EVALUATION OF THE AVAILABILITY AND UTILIZATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PRE- PRIMARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

The history of pre-primary education in Nigeria can be traced back to the colonial days when only the colonial administrators were privileged to give their young children pre– school education. The National Policy on Education (2004) refers to pre-primary education as the education given in an educational institution to children prior to their entering the primary school. It includes the crèche, the nursery and the kindergarten.

The importance of pre-primary education cannot be over – emphasized. Maduewesi (2002), Olagbaju (2005) and Anuna and Smith (2006) see this period of education as the most crucial and the foundation of an individual’s later life. It is at this level that the child takes a stride into life outside the mother’s breast. The pre–school education also allows for individual attention and imbibes confidence in the child for full development of his or her potentialities (Igwe, 1998).

The purpose of pre-primary education according to the National Policy on Education (2004) include to inculcate in the child the spirit of enquiry and creativity through the exploration of nature, the environment, art, music and playing with toys, etc. The venues for the education were homes of the white colonial over – lords, the churches and make-shift buildings (Anuna and Obi, 2006). The number of children who had access to the type of education was limited.

Prior to the advent of this colonial education in Nigeria, children were trained and cared for by their parents and other adults. In the words of Esu (2002) and lloh (2003), children in pre- colonial era, were owned by everybody in the community. They were brought up to obey orders and the style of their upbringing was traditionally authoritarian. Neighbours and housemaids assist in the training of the child and whenever any form of misbehaviour was identified in the child, he is publicly disciplined and the community assisted in the direction. With the dawn of independence in 1960, the number of pre–school institutions in the country increased. This according to Anuna and Smith (2006) was as a result of the influx of foreign immigrants from Europe and America into the country to boost the economy. There were also educated Nigerians who were fast emulating the European officials and wanted also to give their children pre – school education. In the same vein, there was the need for the Nigerian woman to take up white–collar job. This further enhanced the development of pre–primary education (Akinbote, Oduolowu and Lawal, 2001).

The rapid development of pre-primary education can be attributed to the benefits accruing from it. Some of the benefits include the socialization of the child, provision of custodial care, inculcation of the spirit of enquiry and creativity through the exploration of nature, the environment, art and playing with resources as well as ensuring a smooth transition to the primary level of education.

There has been scientific evidence that the first years in a child’s life are crucial time for learning. Most cognitive theorists agree that childhood is the period where children are susceptible to intervention, therefore, the care and nurture given to them during these formative years will either make or mar their cognitive development (Piaget; 1958; Akinbote, (1978; Ogbose. 1984; Olabode, 1992; Arnold, 2000; and Adegoke, 2005). From age two through five, a child develops language skills, fundamental social skills, and the base for learning to learn that translates into school readiness. Character and personality are largely formed and major social and moral values are transmitted. From age six through eight, a child consolidates on earlier learning, begins to learn conceptually and manipulate ideas and enters the age of reason (Evans 2000 and Adebola, 2005).

The environment of the child plays significant role in the intellectual development of the child and intelligence has been attributed to the product of many hereditary and environmental factors. Materials in the environment of the child are very important for the mental and social development of the child. This may therefore explain why the recommended strategy for teaching at the pre- school level is play and this strategy can be affectively utilized through the provision of instructional materials (Olagbaju, 2005).

It is also important to state that the effective socialization of the child can be done through many means and agencies. Prominent among the agencies according to Akande (1998) and Bulus (2006) are human and material agents. The human agents are made up of significant others–parents, teachers, doctors, to mention but few. On the other hand, the material agents include the mass Media, real objects, hardware and software, television, radio, newspapers, books and magazine. These human and materials agents are referred to as instructional materials. .

Instructional materials provide a stimulating environment for the child’s exploration, develop the sensory skills (tasting, touching, and feeling, seeing, and smelling), develop eye and body co-ordination and increases finger and gross motor skills through manipulating objects.

When resources are well selected and skillfully used, they multiply and widen the channel of communication between the teacher and the learner. On the other hand, inefficiency in the use of resources in teaching discourages pupils practices (Bajah, 1991). The use of instructional materials in teaching and learning is of paramount importance in the education process. It is a pivot that learning stands upon. Educators are in support of the fact that resources have the ability to expand the sensory, motor and perception skills of young children. They maintain that when children have a good supply of resources available to them, they interact with these and such interactions lead to new discoveries and mastery in solving new problems (Olagbaju, 2005). Additionally, the presence of a resource person other than the teacher in the classroom brings relief from routine classroom work, interrupts monotony and adds variety to instruction.

Recent situation and policy analysis (SAPA 1999) indicate that teachers and care-givers are poorly trained and they lack requisite qualification and experience in pre-primary education. Olagbaju (2005) equally pointed out that the quality of teachers is an important input in effective learning and proper resource utilization since quality input demands quality output. The teacher interprets the aims and objectives of education as well as plans the method of curriculum implementation. The teacher factors such as age, qualification, experience and style of teaching can influence the level of resources provision and utilization (Olagbaju, 2005)

The quality of the teacher in instructional materials utilization is very important because resources can be misused on learners. One of the steps in resource utilization is presentation of materials. This skill requires some elements of showmanship which means that the teacher should be familiar with the techniques necessary for effective resource utilization and hence for learning to take place. Based on the foregoing background, it has become necessary to carry out a study on the availability and utilization of instructional materials at the pre- primary level of our educational system.

Statement of the Problem

Irrespective of the fact that government, educators and teachers alike, have recognized the pre-primary education structure as an important one in our educational system, not much has been achieved to make it work as reported by Anuna and Smith (2006). People have pointed accusing fingers at a variety of possible causes. However knowing fully well that play and resource materials are necessary ingredients if the objective of this level of education are to be achieved, it has become worrisome whether these resource materials are available. If they are available, are they being properly utilized? Is there any difference in the level of availability and utilization of these resource materials in the public and private pre-primary schools? These are the issues that constitute the problem of this study, namely; what is the extent of availability and utilization of resource materials in public and private pre-pre-primary schools in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State?

Purpose of the Study

Generally this study was aimed at investigating the availability and utilization of instructional materials in public and private pre-primary schools in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State. Specifically, the study investigated;

1. what instructional materials are available in Private and Public pre- primary schools in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State
2. extent of adequacy of the instructional materials in public and private pre-primary schools in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State.
3. the extent of teachers utilization of resources in both private and public pre- primary schools
4. the extent to which teachers qualification affect their utilization of instructional materials.
5. the extent to which teachers experience affect the utilization of instructional materials

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will provide information on the state of pre- primary education in Delta State in relation to availability and utilization of instructional materials. The education authorities and the proprietors of the schools will be able to know the materials that are available and how they are being utilized. This study will help education authorities such as Ministries in charge of education and proprietors of nursery schools to understand the influence of teachers’ qualification and experience, on the utilization of resource materials. This knowledge will enable them to know the category of teachers to be posted to the pre- primary schools. This study will also help to expose the education planners as well as the proprietors to the variety of instructional materials needed for the education of the child in public and private pre- primary schools.

Scope of the Study

This study specifically focused on investigation of the availability of instructional materials and their utilization by teachers in public and private pre-primary schools in Oshimili South Local government Area of Delta State. The teacher’s qualifications and experiences was also on focus because these variables were considered to affect their utilization of the instructional materials.

Research Questions

The following research questions were answered in this study:

1. What instructional materials are available in both public and private pre-primary schools in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State?
2. How adequate are instructional materials in both public and private pre-primary schools in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State?
3. To what extent do the teachers utilize the available instructional material in public and private pre-primary schools in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State?
4. To what extent does teachers’ qualification affect their utilization of instructional materials in public and private pre-primary schools?
5. To what extent does teachers’ experience affect their utilization of instructional materials in public and private pre-primary schools?

Hypotheses:

The following hypotheses were formulated and tested for the study at 0.05 level of significance.

1. There is no significant difference between the instructional materials available in the public and private pre- primary schools as responded to by the respondents.
2. There is no significant difference in the utilization of instructional materials between teachers in the public and private pre- primary schools.
3. There is no significant difference between teachers qualification and their utilization of instructional materials.
4. There is no significant difference between teachers experience and their utilization of instructional materials.