Assessing the challenges of early grade schools in Wenchi municipality in the Bono Region

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out the challenges facing early grade schools in the Wenchi Municipality in the Bono Region of Ghana. This study employed a Descriptive Survey Design. The population of this study consisted all early Childhood teachers with a total population of 800 teachers, which the sample size was 155 kindergarten teachers. The study used Purposive Sampling to identify the respondents (kindergarten teachers) for this study. This study was conducted by the researcher using prepared questionnaires whereby respondents were kindergarten teachers. The questionnaires were personally administered to the teachers by the researcher and response recorded. Presentations of research findings was done using data analysis charts, tables, percentages, and frequencies. The study used Purposive Sampling to identify the respondents (kindergarten teachers) for this study. The researcher analyzed each questionnaire according to the opinion of respondents. From the analysis, it can be seen that majority of the respondents from all the four circuits (Wenchi West, Wenchi South, Wenchi East and Wenchi Central) agreed to the knowledge in the implementation of the new curriculum has improved. The findings revealed that a majority of early childhood teachers had their first degree and diploma respectfully to be able to implement the curriculum. Again, a majority of them were found to have little idea for handling children. From the analysis, one can conclude that the age group with the highest number of respondents in all the four circuits (Wenchi West, Wenchi South, Wenchi East and Wenchi Central). The study also uncovered that kindergarten teachers generally had negative beliefs/perceptions about the quality of the designed early childhood curriculum. Therefore, the researcher recommended that, the researcher therefore recommend that as a policy, the Ministry of Education (MoE), the umbrella body of the Curriculum Research and Development Division (CRDD) of the Ghana Education Service (GES), roll out initiatives that will ease the teacher’s access to national curriculum design.