Abstract

The study was conducted on early childhood education in the district Kotli Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The major aim of this study was to analyze the physical facilities in early childhood education in district Kotli, AJ&K. The population of the study was two hundred sixty (260) female teachers working in fifty-two (52) government primary schools of Tehsil Kotli AJ&K. The researcher used the Universal sampling technique for the selection of the sample. A questionnaire was used as a research instrument to collect data from the teachers. The researcher collected the data personally from teachers of primary school in tehsil Kotli AJ&K. The researcher used a simple mean, frequency, and percentage for the analysis of data. It was found that ECE rooms help the children to work comfortably. It is recommended that trained teachers may be hired for ECE children to enhance the quality of the ECE program in Kotli AJ&K.

Key Words

Early Childhood Education, Physical Facilities, Azad  Jammu and Kashmir

Introduction

Education is very important for every human being. It prepares one to understand what's happening around us reliably and clearly. Only an educated individual has the ability to make rational options and take savvy moves with immaculate timing. Human existence without guidance is actually like valuable land. Tutoring does not simply enable individuals to put their capacity to best use and achieve something helpful in the impending future. Yet moreover expects a chief part in shaping an individual to be a predominant, reliable occupant and a working person from the overall population. An educated person with valour and definite moves know how to impact the world. Subsequently, it's the extraordinary commitment of an individual to get instructed and continue with a prosperous life while being a proficient occupant (Borman, 2011).

Early childhood education is considered as preschool, Kindergarten, Nursery, Montessori and essential training from two to eight years. Early childhood education is a term incorporating formatively suitable projects that serve kids from birth to age eight, a field of study that trains understudies to work successfully with small kids. It is currently broadly acknowledged that the initial eight years of a youngster are likely the most basic in deciding on a singular educational encounter. Long-haul perspectives and firmly established pathways of reasoning are set down in this basic period. Establishing the groundwork of a youngster's future life is to be a perplexing, talented and truly dependable undertaking. Lately, there has been a rising accentuation on youth training, zeroing in on the abilities of proficiency and numeracy as well as advancing a formal and grown-up drove teaching method (Uline, 2008).

It is important for the guardians, educators, executives and parents that they must comprehend youngsters' needs at each phase of their initial lives to elevate progress to a higher level. That unfortunate improvement during youth years influences key parts of mental health. There is an impact on early-level training because of progress in the economy, everyday life, public mindfulness and public help. The current arrangement of training in Pakistan is a continuation of the frontier arrangement of pre-freedom, and it doesn't coordinate with our philosophy (Shamas, 2016).

Various components, for example, temperature, lighting, room size, ventilation, dividers, floors, seats, sleeping cushions, whiteboards, and so on, an actual design of the study hall. The primary components of the homeroom are the educators and students. To invigorate the actual climate, the viability of each and every relationship is on a very basic level positive, and it is a device to make way to accomplishing hierarchical targets. States of being in our homeroom don't assist with further developing the instructive cycle that prompts understudy's shortcoming and cheating (Hussain, 2010).

Changing the states of being or actual climate of settings, either by moving to another structure or rolling out actual improvements to work on the design, air quality, commotion, light or temperature of a current learning space in the study hall. The educators can recommend a climate of light in the homeroom as unfortunate lighting, unfortunate broadcasting, and overheated conditions lead to a lower working limit and to the engendering of respiratory contaminations. The environment in a school climate connects with the sound, tone and air. Subsequently, the mental comportment of the human brain is the subject of concentration in the field of climate (Imran, 2010).

Numerous kids in Kotli AJ&K don't proceed with their education after primary school level and drop out at the essential level of education. School offices and conditions are extremely terrible as schools are without structures, power, accessibility to drinking water and limited dividers. Learning results are exceptionally poor with wide provincial holes. Thusly, the specialist chose to lead a study on youth schooling in the region Kotli Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Review of the Related Literature

Early Childhood Education

Early childhood education (ECE) essentially connects with the early learning of small kids. Kids don't simply develop, create, and advance in dominating perpetually complex understandings of individuals, items and difficulties in their current circumstances (Saeed, 2005). There is an overall model or gathering for development that is legitimate for all young people. In any case, the individual and nature of progress shifts starting with one youth and then onto the next. ECE implies not solely what's happening inside the young person, yet notwithstanding, the reality will more often than not ponder the youngster's assumption's to thrive (Akhtar, 2011).




Early Childhood Education in AJ&K

In the region of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, early childhood education is the responsibility of the Directorate of Education (DE) females. According to the National Education Policy (2009), the Govt of AJ&K officials agreed to enrol children of the age of three (3) years in the selected schools of AJ&K. for the effective teaching of these children, the AJ&K Govt. decided to appoint female teachers in the selected schools. (Naz, 2013).

This program could not continue because the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir was unable to pay these selected teachers. As a result, these enrolled students were considered normal functioning school students and some selected teachers came under the umbrella of the school education department of the state. Different seminars and workshops were also conducted to motivate the parents the enrollment of their children in the ECE program. No specific funds were allocated for this program, which is why the early childhood education in Azad Jammu and Kashmir could not run successfully (Yaseen, 2011).




Physical Facilities in Early Childhood Education

Actual offices of any educational system might have consisted of school structures, rooms, research centres, libraries, classrooms, and learning materials to different foundations that would almost certainly propel understudies towards learning. Research has shown that the majority of the actual offices that are apropos to compelling learning/scholastic execution of understudies seem not suitable for Govt. schools in the current age. Such type of school might or might not to be fulfilled the standards of quality of education and culture (Tomik, 2008).

The circumstance with genuine workplaces, especially in our public primary schools today, appears, apparently, to be of exceptional concern to educators. It seems, by all accounts, to be that the course of action of these school workplaces has dwindled all through the long haul, perhaps in view of the extension in school enrolment rate, which had provoked people to impact government subsidized schools. It has been seen that genuine school workplaces are central instruments to work with and invigorate learning programs. Teachers need them in an ideal work environment. That's what experience shows assuming actual offices are accessible; understudies will more often than not have an interest in realizing; this will constantly prompt superior execution (Arabaci, 2009).




ECE Rooms

ECE classrooms give a legitimate climate to include the children in essential, instructive exercises. The adequacy of ECE rooms relies on the master instructor. ECE rooms draw the consideration of the children and keep up with their advantage in learning exercises. The adequacy of ECE rooms can be assessed by the ideal usage of the different devices. This review will assist with working on the adequacy of ECE rooms provided in the schools. ECE rooms give an office to kids to begin their advancement by utilizing contraptions and gadgets with the educator's assistance and direction (Chance, 2015).

To meet the standards of quality education, there is a dire need to provide a conducive environment in the classroom and resources at the same time. Education for all is the slogan through such type of initiatives have been taken by the Govt. of Pakistan. Early childhood education facilities have a vital role in achieving national goals. Only models are not appreciative of improving early childhood education in the schools. The infrastructure of ECE is very important to achieve the objective developed by every nation (Arslan, 2011).




ECE Teachers

The training of early childhood educators holds an essential obligation regarding the consideration, schooling, and educating of the kids in their gathering and for arranging and evaluating their gathering's exercises. In early childhood education schooling with a day-care focus, youth training educators are liable for drawing up every youngster's very own youth training and care plan and for evaluations. In preschool, the training of early childhood educators is answerable for executing the neighbourhood educational plan and for conceivable youngster explicit schooling plans (Lippman, 2010).

The training of early childhood educators consisted of a four-year certification in schooling sciences zeroing in on early childhood instruction or a four-year college education in early childhood schooling, which remembers concentrates on that give the understudy professional skills for youth schooling and preschool schooling. An individual with a degree in friendly work from a college of applied sciences may likewise function as a youth training educator. Their certificate incorporates concentrates on zeroing in on early childhood schooling and social teaching method. A degree in friendly work from a college of applied sciences qualifies an individual to fill in as an early childhood schooling social specialist yet not as a youth training educator (Gislason, 2010).

Most preschool instructors are early childhood schooling educators, yet classroom educators likewise educate preschool. A degree in friendly work from a college of applied sciences doesn't qualify an individual to work in preschool training. An early childhood schooling educator who holds a showing degree from a college might become particular as a youth training exceptional necessities instructor by finishing custom curriculum concentrates on in college. An educator who holds a graduate degree in a custom curriculum in early childhood schooling can fill in as an early childhood training instructor, a unique necessities instructor in early childhood instruction and a part-time extraordinary requirements instructor in essential instruction (Hussain, 2012).




Seating Arrangements

A legitimate game plan for the study classroom provides a climate which prompts a good learning environment which is vital for the successful instructing and educational experience. Actual classroom offices like work areas, seats, tables, chalk, and blackboards improve viable and effective instructing and learning. It is beyond the realm of possibilities to expect to have a viable and productive showing educational experience without these offices. Understudies benefit more from their educators in exceptional and helpful study halls, and this prompts better scholarly execution. Then again, on the off chance that understudies are educated in unconducive, awkward negative homerooms, they will neglect to get additional data from their educators, which prompts low scholastic accomplishment (Salim, 2014). 

The study hall seating design is similarly essential and significant as the prospectus, showing techniques and differential directions. The classroom seating plan can affect the understudies of learning. Revising a homeroom is a vital part of accomplishing wanted learning results with regard to your understudies. Different showing methods request various kinds of study hall formats. While the seating design is together as one with your showing style, the number of understudies, and the study hall size, the results are gainful (Saltmarsh, 2015).

Best classroom seating formats are reliant upon many elements, for example, classroom size and shape, age gathering of the understudies, interruptions, showing styles and their targets. The classroom seating design is an enormous part that can be utilized to help usefully in the results of learning. The review has recommended that the classroom guest plan affects the growing experience of the understudies. Different furniture types are suggested for various study hall designs (Ani, 2014).




Study Table

The furniture in a classroom gives the major, fundamental construction of the room. Simply imagine the above situation where the table is too packed, the seat is excessively small (or huge) and the table wobbles. The kid is busy drawing a rainbow or a robot, and the legs of the table shake. Picture the disappointment a youngster, who is simply figuring out how to define an upward boundary, would feel in the event that their hand gets pushed or the leg of the table moves, and the line is, as of now, not straight. Mindfulness and comprehension of the subtleties included while requesting homeroom furniture guarantees that the youngsters will want to play, investigate and fill in a nicely outfitted room (Fisher, 2008).

ECE tables and seats for sitting during enormous gathering times like lunch, and working at little gathering times, are the main bits of early childhood furniture in the classroom. They ought to be satisfying to the eye and proportionate in both size and variety to the remainder of the room (Momoh, 2010). In the Pre-K study hall, which contained 4-5-year old, the analyst needed the variety and the energy of the space to come from the actual early childhood education children. Since we are giving the lightest varieties to the most youthful youngsters, with more obscure varieties given as the youngsters move from one grade to another, yellow was given to our Nursery, red for Pre-K, greenish blue for kindergarten and dull blue for First Grade. The seats match the hued edges. This considers progression as the kids move from one grade to another, yet in addition, unobtrusively proposes to the preschool children that they are for sure developing and changing from one year to another (Omodara, 2010).

The Objective of the Study

To explore the physical facilities provided by the school for early childhood education.




Research Question

What are the physical facilities provided by the school for early childhood education?

Research Methodology

The descriptive research method was used to conduct the current study. In the descriptive method, the researcher applied a survey technique to collect the data from early childhood education in District Kotli, AJ&K. The population of the study was two hundred sixty (260) female teachers working in fifty-two (52) government primary schools of Tehsil Kotli Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The researcher used the Universal sampling technique for the selection of the sample. A questionnaire was used as a research instrument to collect data from the teachers. The questionnaire consisted of different parameters of physical facilities in early childhood education. A  five-point Likert scale was used to obtain the response from the respondents. The questionnaire was validated by three educational experts of the Department of Education, University of Kotli AJ&K. The researcher conducted pilot testing to check the accuracy and usability of the instrument. The reliability of the instrument was checked by Cronbachs alpha statistical technique. The reliability of the instrument was 0.83, which was acceptable for conducting the survey. The researcher collected the data personally from female teachers of primary school in tehsil Kotli AJ&K. Two weeks were given to the respondent to fill the questionnaire. After one week, 70% of respondents gave a response, remaining 30% gave response after one week. Data were analyzed by using a statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The researcher used a simple mean, frequency, and percentage for the analysis of data.

Data Analysis

Table 1. Analysis of ECE Rooms

S. No Statements N Mean

1. ECE rooms help the children to work comfortably 260 4.26

2. ECE rooms provide physical security to the children 260 4.04

3. ECE rooms support the specific learning tasks to be carried out there 260 4.13




 

Table 1 shows the mean scores of ECE rooms. The table further depicted that the mean score of ECE rooms helps the children to work comfortably; N=260, M=4.26, ECE rooms provide physical security to the children; N=260, M=4.04, and ECE rooms support the specific learning tasks to be carried out there; N=260, M=4.13. Furthermore, the results indicated that ECE rooms help the children to work comfortably has the highest mean score in physical facilities provided for ECE education.

 

Table 2. Analysis of ECE Teacher

S. No Statements N Mean

1. ECE teacher helps to lay the foundation for education for the rest of a child's 260 3.85

2. ECE teachers inspire children to explore areas of interest 260 4.05

3. ECE teachers provide a comfortable classroom environment 260 4.74




 

Table 2 shows the mean scores of ECE teachers. The table further showed that the mean score of ECE teachers helps to lay the foundation for education for the rest of a child; N=260, M=3.85, ECE teachers inspire children to explore areas of interest; N=260, M=4.05 and ECE teachers provide a comfortable classroom environment; N=260, M=4.74. Furthermore, the results indicated that ECE teachers who provide a comfortable classroom environment have the highest mean score in physical facilities provided for ECE education.

 




Table 3. Analysis of Seating Arrangement

S. No Statements N Mean

1. The seating arrangement helps the children to work in comfortably 260 4.06

2. Seating arrangements promote positive academic outcomes 260 3.83

3. The seating arrangement helps the children to focus on learning 260 3.73

 

Table 3 shows the mean scores of seating arrangements. The table further directed that the mean score of the Seating arrangement helps the children to work comfortably N=260, M=4.06, Seating arrangement promotes positive academic outcomes; N=260, M=3.83, and Seating arrangement helps the children to focus on learning; N=260, M=3.73. Furthermore, the results showed that seating arrangement helps the children to work comfortably and has the highest mean score in physical facilities provided to ECE education.

 




Table 4. Analysis of Study Table

S. No Statements N Mean

1. Study tables make it easier for children to write class work 260 4.08

2. The study table helps the students in organizing books correctly 260 4.35




 

Table 4 shows the mean scores of the study table. The table further directed that the mean score of the Study table makes it easier for children to write class work; N=260, M=4.08, Study table helps the students in organizing books correctly; N=260, M=3.83 Furthermore, the results showed that the Study table helps the students in organizing books correctly has the highest mean score in physical facilities provided to ECE education.

Discussion

The objective of the study was to analyze the physical facilities of early childhood education in the district Kotli Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The result of the study found that ECE rooms help the children in creating a better learning environment in the class. The same result was found by Daniels (2015) by stating that the physical environment of the class is played a vital role in the teaching-learning environment at the ECE level. Another study found similar results conducted by Lippman (2010); he found that physical facilities in ECE enhance the learning abilities of the students. Furthermore, the current study found that the seating arrangements in the class help to promote the academic performance of the students, and they work comfortably. Moreover, the provision of study tables makes learning easy in the classroom for ECE students. Naz (2013) found that seating arrangements in ECE classrooms motivate the students towards studies in a better way. In addition to this, he also found that the provision of study tables in the ECE classroom leads to satisfying the learners' needs, and they perform better. Another study conducted by Arabaci (2009) contradicted the result of the current study. He found that physical facilities do not have a significant effect on the academic performance of the student.   

Conclusions

1. It is concluded that ECE rooms help the children to work comfortably, provide physical security to the children and support the specific learning tasks to be carried out there. Moreover, ECE teachers help to lay the foundation for education for the rest of a child's life. They inspire children to explore areas of interest and provide a comfortable classroom environment.

2. It is concluded that seating arrangement helps the children to work comfortably. Seating arrangement promotes positive academic outcomes and helps the children to focus on learning. Study tables make it easier for children to write class work. It makes it easier for children to read a lesson and helps the students in organizing books correctly.

Recommendations

1. Trained teachers may be hired for ECE children to enhance the quality of the ECE program in Kotli AJ&K. Trained teachers for early childhood education may develop their skills through training and qualification. Good training and the right qualifications help staff to provide better care and support for the child in learning.

2. Teachers may practice transitioning between two different seating arrangements so students can make a quick change to better meet the needs of the learning experience. Mixing and matching the arrangements may find a way to meet the needs of all students.

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