Stakeholders understanding and attitude on play-based approach in Nigeria preschools

  This research presents the stakeholders’ understanding and attitude towards play-based approach in Nigeria preschools. The study dwelt on the different understanding and attitude of stakeholders on the relevance of play-based approach, the relationship between educational qualifications and its relevance to the implementation of play-based approach in preschools. Other issues investigated were the suitability and possibility of play-based approach in developing the cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills and the language needs of children attending the preschools system in Nigeria. The research used the qualitative approach, whereby data collection were made through written text, interview and observation. Thus, collected data were analysed through hermeneutics procedure. The participants of this study included twenty classroom teachers and twenty parents from ten different schools, five preschools’ owners and also two officials from the Ministry of Education. The findings revealed that the majority of the participants in this study showed positive understanding and attitude towards the use of play-based approach and that the availability of qualified educators in childhood education was a key factor for effective use of play-based approach in preschools. The play-based approach is also found to be suitable in developing various domains of learning among pre-schoolers. In order to enable preschools to provide a good foundation for all other stages of learning, the stakeholders suggested that schools' owners should organise periodic training for teachers, provide conducive learning environment and materials, and stress on the importance of effective use of play-based approach in the preschool system. Awareness programmes should be organised for parents to show more interest in their children's learning. The government should therefore strengthen their intervention and required supports needed in order to reposition the present state of preschools system in Nigeria.