Psychosocial Characteristics of Pre-School Posing Challenges in Early Childhood Education in Umuahia Metropolis: Guidance and Counselling Remedy

Abstract

This study investigated the psychological and social characteristics of pre-school that pose challenges in early childhood education in Umuahia metropolis and the guidance programme that could minimize the challenges. Descriptive survey design was employed. Four research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. The sample size was the total population of seventeen teachers in the six public nursery schools in Umuahia of Abia State, drawn using purposive sampling technique. Child Guidance services against pre-school challenges questionnaire, duly validated and with reliability value of 0.88, using cronbach Alpha was the instrument used for data collection. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t-test statistics for research questions and hypothesis respectively. The findings showed that anti-social features of children constituted the social characteristics of the pre-school while emotional traits form their psychological characteristics and their challenges, respectively. Provision of adequate guidance approach through self-regulation, observational learning, modeling and teaching of successful life skills could cater for the emotional and social needs of the pre-school and in turn help to minimize the challenges. The difference between the opinions of the nursery school teachers was not significant. Conclusion was that child guidance-counsellors are required in the nursery schools to play their distinct roles in the emotional and social life of the kids. One recommendation was that the pre-school teachers, parents and counsellors must work as a team to achieve success in early childhood education in Abia State.