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CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM

Rationale

This research study titled “IMPLEMENTATION OF PRESCHOOL PROGRAM IN

SELECTED DISTRICT I, II, III and PRIVATE SCHOOLS DIVISION OF ILOCOS

NORTE” will be conducted to determine the level of implementation of the preschool program of

selected public schools in the Division of Ilocos Norte in terms of a) School Admission

Requirement and Organization of Classes, b)School Plants and Facilities, c) Curriculum Content

and instructional strategies and materials. Moreover, this study will find out the significant

differences in the level of implementation of the preschool program of selected public schools in

the Division of Ilocos Norte when grouped according to respondents.

Background of the Study

The most important part of a school is said to be the classroom while for the latter is said

to be the learners who should be molding holistically from nobody to somebody within for the

pillars of educational system. Children based on the understanding from all folks of life are the

most vivid creatures who will save the nation’s future. Hence, the demand for a maximum equal

opportunity particularly with regards to full blast basic education should be given to them.

The Philippine government ensures that all incoming Grade 1 pupils are ready for academic

learning with the Kindergarten level has now been integrated to the basic education system. The

Universal kindergarten was started in SY 2011-2012 with a budget of P 2.3 billion and made

mandatory year after through the signing of Republic Act No. 10157 entitled “An Act
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Institutionalizing the Kindergarten Education into the Basic Education System and Appropriating

Funds.

With its national demand, the L to 12 Program was included into the education system

which covered kindergarten and 12 years of basic education, six years of primary education, four

years of junior high school, and two years of senior high school to provide sufficient time for

mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary

education, midde-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.

The adoption of the program is in response to the need to improve the competitiveness of

our country’s graduates as the ten-year basic education cycle is seen as adequate for work and

higher education. In fact, overseas Filipino workers are not automatically recognized as

professionalism other countries that view the ten-year education program as insufficient. The

Philippines is the only country in Asia and is one of only three countries in the world with a ten-

year basic education cycle.

In recent years kindergarten programs have struggled to meet the growing demands by

public schools. When early education is not mandated or funded, the programs lack necessary

resources and are inconsistent. Likewise, there is a gap in the Foundation of knowledge that pupils

bring to the kindergarten classroom, especially for pupils who belong to the poverty line and

widely ethnic diversity. Along with the obstacle of kindergarten teachers having different

philosophical perspectives regarding the purpose of kindergarten are pointing the blame to early

education or preschool program for some of their struggles.

Therefore, public schools need to fund and implement locally controlled kindergarten

readiness program to give more control of their pupils’ academics destiny. Research studies have

proven that when early education programs combine play and direct instruction component, results
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are sustainable for students throughout early elementary school. In light of budget cuts and

financial burdens that all schools are facing, educational leaders must work together to devise,

fund, improve physical plants and facilities, develop content curriculum and implement sound

kindergarten readiness programs to better prepare pupils for the intense academes rigors of

kindergarten.

Thus researchers found that this undertaking is deemed important. This study will help first

and foremost the preschoolers to have a holistic learning environment. On the other hand, this

study will give valid suggestion to the curriculum planners to improve the curriculum for

preschoolers suited to their ages, levels, and interest. Further, this will give clear realization to the

school administration to improve the physical plants and facilities of the school to make it more

conducive for learning. Further this study is helpful to the preschool teachers to improve

instructional strategies and create instructional materials for the instruction. And lastly, for the

parents for they will be aware of the status of every school offering preschool programs in the

Division of Laoag City where they can choose the best school to enroll their children.

Theoretical Framework

The theoretical background of this study is drawn from the assumptions of the following

theories:

Freidrich Froebel, (1837) the first advocator who viewed education as an extension of the

world and his understanding of the relation of individual, God and nature. He saw education as

fostering the natural development of children. He used the garden as a symbol of childhood

education. Just as young plants and animals grow naturally according to their own laws thus,
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kindergarten education follows the nature of the child. He developed a set of activities and

materials that would teach young children the important concepts of the unity of the individual.

Arnold Gesell (1844-1924), who developed detailed descriptions of the changes in children

throughout the period of early childhood stage. He studied the development of children’s motor

behavior, language, visual capacities, adaptive functions and personal and social relations.

Sigmund Freud (1856-1924), one of the advocators who felt that it was essentials to know

the child in order to understand the emerging adults. He believed that individuals develop through

a series of conflicts derived from within their own natures. He thought that the roots of mature

emotional life are developed in the early years.

Erik Erikson (1902) like Freud ,felt that a healthy adult is one who satisfies personal needs

and derives much conflict from them while learning to meet the demands of society.

Jean Piaget (1896-1980), believed that children’s thinking differed in profound and significant

ways from adult thinking and that children’s thought processes were modified as they grew. He

described their thought processes at different levels and demonstrated that they were active and

self-motivated in the creation of their own knowledge. For him, children’s thinking abilities

followed a consistent development patterns beginning early in their life and continuing until

maturity.
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Conceptual Framework

Input Process Output

The Kindergarten Survey on the Level of

Program of Selected
District I, II, III and
Private Schools Division
of Ilocos Norte
a. Mastery of Kindergarten
Learning Competencies,
b. Curriculum Content and
Instructional Strategies
and Materials,
c. School Plants, Facilities,
and Equipments,
d. Early Childhood Care
Development
Implementation?
Implementation of the
Kindergarten Program of
Selected District I, II, III
and Private Schools
Division of Ilocos Norte
a. Mastery of Kindergarten High Level of
Learning Competencies, Implementation of the
Kindergarten Programs
b. Curriculum Content and of Selected District I, II,
Instructional Strategies and III and Private Schools
Materials, Division of Laoag City
c. School Plants, Facilities,
and Equipments,
d. Early Childhood Care
Development
Implementation?

Figure 1. Research Paradigm

The paradigm shows the input of the study which focused on the kindergarten programs of

selected District I, II, III and Private Schools Division of Ilocos Norte along Mastery of

Kindergarten Learning Competencies.

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Statement of the Problem

The study will describe the status of preschool education program of selected public

schools in the Division of Ilocos Norte. Specifically; it will seek answers to the following

questions:

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

a. gender,

b. age,

c, present position,

d. Educational Qualification,

e. Length of Service,

f. Seminars attended?

2. What is the level of implementation of the preschool program of selected public schools in the

Division of Ilocos Norte in terms of the following aspects:

a) Mastery of Preschool Learning Competencies,

b) Curriculum Content and instructional strategies and materials,

c. School Plants, Facilities, and Equipments,

d) ECCD implementation?

3. Is there a significant relationship between the profile of the respondents and the level of

implementation of the abovementioned preschool program requirements of selected public

schools in the Division of Ilocos Norte?

4. Are there significant differences in the level of implementation of the preschool program of

selected districts in the Division of Ilocos Norte?

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Hypothesis

The level of implementation of the kindergarten programs of selected District I, II, III and

Private Schools Division of Ilocos Norte is fully implemented.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study is limited to determine the level of implementation of kindergarten program in

selected public schools division of Ilocos Norte.