Abstract

Due to the scarcity of literature on the educational activities of mobile ECCE centres, this research explores the challenges encountered by the practitioners in maintaining mobile ECCE centres. The researchers adopted explanatory sequential mixed methods research approach to guide the research. A sample of 10 practitioners in one organisation providing mobile ECCE in the Free State Province participated in this research. Necessary data for this research were collected using a structured questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide. The instruments were properly validated and trial tested. The analysis of quantitative data was done using appropriate descriptive statistics such as mean, bar charts and percentage, while the qualitative data were analysed using ATLAS.ti software. The results among others showed that one of the most challenges faced by the practitioners in operating a mobile ECCE programme is the language barrier as most children speak Sotho as their home language, while other children speak Tswana and Xhosa as well. Besides, it was found that practitioners deal with many psychosocial challenges, especially alcohol abuse by parents and poverty, which have grave effects on children’s social and educational development. Other challenges found are rain, wind, cold and dust. Thus, these findings have strong policy implications for the fact that there is a need to have an ECCE policy framework that allows in-service training of practitioners in the different home languages of the children. This helps to equip them with the knowledge of the different home languages of the children to avoid the challenge of language barrier.

Presenters

Chinedu Ifedi Onochie Okeke
Professor, and Head: Department of Education Foundations, Faculty of Education, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa, Free State, South Africa

Christian Ugwuanyi
Research Fellow, Education Foundations, University of the Free State, Free State, South Africa

Charity Okeke
Lecturer, Department of Social Sciences and Commerce Education, University of the Free State, Free State, South Africa

Blanche Ndlovu
Lecturer, Early Childhood Developmemt, University of the Free State, Free State, South Africa

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Early Childhood Learning

KEYWORDS

Challenges, Maintaining, Mobile Early Childhood Care and Education Centre, Practitioners

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