Journal Article pg. 150-161
This study aimed at assessing the provision of early childhood education in pre-schools in Tanzania. Specifically, the
quality of education services provided by the pre-schools basing on process and structure quality. The study was guided by
Vygotsky’s socio-cultural learning theory, and it employed both qualitative and quantitative techniques in data collection and
analysis. The sample of 20 pre-schools was involved. Interview, documentary review, questionnaire and observation, were used in
collecting primary and secondary data. Data were analysed by Content Analysis and SPPS software. The study indicated that the
quality of education service provided by ECE centres in the district were poor as a result of different factors including teaching and
learning materials, teachers’ qualifications, in-service training, availability of funds, teachers-pupils’ ratio, pedagogy of teachers,
and other related factors which measures the quality of education services. Generally, the study concludes that , the quality of
education service offered in pre-schools was poor due to the reason that most of the requirements for the quality of education were
not found in the sampled pre-schools in the district. On the other hand the study recommends that, the ministry of education through
its quality assurance department should establish different guidelines for establishing early childhood education (ECE) centres and
monitor their quality if they continue meeting the standards.