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Early Childhood Education Curriculum Implementation in Zambia: Looking through the Teachers’ Lens
Abstract
The study’s main objective was to establish challenges Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers face in the implementation of the ECE curriculum in Zambia. The study used the convergent research design. A sample of 76 respondents comprising 46 female and 30 male in-service teachers was utilised. The instruments used to gather information from the respondents were structured questionnaire and focus group discussion guide. The findings of the study revealed that pre-school teacher’s face a lot of challenges in implementing the early childhood curriculum in Zambian ECE centres whether public or private schools. Notable ones are that pre-school teachers do not have enough teaching and learning materials to help them implement the ECE curriculum. The study further revealed that ECE centres lack suitable classroom space, outdoor environment and sanitation facilities that are key in ECE provision. The research recommends that schools, both private and public should ensure that ECE teachers are given regular in-service training just like their primary school counterparts and that teaching and learning materials, indoor and outdoor learning environment space, age-appropriate sanitation facilities among others be provided. In addition, school administrators should take keen interest in the ECE activities in schools. All school activities should be treated equally and or equitably depending on the needs of a particular school. Keywords: Early Childhood Education, curriculum, pre-school, play-based, child-centred, learning through play.
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