Antony Njoroge Johnson and DANIEL KOMO GAKUNGA Factors Influencing Children Enrollment in Preschool in Kenya

This study investigated the constraints on enrollment to Early Childhood Education and Development in Thogoto and Karai Zones in Kikuyu District. The study is based on both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. The data for the study was obtained from the school records, well administered questionnaires, interviews and observations .Questionnaires were administered to 36 respondents comprising of head teachers, Directors and Parents of 12 schools which were purposely selected, 6 in Thogoto Zone and 6 in Karai zone. The data was analyzed using simple percentages and frequency distribution tables to answer the questions that were posed by the researcher. The study established that there is low enrollment rate of children in Early childhood Education Institutions in Thogoto and Karai Zones of Kikuyu District due to some highlighted factors such as poor infrastructure, parents’ ignorance on the importance of Early childhood Education, Parents’ level of education, parents’ economic status as a result of poor climatic conditions among other constraints. The study concluded that, there are number of factors affecting children’s enrollment in preschool.