Influences of Re-designing of Learning Environment on Child-Friendly School Environment among ECDE Centers in Uasin Gishu County

Abigael Jebiwot Kattam
Kisii University
Corresponding Author: abigaelkatam@gmail.com

Abstract: In an ideal Child Friendly School environment, the schools are expected to enhance learning through provision of safe and protective school environment, promoting equity and equality in school, promoting health and nutrition in school and enhancing school-community linkage and partnership. The study sought to establish the influence of redesigning of learning environment on child friendly school environment among ECDE centres in Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya. The study was informed by Constructivism instructional theory and Reggio Emilia philosophy of educating young children. The study targeted 2151 Early Child Development Education (ECDE) teachers and heads in the 576 public ECDE centers in Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya, comprising of 1728 ECDE teachers, 422 head teachers and one County Quality Assurance and Standards officer. A sample size of 271 respondents was used for the study. A Multistage sampling technique was used to select the respondent. Multistage sampling technique was used to select the respondents. A questionnaire was used to collect data. Data analysis was performed with the SPSS 25.0 program. The findings reveled that re-designing of learning environment had a positively and significant effect on Child-Friendly Learning Environment (r=.73, n=271, p<0.01), meaning that it has a 53% impact on Child-Friendly Learning Environment. Therefore Teachers should often redesign student learning environment such as the classrooms so as to enable a conducive child-friendly learning environment. The finding informs the best practices that could be employed so as to enhance the child friendly learning environment.