Early Childhood Education Teachers' Training Program

Teacher competence is a key factor in ensuring quality early childhood education; however, limited evidence exists regarding the consistency of competence across early grade-level assignments and the challenges teachers encounter in practice. This study assessed the competence of Early Childhood Education teachers in the Municipality of Maasim and determined whether significant differences existed in competence based on grade-level assignment. Using a descriptive-quantitative design supplemented by qualitative inquiry, data were collected from 124 teachers through survey questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions. Weighted mean and one-way analysis of variance were used to analyze quantitative data, while thematic analysis was employed for qualitative responses. Results showed that teachers demonstrated a high to very high level of competence across all domains, with weighted mean scores ranging from 3.93 to 4.69. The highest-rated domain was Personal and Professional Development (4.69), while Health, Safety, and Well-Being obtained the lowest mean score (3.93). Analysis of variance revealed no significant difference in competence across grade-level assignments (F = 0.20, p = .920), indicating that teachers maintained comparable competence regardless of the grade level they handled. Qualitative findings identified challenges related to learner diversity, limited resources, curriculum implementation, assessment demands, parental involvement, and workload. The study concludes that Early Childhood Education teachers possess strong professional competence and effectively adapt to contextual and instructional challenges. The findings provide empirical evidence of consistent teacher competence across early-grade levels and highlight the need for institutional support in addressing resource, workload, and instructional challenges to sustain quality early childhood education.