MONITORING MECHANISM FOR QUALITY PROGRESS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF PUNJAB: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

The quality of Early Childhood Education (ECE) is not only based on access but on useful systems that constantly survey the work of the classroom and turn evidence into acts of improvement. This qualitative research examined the quality progress monitoring mechanism of ECE in the secondary schools of Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 36 District Education Officers (DEOs) of Secondary Education in Punjab were used as the population, and nine of the DEOs at Lahore, Kasur, Faisalabad, Chiniot, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Sahiwal, Pakpattan and Sargodha made the sample which was conveniently selected. The collection of data was conducted using a semi-structured interview guide designed independently based on six questions strong to the indicator of the same name: Monitoring System of Quality Progress of Early Childhood Education. Responses were coded and grouped into themes and sub-themes through thematic analysis and provided in six tables, one per question. The results have shown that the majority of DEOs (Secondary Education) described the existing system of monitoring and feedback as suitable and enhanced with the help of indicators and organized monitoring instruments (e.g., ECCE app). The monitoring was mostly characterized as cooperative and encouraging and was part of teacher instruction and better classroom practices. Nevertheless, one main issue has been identified in which monitoring is in some instances reporting/checklist-based with little time to do classroom observation and mentoring. The internal control by head teachers was found to be present but to an inconsistent degree across schools. DEOs underlined that ECE-oriented visits should be more frequent, that roadmaps/indicators were supposed to be clearer, that feedback (logbooks) should be documented, that the reporting burden should be decreased, that training should be continuous, and that motivation mechanisms should be employed to maintain the quality improvement.