THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTAL ROLE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND ITS’ DEVELOPMENT

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTAL ROLE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND ITS’ DEVELOPMENT

ABSTRACT

The study examined the relationship between parental roles and early childhood education and its development. A detailed literature was  reviewed in relevant subheadings. The descriptive research design was used in order to assess the opinions of the respondents using the questionnaire and the sampling technique. A total of 300 (Three Hundred) respondents (made up of 150 males and 150 females) were selected and used in this study as the sample of the study which represented the entire population of the study. Four research questions were raised in the study and were analyzed together with the bio-data of the respondents using the simple percentage frequency counts, while four null hypotheses were formulated and tested using both the Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and the  independent t-test statistical tools at 0.05 level of significance. At the end of the data analyses, the following results emerged: there is a significant relationship between parental role and children’s academic performance, there is a significant difference between the academic performance of children reared by intact parents and those reared by single parents, there is a significant gender difference in the academic performance of children reared by intact parents hose reared by single parents and finally, there is a significant difference between the attitudes of children reared by intact parents and those reared by single parent. With the above results, it is summarized that there is a positive relationship between parental role and children’s academic achievement. Based on the conclusions of this study, the researcher recommended certain number of measures to the parents,  government, teachers and the society that will be useful in promoting the early childhood education programme that will breed a healthy future leader of the Nation.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The quality of life for a child and the contributions the child makes to the society as an adult can be traced back to the first few years of life. From birth until about five years old, a child undergoes tremendous growth and change. If this period of life includes support for growth in cognition, language, motor skills, adaptive skills and social-emotional functioning, the child is more likely to succeed in school and later contribute meaningfully to the society. A good early childhood care and education provides the intervention programmes that support children’s survival growth, development and learning including health, nutrition and hygiene, cognitive, social, physical and emotional development from birth to entry into primary school in formal, informal and non-formal settings, United Nations Educational and Scientific Cultural  Organization (UNESCO, 2007).

Anyakogu (2010), states that the primary location for early childhood education and development is the home. This is because, the home is the first contact the child had in order to interact effectively with both parents and siblings.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTAL ROLE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND ITS’ DEVELOPMENT