Exploring the curriculum implementation challenges faced by early childhood education teachers in Ethiopia in ensuring the holistic development of young children.

Abstract

Globally, there is a growing interest in enhancing Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) to ensure quality education in this sector. The reason for this is the realisation that ECCE is a sensitive period marked by rapid changes in the physical, cognitive and socio-emotional development of the child; the child’s holistic development (Hedges & Cooper, 2014; Vargaz-Lopez et al, 2016; Wood & Hedges, 2016), working from the premise that what happens in the early years of schooling can have a lasting effect on the educational trajectory of the child. Despite the growing evidence showing the importance of ECCE, it remains an underdeveloped, under-researched sector in Africa, more specifically in Ethiopia where this research study will be based. The aim of this study, is, therefore, to explain and explore curriculum implementation challenges faced by early childhood education teachers in Ethiopia in ensuring the holistic development of young children. The main research question, I raised to address this problem is, what are the curriculum implementation challenges faced by ECCE teachers in Ethiopia in ensuring the holistic development of young children? My conceptual focus is on the appropriateness of curriculum, alignment of curriculum, assessment and pedagogic practices, the appropriateness of the physical environment, as well as the role of different stakeholders in ensuring the holistic development of young children. This study was built on the theoretical insights drawn from Vygotsky’s sociocultural learning theory. Vygotsky’s theoretical project falls within sociocultural learning theories and highlights his theoretical construct of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). In addition, Vygotsky’s notion of scaffolding and mediation tools were used to frame the research questions and to explain the relationship between learning and development in the current study. It is especially useful when thinking about the appropriateness of curriculum, alignment of curriculum, pedagogical and assessment practices, and the physical environment, as well as teacher training and the role they play.