The Preprimary School Education Curriculum in Ethiopia: Foundations, Objectives and Guiding Principles
Preprimary School Education Curriculum
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate “the preprimary school education curriculum in Ethiopia focusing on its foundations, objectives and guiding principles”. In doing so, the study attempted to indicate the conditions of foundational bases for curriculum, the comprehensiveness of objectives in the curriculum and the extent that the guiding principles of child development and learning are considered in the preparation of the curriculum for children of the period in Ethiopia. Both the quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed to conduct the study. Data were gathered from curriculum documents using documentary analysis and 362 preschool teachers using survey questionnaires of the rating scale with open-ended questions and interviews. The data gathered were analyzed using frequency, percentage, and content analysis.
The content analysis indicated that the philosophical, psychological and sociological bases for preprimary school education curriculum are communicated in the syllabus but with limited clarity. The historical and technological bases for the preparation of curriculum were not totally indicated in the syllabus. The objectives for preschool education in the syllabus as curriculum document were focusing only on limited aspects of development and have limitation to use as a base for the work of preschool teachers. The objectives were also written in terms of teachers’ activities instead of being stated in students’ activities.
The survey indicated that the twelve basic guiding principles of child development and learning were not properly taken in to account in the preparation of the curriculum. The curriculum has Problems in it preparation process, its material availability and fitness, timing in achieving objectives, continuity to primary education, and alignment of objective to contents. Thus, the preschool curriculum has undeniable gaps in terms of foundational bases, objectives and consideration of principles in its preparation.
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