Browsing by Author "Ali, Ali Chai"

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    Assessment of the practices on the provision of pre-primary education in Zanzibar: experiences from pre-primary schools in the Mjini Magharibi region
    (The University of Dodoma, 2022) Ali, Ali Chai
    This study assessed practices on providing pre-primary education in Zanzibar. Experiences from Pre-Primary Schools in the Mjini Magharibi Region. The study was undertaken to assess the pre-primary education practices associated with children's learning outcomes. Four specific objectives guided the study, namely examining the existing teaching and learning practices on the provision of pre-primary education in Zanzibar based on the PPE guidelines, exploring educational stakeholder's perceptions on the provision of pre-primary education, assessing the involvement of educational stakeholders in the provision of PPE in Zanzibar and establish the strategies for effective provision and implementation of pre-primary education in Zanzibar. Ecological System Theory provided theoretical underpinnings of the study. A qualitative research approach was employed. The study adopted a single case study design. Purposive sampling was used to select pre-primary schools and participants involved in the study from Mjini Magharibi Region. Observation, semistructured interviews and document reviews were the methods used to collect data from the study participants. The study involved 56 participants, including 21 preprimary school teachers, 6 heads of pre-primary schools, 5 quality assurance officers, and 24 parents or guardians. The collected qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The study findings have shown that PPE teachers had little knowledge on PPE and their teaching and learning practices. Also, the study findings indicate that free and teacher-guided plays such as songs, free play, question and answers, role plays, teacher guide strategy, group strategy, use of teaching aids, tracing, and storytelling are teaching and learning strategies used by teachers in PPE. The study revealed varied educational stakeholders' perceptions of pre-primary education, which was influenced by the educational qualification of the participants, awareness, involvement, cost incurred, experience and expectations in PPE. Furthermore, the study revealed different ways that educational stakeholders get involved in PPE, including parenting, helping children's academic works, curriculum designing and implementation. The revealed strategies to improve the provision and implementation of PPE were improving teacher's professional development, provision and dissemination of teaching and learning resources, conducting effective school inspection, involvement of parents in the learning of their children both in social and academic activities as well as employing qualified teachers in PPE. The study concludes that improving teacher-parents partnership help to support children’s learning in PPE. Also, PPE teaching and learning practices are very important to develop children with reading, writing, social and cognitive development skills when teachers are trained with necessary knowledge and skills as well as when the learning environments are conducive. The study recommends that teachers should be empowered with adequate knowledge and skills to improve their teaching and learning strategies. Finally, there is need to improve school learning environments and involved educational stakeholders for effective provision and implementation of PPE.
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    Early childhood education practices in Zanzibar: parent’s involvement in the learning of their children in pre-primary education
    (International Peer Reviewed Journals and Books, 2022) Mligo, Ignasia Renatus; Nsolezi, Florentina Shaghembe; Ali, Ali Chai
    The purpose of this study was to explore parent’s involvement in the learning of their children in pre-primary education (PPE). Parent’s involvement has a wide sense in modern education trends, evolving parent’s lifelong participation in children’s school activities. In this regard, it would be difficult to cover the topic in this wide sense. Therefore, the study was more focused on exploring the ways that parent’s get involved in the learning of their children in PPE, identify the challenges for low parent’s involvement and suggest strategies to improve parent’s involvement in the learning of their children in PPE. The study employed qualitative methodology and a case study design where only PPE level among other levels of education was involved. A total number of 24 participants were participated in the study where by 10 were parents and 14 were pre-primary school teachers. The study was guided by the Ecological System Theory. Data was generated by using semi structured interviews and focus group discussion guided by a series of open ended questions as well as documentary review. The study reveals that parents were involved in parenting, school meeting and in helping their children’s academic works. Shortage of time, parent’s illiteracy, poor school experience of parents and the lack of sensitive learning programs between school and home limited parents to get involved in the study of their children. Also, the study found that creating effective communication between school and home, developing guidelines for parental involvement as well as creating collaborating academic activities between school and home were the strategies to improve parent’s involvement in the study of their children in PPE. The study recommends that PPE schools should create conducive atmosphere for mutual contact between teachers and parents so as to enable parents to visit the school and contact with teachers regularly for their children’s learning progress. Also, policy makers should integrate PPE with parenting styles so as to raise awareness and equip parents with knowledge on the vital role of participating in the education of their children.
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    Educational stakeholders’ perceptions on the provision of pre-primary education in Zanzibar
    (Gitoya Centre for Academic Research and Dissemination, 2022) Ali, Ali Chai; Mligo, Ignasia Renatus; Nsolezi, Florentina Shaghembe
    This study explored educational stakeholder’s perceptions on the provision of PPE in Zanzibar, using the case study design. The target population was pre-primary school teachers, preprimary school head teachers, quality assurance officers from the Ministry of Education and parents. A total number of 20 participants participated in the study: 6 pre-primary school teachers, 3 pre-primary school head teachers, 5 quality assurance officers from the Ministry of Education and 6 parents. The study employed the semi structured interviews which were conducted to PPE teachers, head teachers and quality assurance officers and Focus group discussions with teachers. The study established that PPE plays important roles to young children as it enables them to lay their educational foundation for future development, improving self-confidence and providing strong base for lifelong learning and cognitive, physical and social development. However, the quality between one PPE school to another differ in terms of teachers qualification, resources and facilities, school management and learning environment. The study recommends that professional development training for pre-primary school teachers be conducted and maintained. Such trainings should be handled by PPE experts. This would improve the knowledge, skills and performance of teachers on pedagogical skills to ensure the supportive teaching in PPE for better learning of children. Finally, Quality Assurance Officers should constantly monitor the quality of pre-primary education in order to ensure that schools meet the required standards for better teaching and learning in PPE.