Evaluation of the Implementation of Pre-Primary Education in the South-East Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria

Pre-primary education is globally recognized as important stage in the life of a growing child. This is because experiences at this stage have far-reaching effects on the behaviour of the child as adult member of the society. This study is an evaluation research which focused on the implementation of pre-primary education using policy stipulations as the standards. It is also a survey study because the researchers went to the field to meet the things on the ground with instruments that enable data collection and reports are presented as seen without manipulations. The area of the study is Imo State in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The population of teachers in the four hundred and seventy threee-primary schools in the State is Five Hundred and Forty One. The sample size is One Hundred and seventy eight teachers in 38 pre-primary schools drawn using proportionate cluster random sampling techniques. This is to achieve a good spread across the three education zones of the state and each zone was represented in the sample according to its school population. Instruments for data collection were school records, interview and observation checklists and a proforma for abstracting the teachers qualifications. Four research questions guided the study. Findings include that 93.26% of the teachers were not trained to teach in the pre-primary education level, teaching and learning materials were far inadequate, and the teachers focused more on getting the pupils learn to carry out written works, thus maintaining strict academic work and strong discipline as opposed to independent activities that boost initiatives and creativity. It was recommended that teachers should be sponsored to go back to school and get training in the early childhood education among other recommendations.