early childhood education (ECE) is the formal or informal teaching for the holistic development of the children. Important objective of ECEs is to bring positive experiences of pre-school education that may work as platform for enhanced academic capabilities and social competencies of the students. In the industrialized world the wave of universalization of primary education has become a part of formal education system in developed countries. Pakistan, like several other developing countries, started ECE programs in last two decades with very limited budget and doubts regarding benefits and popularity from the parents and other stakeholders. Recent educational policies have highlighted ECE which has given expansion in budget, coverage to masses, pre-service and in-service teacher training programs, relevant learning material development, and involvement of public and private sector. In year 2002, a project was started in selected 2,225 ECE Class Rooms across 36 districts of the Punjab (Govt. of Punjab, 2017). By developing ECE rooms, play facilities and leaning kits were provided and supplemented with teacher training and provision of learning material. This study aims to compare the public ECE and Public non ECE students in social development and language learning. This casual comparative study explored the impact of ECE on Social Competencies and academic achievement in Urdu and English languages. Sample of 300 students studying in public ECE and public non ECE institutions in urban and rural areas of Bhakkar district was selected by two stage stratified random sampling technique. Two research instruments (Social Competencies Scale and Language Achievement Test) were used to collect the data. Independent t-test was used to compare mean social competencies scores and language achievement scores of public ECE and public non ECE students. The study found that students studying in public ECE institutions are better in social competencies and language learning than that of students in public non ECE schools.