Research consultancy

Research consultancy

ECD Support Systems and Sustainability of Community-Based Centres

The first objective of the study was to assess the relationship between ECD support systems and the sustainability of community-based ECD centres. Findings from Chapter Four reveal a positive and significant relationship, indicating that ECD support systems contribute substantially to sustainability—except in two areas: making repairs and recruiting volunteers. These roles received unfavorable ratings, suggesting that respondents did not view them as core responsibilities of ECD support systems. Instead, these tasks appear to be left to the communities, ensuring their direct involvement and accountability.

This aligns with Yaman et al. (2010), who emphasized that successful early childhood programs require strong parental and stakeholder commitment, with clearly defined roles for each party. The study confirms that the roles played by ECD support systems are critical for the long-term viability of community-based ECD centres.

In summary, ECD support systems in selected districts of Central Uganda primarily engage in the following roles:

• Paying staff salaries
• Developing policies and decisions to improve centre standards
• Monitoring centre activities
• Planning and budgeting
• Encouraging child enrollment
• Organizing caregiver workshops and refresher courses
• Hiring caregivers and support staff
• Sensitizing parents on ECD importance
• Overseeing centre operations

These findings resonate with Ejuu (2012), who argued that effective stakeholder engagement leads to better-planned policies and services. Similarly, MOES (2008) highlighted that stakeholder participation in decision-making and budgeting enhances information flow and policy implementation.

Community Participation and Sustainability of ECD Centres

The study also explored the relationship between community participation and the sustainability of ECD centres. Results indicate a positive and statistically significant correlation, meaning increased community involvement enhances sustainability. Key findings include:

1. Child Enrollment Patterns
   • Most parents prefer private nursery schools over community-based ECD centres.
   • This aligns with Calman & Tarr-Whelan (2005), who noted that parents opt for schools offering better learning experiences, especially in disadvantaged settings.
2. Reasons for Low Enrollment
   • Unqualified caregivers and low standards were the primary deterrents.
   • Pence (2004) observed that disadvantaged centres struggle to attract skilled staff and provide professional development, reinforcing these findings.
3. Challenges in Sustaining Centres Without NGO Support
   • Communities lack the capacity to sustain ECD centres independently.
   • Lack of cooperation among community members was a major barrier.
   • Pence & Shafer (2006) found that rural parents often perceive NGO-led initiatives as wasteful or exploitative.
   • Ejuu (2012) added that some communities view ECD programs as income-generating schemes rather than educational investments.
4. Impact of Community Participation
   • Active involvement leads to greater role fulfillment in sustaining centres.
   • Without NGO-led sensitization and motivation, community support remains weak, risking centre collapse.

Roles of Communities in ECD Centre Sustainability

The third objective examined community roles in sustaining ECD centres. Key insights include:

1. Roles Performed by Parents
   • Financial contributions for children’s welfare
   • Collecting children from the centre
   • However, some parents avoid contributing, expecting NGOs to shoulder all responsibilities.
2. Why Communities Fail to Fulfill Roles
   • Economic pressures (parents prioritize work to support families)
   • Dependency mindset (expecting NGOs to handle all centre operations)
   • Duncan et al. (2012) noted that rural communities prioritize social and cultural events over ECD participation.
3. Voluntary Roles Parents Engage In
   • Making bricks for construction
   • Taking children to the centre
   • This suggests parents prefer non-expertise tasks, highlighting the need for sensitization on broader involvement.
4. Reasons for Low Enrollment Growth
   • Low centre standards
   • Staff workload and understaffing
   • Lack of play materials and poor infrastructure
   • Excessive financial demands on parents (e.g., non-teaching staff salaries, feeding programs)