ABSTRACT

The study aims to establish the psychosocial problems faced by ECE learners in Seke District Primary Schools. The purpose of the study was also to make sure that some solutions to minimise the psychosocial problems faced are found. The research will assist the researcher, departmental staff and other teachers through seminars and workshops, where possible methods of assisting the affected ECE learners will be discussed. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design which enabled the researcher to use questionnaires and interviews to collect data. The design helped the researcher to elicit valuable knowledge about the psychosocial problems faced, their causes and possible methods of minimising them. The population for the study was made up of thirty-six primary schools. The three schools were picked into the sample through simple random sampling. The sample comprised three school heads, three TICs and twenty-five teachers. The findings of the study revealed that ECE learners are facing many psychosocial problems which are hindering their psychological and social growth. The psychosocial problems include poverty, malnutrition, migration, school dropouts, HIV/AIDS among others. The results of the study paint a gloomy picture of the effects of these problems on ECE learners. The research recommends that policies and legislation should be put in place to help minimise the effects of psychosocial problems on ECE learners. The schools are also recommended to partner with the corporate world in order for them to get donations to help the learners. It also recommends that the government through its BEAM program should increase the number of learners they assist. Lastly, the schools should operate as business entities and establish income generating projects that will raise money which may be used to assist learners, who are in abject poverty, learners who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, school dropouts among others.