Paternal Involvement in Children's Education: An
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PATERNAL INVOLVEMENT IN CHILDREN’S EDUCATION: AN IMPLICATION OF CHILDREN’S PERFORMANCE AT PRESCHOOL IN GUCHA DISTRICT KENYA BY Bitengo Teresa Mwoma E83/10940/2006 A RESEARCH THESIS SUBMITED FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDIES) IN THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION OF KENYATTA UNIVERSITY. OCTOBER 2009 Declaration This thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other University. Signature Date Teresa Bitengo Mwoma E83/10940/2006 Department of Early Childhood Studies We confirm that the work reported in this thesis was carried out by the candidate under our supervision as University supervisors. Signature Date Professor Daniel Kiminyo Department of Early Childhood Studies Kenyatta University Signature Date Dr. Barbara Koech Department of Early Childhood Studies Kenyatta University Signature Date Dr. Rachel, Kamau-Kangethe Department of Early childhood studies Kenyatta University ii Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my husband Mr. Elijah Ocharo and our children; David, Eddah, Sally, Lucy and Faith for their perseverance during my study. iii Acknowledgement I thank God for seeing me through this research work; without him the work would have been impossible. The completion of this thesis would not have been possible without the assistance and cooperation of many people and institutions to which I am indebted. I am greatly indebted to Kenyatta University for sponsoring this study in an enabling and conducive learning environment. I thank DAAD for sponsoring this work by giving me the equipment grant that facilitated my data collection and analysis. I would like to thank my supervisors, Professor Kiminyo, Dr. Koech, Professor Nwoye and Dr. Kangethe-Kamau who were extremely resourceful and patient. My gratitude also goes to the Ministry of Education for granting me permission to carry out this research in preschools in Gucha District. Much thanks to the head teachers and preschool teachers who allowed and assisted me to conduct this research in their schools. In particular I would like to thank Mrs. Jerusha Moraa Nyakundi, who took time off from her work to assist me collect data from school to school. I wish to thank my academic colleagues in the Department of Early Childhood Studies for their intellectual and moral support during the three years of study. Much thanks to my husband Mr. Elijah Ocharo, our children; David, Eddah, Sally, Lucy and Faith for their prayers and moral support. Finally, I thank my sister Esther Nyaboke Mwoma who typed, printed and bound my work. iv Abbreviations and Acronyms ANOVA: One way Analysis of Variance BvLF: Bernard van Leer Foundation DAAD: Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (German Academic Exchange Service) DICECE: District Center for Early Childhood Education GDDP: Gucha District Development Plan KCPE: Kenya Certificate of Primary Education KCSE: Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education KDHS: Kenya Demographic Health Survey KIE: Kenya Institute of Education NALS: National Adult Literacy Survey NACECE: National Center for Early Childhood Education NCOFF: National Center On Fathers and Families NHES: National Household Education Survey SPSS: Statistical Package for Social Sciences v Table of Content Declaration ....................................................................................................... ii Dedication ....................................................................................................... iii Abbreviations and Acronyms ........................................................................ v Table of Content ............................................................................................. vi List of Tables .................................................................................................. xi Abstract .......................................................................................................... xv CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background to the Study ............................................................................ 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem ........................................................................... 6 1.3 Purpose of the Study .................................................................................. 8 1.4 Objectives of the Study .............................................................................. 8 1.5 Research Hypotheses ................................................................................. 9 1.6 Significance of the Study ......................................................................... 10 1.7 Delimitation and Limitations ................................................................... 11 1.8 Assumptions of the Study ........................................................................ 13 1.9 Theoretical Frame Work .......................................................................... 14 1.9.1 Parental Involvement Model Adopted from Palkovitz (1997) .............. 14 1.10 Conceptual Framework .......................................................................... 19 1.10 Operational Definition of Terms ............................................................ 22 CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................... 25 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................. 25 2.0 Introduction .............................................................................................. 25 vi 2.1 Paternal Involvement ............................................................................... 25 2.2 Fathers‘ Involvement and Children‘s Performance at School ................. 28 2.3 Factors Influencing Paternal Involvement ............................................... 31 2.3.1 Fathers‘ Academic Level ...................................................................... 33 2.3.2 Fathers‘ Occupation .............................................................................. 39 2.3.3 Fathers‘ Belief on Their Role with Their Children ............................... 41 2.3.4 Sex of the Child ..................................................................................... 48 2.3.5 Fathers‘ Residential Area ...................................................................... 51 2.3.6 Type of School Child Attended............................................................. 53 2.4 Summary .................................................................................................. 56 CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................... 57 METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................ 57 3.1 Research Design ....................................................................................... 57 3.2 Variables of the Study .............................................................................. 57 3.3 Location of the Study ............................................................................... 58 3.4 Target Population ..................................................................................... 62 3.5 Sampling Technique................................................................................. 62 3.5.1 Sample Size ........................................................................................... 67 3.6 Construction of Research Instruments ..................................................... 68 3.6.1 Questionnaire ........................................................................................ 69 3.6.1.1 Scoring of the questionnaire .............................................................. 70 3.6.2 Achievement Test.................................................................................. 71 3.6.2.1 Scoring of the Achievement Test ....................................................... 72 3.7 Pilot Study ................................................................................................ 73 vii 3.8 Validity of the Instruments ...................................................................... 73 3.9 Reliability of the Instruments ................................................................... 74 3.10 Data Gathering Procedures .................................................................... 75 3.11 Methods of Data Analysis ...................................................................... 77 3.12 Ethical Considerations ........................................................................... 79 CHAPTER FOUR ......................................................................................... 80 DATA ANALYSIS, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ................................. 80 4.0 Introduction .............................................................................................. 80 4.1 Presentation of Results and Discussions .................................................. 80 4.2 Demographic Characteristics of Fathers .................................................. 80 4.2.1 Fathers‘ Academic Level ...................................................................... 81 4.2.2 Fathers‘ Occupation .............................................................................. 81 4.2.3 Sex of the Child. ...................................................................................