Alignment of parents’ expectations on pre-primary education with national curriculum in Zanzibar
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Date
2022
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Dodoma
Abstract
This study investigated parents’ expectations regarding their children’s pre-primary education and how those expectations were featured in the national curriculum in Zanzibar. The objectives of the study were to: Determine parents’ expectations on their children’s two-year pre-primary education in Zanzibar; Examine the association of parents’ expectations on pre-primary education with the national curriculum in Zanzibar; Examine the effectiveness of the teaching and learning strategies used by pre-primary education teachers on achieving the aligned expecations, and; Find out the state of parents’ involvement in curriculum process for accommodation of their expectations in pre-primary education in Zanzibar. The study adopted a single case study approach within an interpretivism philosophical paradigm. Data for the study were collected through documentary reviews, interviews, FGDs and observations from teachers, parents, curriculum developers and pre-primary officials.
Findings have shown that parents had expected their children to develop skills in literacy, numeracy, science, religion and socialization. Parents expected those skills as they believed that they would give children better foundation for education and knowledge. The study also found some alignments as a result of the associations between the identified parents’ expectations with the national curriculum across some general and subject competences and topics. Results had also identified that the associated expectations were only the common core and general competences of curriculum that were likely to be found in any curriculum, which decreased the status of alignment of the expectations with the curriculum. Results had further unveiled some drawbacks for practical achievement of the aligned expectations that included impracticality of the competences, ineffective teaching and assessment methods, materials, overcrowded classes and time. Results had also uncovered strategies used by the teachers to improve the expected skills, though some weaknesses compromised their effectiveness on teaching the targeted skills. Results discovered also that parents were less involved in curriculum development process due to budget constraints, unwillingness of parents themselves, education and lack of invitation opportunities. The study concluded that curriculum process should be inclusive and adhered to parents’ expectations so as to have a curriculum that is socially informed and that encourages parents’ participation in education.
Description
Doctoral Thesis (Education)
Keywords
Pre-primary education, National curriculum, Curriculum, Parents, Zanzibar, Parents participation, Parent expectation, Parental expectancy, Curriculum development
Citation
Moh'd, S.A. (2022). Alignment of parents’ expectations on pre-primary education with national curriculum in Zanzibar (Doctoral thesis). The University of Dodoma, Dodoma.