PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION POLICY IN LAIKIPIA COUNTY, KENYA
Keywords:
Public Involvement, Public Representation, Citizen Engagement, ECDE Policy Implementation, Access, Equity and Inclusivity
Abstract
Early childhood education is recognized as a fundamental human right and important in setting a foundation for holistic learning and development. But data shows almost half of all children do not attend early schooling and especially in developing nations. To increase enrolment and early learning, this paper concentrated on public involvement. This paper sought to understand how public involvement affects early childhood development and education policy in Laikipia County, Kenya. The public policy, and democratic governance theories formed the theoretical foundation. Through descriptive survey research approaches, 210 respondents were targeted and 152 took part in the study, such that 72.4% was the response rate. The conducted descriptive, correlation and regression analyses revealed means of 3.72, r = 0.424 and β =0.372; indicating that public involvement had a positive but moderate effect to ECDE policy implementation. At the same time, ECDE policy implementation improved by 64.5% variation linked to the effects of public involvement. Thus, concluding that public involvement greatly influenced the successful implementation of ECDE policy in Laikipia County. The paper also suggests formation of consultative forums that will incorporate the feedback and views of the general public towards formulation and implementation of the ECDE policy.
References
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Piper, B., Merseth, K. A., & Ngaruiya, S. (2018). Scaling up early childhood development and education in a devolved setting: Policy making, resource allocations, and impacts of the Tayari school readiness program in Kenya. Global Education Review, 5(2), 47-68.
Rahmatullah, B., Md Yassin, S., & Omar, J. (2020). Local community involvement in Malaysian early childhood care and education centers. International Journal of Educational Management, 35(1), 143-157.
Raikes, A., Rao, N., Yoshikawa, H., Cohrssen, C., Behrman, J., Cappa, C., ... & UKRI GCRF (2023). Harnessing the power of global data to support young children’s learning and development research group. Global tracking of access and quality in early childhood care and education. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 17(1), 14.
Sigilai, E., Ungaya, C. G., & Okeche, P. (2024). Effectiveness of Public Participation Structures on Early Childhood Development Education Policy Implementation in Bomet County, Kenya. American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences, 97(1), 169-178.
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Ulferts, H., Wolf, K. M., & Anders, Y. (2019). Impact of process quality in early childhood education and care on academic outcomes: Longitudinal meta‐analysis. Child development, 90(5), 1474-1489.
Vargas-Barón, E. (2019). Early childhood policy planning and implementation: Community and provincial participation. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 89(4), 449.
Wagner, S. A., Vogt, S., & Kabst, R. (2016). The future of public participation: Empirical analysis from the viewpoint of policy-makers. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 106, 65-73.
Amukune, S. (2021). Preschool education in Finland and Kenya: A comparison within perspectives of Education quality. International journal of early childhood learning, 28(2), 51-67.
Ansell, C., Sørensen, E., & Torfing, J. (2021). When governance theory meets democratic theory: The potential contribution of cocreation to democratic governance. Perspectives on Public Management and Governance, 4(4), 346-362.
Anyebe, A. A. (2018). An overview of approaches to the study of public policy. e-BANGI Journal, 13(1) 1-14
Biegelbauer, P., & Hansen, J. (2011). Democratic theory and citizen participation: democracy models in the evaluation of public participation in science and technology. Science and Public Policy, 38(8), 589-597.
Birkland, T. A. (2019). An introduction to the policy process: Theories, concepts, and models of public policy making. Routledge.
Boaz, A., Biri, D., & Mckevitt, C. (2016). Rethinking the relationship between science and society: Has there been a shift in attitudes to Patient and Public Involvement and Public Engagement in Science in the United Kingdom? Health Expectations, 19(3), 592–601.
Cardullo, P., & Kitchin, R. (2019). Being a ‘citizen’in the smart city: Up and down the scaffold of smart citizen participation in Dublin, Ireland. GeoJournal, 84(1), 1-13.
Cho, S., Mossberger, K., Swindell, D., & Selby, J. D. (2021). Experimenting with public engagement platforms in local government. Urban Affairs Review, 57(3), 763-793.
Chu, H., & Ke, Q. (2017). Research methods: What's in the name? Library & Information Science Research, 39(4), 284-294.
Coelho, T. R., Pozzebon, M., & Cunha, M. A. (2022). Citizens influencing public policy-making: Resourcing as source of relational power in e-participation platforms. Information Systems Journal, 32(2), 344–376.
Eisfeld, R. (2019). Empowering citizens, engaging the public: Political science for the 21st century. Springer.
Ejuu, G. (2021). Parental involvement in early childhood education discourse in Uganda. In Parental engagement and early childhood education around the world (pp. 269-279). Routledge.
Falanga, R., & Ferrão, J. (2021). The evaluation of citizen participation in policymaking: Insights from Portugal. Evaluation and Program Planning, 84, 101895.
Gberevbie, D. E., Ayo, C. K., Iyoha, F. O., Duruji, M. M., & Abasilim, U. D. (2018). Electronic governance platform: Towards overcoming the challenges of non-inclusion of citizens in public policy formulation and implementation in Nigeria. International Journal of Electronic Governance, 10(1), 56–73.
Ingram, H., deLeon, P., & Schneider, A. (2016). Conclusion: Public Policy Theory and Democracy: The Elephant in the Corner. International Series on Public Policy, 175–200
Jager, N. W., & Newig, J. (2024). What explains the performance of participatory governance? In Pathways to Positive Public Administration (165-186). Edward Elgar Publishing.
Lasswell, H. D. (1956). The decision process: Seven categories of functional analysis. University of Maryland
Leavy, P. (2022). Research Design: Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed Methods, Arts-Based, and Community-Based Participatory Research Approaches. Guilford Publications.
Longhurst, E. R., Jolly, R., & Luckham, R. (2017). Introduction: New Democratic Spaces? The Politics and Dynamics of Institutionalised Participation. IDS Bulletin, 48(1), 1–10.
Marango, T., Magaya, M., Francis, J., & Mutongoreni, N. A. (2018). Budget Formulation: An Insight into Zimbabwean Local Government Citizen Budget Formulation: An Insight into Zimbabwean Local Government Citizen Participation. African Journal of Democracy and Governance, 5(4), 169–188.
Mohajan, H. (2018). Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related subjects. Ceeol.Com, 7(1), 23–48.
Molokwane, T., & Lukamba, M. T. (2018). Citizen involvement in the formulation of public policy. In The 3rd annual international conference on public administration and development alternatives, 4 (6). South Africa: Stellenbosch University, Saldahna Bay.
Murundu, Z. O. (2019). Quality Assurance Factors Influencing Implementation of Early Childhood Development and Education Curriculum. South Asian Research Journal of Business and Management, 1, (2), 60-66
Mwaura, P., & Nyambura, J. (2020). Challenges in the provision of ECDE in Kenyan counties: Evidence from Laikipia. Journal of Education and Social Policy, 7(3), 112–121.
Nabafu, R., SSekakubo, J., Nyesiga, C., & Nantege, Z. (2022). Citizen Engagement in Policy Formulation through E-participation: A Case of Academic Staff of Makerere University. Orsea Journal, 11(2), 45
Ndijuye, L. G., Mligo, I. R., & Machumu, M. A. M. (2020). Early Childhood Education in Tanzania: Views and Beliefs of Stakeholders on Its Status and Development. Global Education Review, 7(3), 22-39.
Nyongesa, P. M. (2020). The Role and Influence of Vihiga County Government in the Implementation of the Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) Curriculum. Journal of Education and Practice, 11 (28), 60 -67
O’Connor, S., Hanlon, P., O’Donnell, C. A., Garcia, S., Glanville, J., & Mair, F. S. (2016). Understanding factors affecting patient and public engagement and recruitment to digital health interventions: A systematic review of qualitative studies. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 16(1).
Ochieng, R. (2020). Citizen participation and service delivery in Kenyan counties: A review. Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) Discussion Paper 43
Okullo, B. A. (2023). Stakeholder Participation and Implementation of Early Childhood Development and Education Program in Kisumu-west Constituency, Kisumu County Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi).
Osegbue, G. C. (2025). Early childhood education in Nigeria: challenges and prospects. Unizik Journal of Educational Laws and Leadership Studies, 2(1).
Piper, B., Merseth, K. A., & Ngaruiya, S. (2018). Scaling up early childhood development and education in a devolved setting: Policy making, resource allocations, and impacts of the Tayari school readiness program in Kenya. Global Education Review, 5(2), 47-68.
Rahmatullah, B., Md Yassin, S., & Omar, J. (2020). Local community involvement in Malaysian early childhood care and education centers. International Journal of Educational Management, 35(1), 143-157.
Raikes, A., Rao, N., Yoshikawa, H., Cohrssen, C., Behrman, J., Cappa, C., ... & UKRI GCRF (2023). Harnessing the power of global data to support young children’s learning and development research group. Global tracking of access and quality in early childhood care and education. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 17(1), 14.
Sigilai, E., Ungaya, C. G., & Okeche, P. (2024). Effectiveness of Public Participation Structures on Early Childhood Development Education Policy Implementation in Bomet County, Kenya. American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences, 97(1), 169-178.
Tang, D., Chew, F. P., Rahman, M. A., & Dhamotharan, M. (2022). Parents’ perceptions on policies of early childhood care and education programmes in selected states of Malaysia. F1000Research, 11, 938.
Ulferts, H., Wolf, K. M., & Anders, Y. (2019). Impact of process quality in early childhood education and care on academic outcomes: Longitudinal meta‐analysis. Child development, 90(5), 1474-1489.
Vargas-Barón, E. (2019). Early childhood policy planning and implementation: Community and provincial participation. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 89(4), 449.
Wagner, S. A., Vogt, S., & Kabst, R. (2016). The future of public participation: Empirical analysis from the viewpoint of policy-makers. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 106, 65-73.
