PhD VIVA VOCE

Candidate Name:          Nabwera Rashid

Registration Number: 2016-07-00095

                                    University of Dar es Salaam

                                    School of Education

Qualification Attained:

Ms. Nabwera Rashid obtained her Certificate of Primary School Education at Mfaranyaki Primary School in 1998. Between 2002 and 2005, she obtained her O’level and Advanced Level certificates of secondary education from Ruhuwiko Secondary School and Meta Secondary School (Shule ya Wazazi), respectively. In the year 2008, she obtained a Bachelor of Education in Psychology and later, in 2013, a Master of Arts in Applied Social Psychology, both from the University of Dar es Salaam. In 2016, she began a PhD program in Educational Psychology (coursework) at the University of Dar es Salaam. Ms. Nabwera is also serving as an Assistant Lecturer in Educational Psychology at Mkwawa University College of Education (MUCE). Her areas of research interest include Early Childhood Education, Human Development, Mental Health, Psychological wellbeing, and Social Counselling.

Title of the Dissertation: Assessing the Association between Pre-primary School Children’s Psychological Wellbeing and their Kiswahili Pre-reading Skills in Tanzania.

Date of Viva Voce: 19^th December 2022

Time:          02:00 p.m.  

Supervisor: Dr. Nkuba George Mabula

Abstract:

In any language of instruction, pre-reading skills are a crucial part of a child's educational process, which is associated to several factors including child’s psychological wellbeing. Despite the reported influence of psychological wellbeing on pre-primary school children’s pre-reading skills acquisition, literature in Tanzania is silent regarding such an association. This is despite the existing reports of lower reading and pre-reading skills among children in the country. Following this knowledge gap in Tanzania, this study assessed the state of, and association between psychological wellbeing and Kiswahili pre-reading skills among pre-primary school children in Tanzania. This study used a randomly selected sample of 403 (n = 200 female, Mean Age = 5 years, SD =.68) pre-primary school children drawn from twelve schools selected from districts qualified as high, middle, and low performing districts on reading skills acquisition performance. Descriptive results indicated that 12%, 33%, and 38% of pre-primary school children in the high, middle, and lower performing districts, respectively, scored =/>17 on the total difficulties score of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), implying possession of psychological difficulties. Yet, 77%, 62%, and 3% of pre-primary school children in high, middle, and low-performing districts, respectively, scored equal to or above average on the pre-reading skills test. A one-way ANOVA also revealed a significant difference (Eta Squared: η² = .210) in the mean scores of pre-primary school children's total difficulties between the high, middle, and low performing districts. There was also a significant difference (Eta Squared: η² = .439) in mean scores of pre-primary school children's total Kiswahili pre-reading skills between the high, middle, and low performing districts. In addition, a significant correlation (r = -.13, p < .001 between pre-primary school children’s total difficulties and their pre-reading skills was found. Furthermore, results of hierarchical regression models indicated significant association between total difficulties and pre-primary school children’s pre-reading skills in the high, middle, and low performing districts (p_s < .05). The model variables explained 45%, 37%, and 30% of the variance in pre-primary school children’s Kiswahili pre-reading skills level in high, middle, and low performing districts, respectively. Following the study results, objective two hypothesis was accepted while the rest objective one, three and four were rejected. This study’s findings confirm the existing difference in pre-reading skills acquisition between districts in Tanzania and add knowledge on the possible effect of psychological wellbeing on school behaviour including pre-reading skills. On children’s pre-reading and academic performance, but also indicate the significant association between pre-primary school children’s pre-reading skills and their psychological wellbeing in Tanzania. The findings call for intervention strategies to enhance children’s psychological wellbeing in order to promote their school related behaviour including pre-reading skills acquisition.