Chapter 1-5: THE PERCEPTION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL

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Abstract

This study was on  the perception of early childhood education pre-service teachers on sustainable development (goal 4) The total population for the study is 200 selected residents in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made up married men, married women, teachers and civil servants were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies.

Chapter one

Introduction

1.1Background of the study

International efforts to increase access to high-quality early childhood education have risen dramatically in recent years. Sustainable Development Goal 4, Target 4.2, calls for “ensuring that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and preprimary education so that they are ready for primary education” (United Nations, 2015). For this target to be achieved, governments will need to focus on both access to pre-primary education (e.g., by incorporating it into the basic education system) and ensuring the delivery of high-quality education (e.g., by producing a well-trained teacher workforce). Nigeria has been a pioneer in these efforts, expanding 2 years of pre-primary education called kindergarten 1 (KG1) and kindergarten 2 (KG2) as part of its universal basic education system in 2007. With some of the highest enrollment rates in early childhood education (ECE) on the continent at over 75% net enrollment in 2015- 16 Nigeria’s government has turned its attention the issue of quality, including developing a pre-service teacher certification track specifically to train KG teachers.

Sustainable development nowadays becomes trademark in numerous areas including educational discourse worldwide. Huckle argues that sustainable development is a concept which refers to the way humans should behave on earth. It covers the development of economic welfare coupled with social justice for all humankind now and in the future within ecological limits of our earth (2006). As a matter of fact, it becomes phenomena since it is believed that sustainable development education has capacity to share concern for future of the planet and local communities all over the world (Jucker and Reiner Mathar, 2015). However, it is not easy to introduce sustainable development education into educational activities since sustainable issue lacks of shared meaning and stemming concerning future problems that will be faced the planet. Various countries nowadays have already concern about education for sustainable development. Those countries through their education ministry impose and implement regulation concerning education for sustainable development all educational areas (early childhood education, elementary, junior high school, senior high school and university). Furthermore, the United Nations also encourage those countries to seek ways in order to introduce education for sustainable development into school. It is presumed that children, older students and adults hold huge potential to be educated formally to act now in the interests of a sustainable future and to act internationally (ibid).

Nigeria as developing country also concerns about education for sustainable development since Nigeria president at this time Joko Widodo establishes Joint Committee to implement Nigeria Sustainable Development Goals that is proclaimed by Nigeria government in 2015 (Tempo, 2015). So far, implementation of education for sustainable development in Nigeria needs to be strengthened in order to achieve the sustainable development goals that are declared. An alternative that can be taken by Nigeria government to strengthen public concern regarding sustainable development is through early childhood education. The present study aims to elaborate an effective strategy in introducing sustainable development to early childhood children in Nigeria. Indonesia Ministry of Education emphasizes the output of early childhood education into various values of basic competencies which are spiritual, social, knowledge, and skills. It can be seen from Indonesian Education ministry decree about early childhood education No. 146, 2014 (Indonesian Education ministry, 2014). Based on this decree, it can be seen that sustainable development is not priority values for early childhood education. Moreover, the present study aims to picture that introduction of sustainable development education for early childhood will bring positive impacts coupled with encourage them to be involved in sustainable society. Scholars believe that early childhood education should play an essential role in building a sustainable society since it can be seen as a first stage in fostering a sustainable lifestyle, respecting others coupled with developing a non-ethnocentric perception (Qemuge & Inner cited in Samuelsson and Yoshie, 2008).

Early childhood education is the foundation for the growth and future development of all children. It is generally accepted as the education that given to under 6 years old children. This kind of education precedes the beginning of formal primary school or before the age in which children are commonly expected to attend schools (Maduewesi and Augosiobo, 2005). Therefore, introducing and including education for sustainable development into early childhood education in Nigeria can be seen as an effective strategy for our children to become the part of sustainable society in the future. In order to become a part of sustainable society, children education, and in particular early childhood children, is an essential tool for individuals as well as for public. As the growing generation, early childhood children will have increased demand for citizens who have essential knowledge and are capable in making decisions coupled with choices that will have an impact on the environment (Roth and McGinn, 1998). The present study does not aim to judge that early childhood educational system in Nigeria is wrong or not good but rather to demonstrate that sustainable development goals that is proclaimed by Nigeria government can be achieved handily by including sustainable development as basic competence values of early childhood education.

 Statement of the problem

It is not necessarily a new idea to think of the world as a constantly changing place, nor is it new to philosophize about how education should respond to these changes. Education has long been recognized as a powerful force for shaping culture, transmitting cultural values to the next generation of learners and of influencing social change (Reunamo, 2007; Abraham, 2012). Understanding the complexity of today’s changing world, recognizing inequality as a persistent and growing problem and accepting the consequences of actions taken by generations past–while seeking better, more sustainable choices for the future are only a few of the challenges facing educators today.

Educators have the opportunity to candidly accept these challenges and take an active stance in addressing them (Boutte, 2008). One vehicle for impacting change is through the practice of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Sustainable development describes an approach to development (change, or decision-making) that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Brundtland, 1987). Education for sustainable development then refers to any act of education or educational approach that encourages the development of attitudes, values, skills, and beliefs (Mckeown, 2013) which empower learners to contribute to a sustainable world for everyone, current and future generations. This study will address ESD from the perspective of early childhood education (ECE) and will explore the early forming perceptions about ESD from the perspective of five early childhood educators.

Objective of the study

The objectives of the study are;

1. To ascertain the perception of teachers toward pre service on early childhood education
2. To ascertain the significant role play by early childhood education in the implementation of sustainable development goal
3. To ascertain the relationship between early childhood education and sustainable development goals

Research hypotheses

H₀: there is no perception of teachers toward pre service on early childhood education

.H₁: there is perception of teachers toward pre service on early childhood education

H₂: there is relationship between early childhood education and sustainable development goals

Significance of the study

The study will be very significant to students and policy makers. The study will discuss children’s perspectives on matters relative to early childhoold education towards sustainable development, few studies seem to explore teacher perspectives and understanding of the subject. The study will also serve as a reference to other researcher that will embark on the related topic

Scope and limitation of the study

The scope of the study covers the perception of early childhood education pre-service teachers on sustainable development (goal 4). The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
3. c) Organizational privacy: Limited Access to the selected auditing firm makes it difficult to get all the necessary and required information concerning the activities.

 1.7 DEFINITION

EARLY CHILD EDUCATION: Early childhood education (ECE; also nursery education) is a branch of education theory which relates to the teaching of young children (formally and informally) up until the age of about eight. Infant/toddler education, a subset of early childhood education, denotes the education of children from birth to age two.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations. The broad goals are interrelated though each has its own targets to achieve. The SDGs are also known as “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” or 2030 Agenda in short

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