Twenty-sixth International Conference on Learning

Abstract

This study focused on the recruitment and retention of male educators in preschools in one Education District in the Eastern Cape Province. It employed an interpretivist paradigm and a qualitative approach to gain an understanding of the suitable strategies to recruit and retain male educators in preschools. Purposive sampling was used to select ten participants consisting of 2 officials from the Department of Education, 2 principals, 2 preschool proprietors and 2 female preschool educators, and 2 male educators from the Foundation Phase. Data were obtained through the use of in-depth interviews, while the obtained data were analysed by content thematic analysis. All ethical principles for research involving human beings were clearly observed by the researchers. Results indicate that there were no male educators in preschools in the Education District that took part in the study. Results also reveal that men shun away from preschools as a result of culture, stigma, fear, prejudice and the low status of ECCE. Further findings show that the presence of male educators, as role models and father figures, can actually benefit children who attend preschools. In addition, preschools environments were perceived as hostile working environments for male educators. The study concludes that a clear policy on the recruitment and retention of male educators is germane for the sustainability of male educators’ participation in preschools in the Education District that took part in the study. Few recommendations were made based on this conclusion.

Presenters

Chinedu Ifedi Onochie Okeke
Professor, and Head: Department of Education Foundations, Faculty of Education, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa, Free State, South Africa

Enock Nyanhoto