ABSTRACT

This study examined the strategies for effective management of early childhood education programme in Anambra State. The study was guided by four research questions and four null hypotheses. The literature related to the study was reviewed under the conceptual framework, theoretical framework, empirical studies and summary of the literature review. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The entire population was 3,819 head-teachers (administrators) and teachers in 965 Early Childhood Education (ECE) centres in Anambra State. The sample size was 364 respondents, made up of 272 teachers and 92 head-teachers/administrators in ECE centres in Anambra State drawn using multi-stage sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire. The validity of the instrument was ensured while the reliability was established using Cronbach Alpha which yielded a coefficient of 0.74. Data obtained for the study were analyzed using mean and standard deviations for the research questions while t-test statistic was used in testing the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. It was found that there were10strategies caregivers should adopt for effective management of early childhood education in Anambra State among which are feeding the children at appropriate time, replacing soiled diapers, and bathing the children when needed; that there were 6 strategies teachers should adopt for effective management of early childhood education in Anambra State among which are selection of materials for teaching based on standard specified, assisting the administrators in planning for material acquisition; that there were 15 strategies administrators should adopt for effective management of early childhood education in Anambra State which include making available to teachers the provision of the ECE curriculum, proper supervision of caregivers and teachers to ensure that standards are maintained; and that there were8 items strategies parents would adopt for effective management of early childhood education in Anambra State among others, were regular attendance to Parents Teachers Association meetings and provision of children’s needs in the centres. Based on the findings it was recommended among others that the identified strategies should be adopted by the caregivers for effective management of early childhood education programme and that the identified strategies in effective management of early childhood education programme that are required by teachers should be made a focus to organize conference and workshops for teachers for skill update in material resource use evaluation.