Evaluating the competence of a kindergarten teacher in the public and private schools in Kuwait

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

The College of Basic Education

Abstract


This comparative study discussed teacher's capability to teach kindergarten schools children in both public and private bilingual systems. The study evaluated the performance of children who graduated from the kindergarten stage and just started their first year at the primary school. This evaluation collected through the parents, to appraisal their children learning and knowledge in the kindergarten stage. The research evaluated the performance of children at their first entry in year one at the primary schools and comparing them with children at the private bilingual schools at the same stage.
A mixed methods approach using qualitative and quantitative instruments was adopted to elicit data from 6 public primary schools from each educational district and 6 private bilingual schools.   The quantitative instrument was structured questionnaires administered to parents (320 questionnaires from government education and 251 questionnaires from private education) while the qualitative data were obtained from documentations, and several previous studies. The results were analysed in a comparative analysis statistical method, by Excel electronic program.
The finding of the comparative study revealed that the teachers in the private bilingual kindergartens’ schools are having great ability to teach kindergarten children and provides them with sufficient basics of education, which can qualify them in a better way to get into the primary grade compare to the public schools, and saves lots of time and effort of the primary schools’ teachers. Furthermore, the study showed that there are some shortcomings in the qualification of teachers in public schools, either in their preparation periods or through their in-service training programs. The study founded that the private chools teachers could be comprehensive in their preparation programs which could be better than the public schools’ teachers preparation.

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