Examining the effect of caregiver training on cognitive development of children aged 4-5 years in community based childcare centres in Dowa district, Malawi.
| dc.contributor.author | Bonongwe, Jonathan | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-07-31T08:44:17Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-07-31T08:44:17Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.description | Thesis of Master of Education in Early Childcare and Development Education (ECCDE). | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study examined the effects of caregiver training on the cognitive development of children aged 4-5 years in community-based childcare centers (CBCCs) in Dowa District, Malawi. The study aimed to achieve four objectives: to assess the effects of trained caregivers on early childhood education; to examine children's competencies in language and literacy in CBCCs managed by trained and untrained caregivers, to evaluate children's social and emotional development in these centers; and to investigate the effect of caregiver training on cognitive development. Using a quantitative approach and a causal-comparative research design, the study compared the impact of trained and untrained caregivers on children's cognitive development. A total of 120 children (70 girls and 50 boys) were sampled from the Traditional Authorities of Mponela and Chiwere. Stratified and systematic random sampling techniques were used to ensure equal representation of children cared for by trained and untrained caregivers. The Measuring Early Learning for Quality Outcomes (MELQO) tool, with thirteen assessment components, was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS, with Ttests conducted to determine statistical significance. Findings revealed that caregiver training had a statistically significant impact on children's cognitive development. All but one component through which children were assessed showed statistically significant differences. Only in the component of “how it was written”, there was no statistical significance. The results showed that neither the untrained nor the trained caregivers contributed to the development of skills in social-emotional, language and cognitive development. Components like naming items, copying shapes, receptive spatial vocabulary, forward digit span, producing a set, verbal counting, number identification and pencil tapping confirmed that trained caregivers contributed more positively to social-emotional, language and cognitive development skills while components like listening comprehension, name writing, and letter identification showed that even untrained caregiver can equally contribute to social-emotion, language and cognitive development in children. The study recommended that the government provide financial support for caregiver training and incentivize volunteers. It also suggested that trained caregivers share their skills with untrained counterparts. The study emphasized that caregiver training supports multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly quality education and health and well-being, and provides long-term economic benefits through early childhood education (ECD) strategies. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/9322 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | The University of Zambia | |
| dc.title | Examining the effect of caregiver training on cognitive development of children aged 4-5 years in community based childcare centres in Dowa district, Malawi. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |