kap survey on early childhood education and development

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Survey (KAP Survey) on

Early Childhood Education and Development in Selected Municipalities/Cities

in Bosnia and Herzegovina FINAL REPORT

February 2014, Sarajevo

Authors: Salminka Fazlić, researcher

Nikola Marić, assistant researcher

► RESPONDENT ANONYMITY ASSURANCE

Under ESOMAR and AAPOR rules and regulations, Prism Research is obliged to protect the

anonymity of respondents. All questions/variables containing any information about the identity of

respondents have been removed from the report and the final database. This means that respondents’

answers are physically separate from the data relating to their identity. Any purposeful attempt to come

by the identifying data of respondents, whether by the Client, Prism Research, or any third party, shall

be considered to constitute a serious violation and shall be treated accordingly.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2. SURVEY RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................ 7

3. SURVEY METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................................... 8

4. DESCRIPTION OF SURVEY LOCATIONS: GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT ......................................... 9

5. SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ABOUT RESPONDENTS .................................................................. 11

6. DATA ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................................... 12

6.1. AWARENESS AND ATTITUDES ABOUT PRESCHOOL EDUCATION FACILITIES AND

PROGRAMMES ............................................................................................................................................ 13

6.2. PRACTICE AND BARRIERS TO PRESCHOOL EDUCATION .................................................... 16

6.3. SATISFACTION WITH PRESCHOOLS .......................................................................................... 21

6.4. ATTITUDES ABOUT PRESCHOOLS ............................................................................................. 24

6.5. COST OF PRESCHOOL PROGRAMMES ....................................................................................... 32

When it comes to enrolling children in preschool, one of the most important factors, if not the single most

important factor in the country is the price of preschool services. More than half of respondents (59 per

cent) say that in their community preschools operate on a pay-for basis (i.e. are funded by preschool tuition

fees paid by parents), 20 per cent say that they do not operate on a pay-for basis, while 21 per cent of

parents are not sure. Furthermore, respondents in control municipalities more frequently than those in

project municipalities say that the attendance of preschool is on a pay-for basis. Also, Roma parents more

often than parents from the general population say that they do not know whether preschools operate on a

pay-for basis or not. ........................................................................................................................................ 32

The attitudes and experiences regarding payment of tuition fees for preparatory preschool programmes are

significantly different from those expressed about preschool institutions: 57 per cent of respondents say that

the attendance of these programmes is not paid, 13 per cent say that it is paid, while as many as 30 per cent

of the respondents do not know whether the attendance of these programmes is paid or not. When it comes

to knowledge and attitudes about payment for these programmes, differences have been observed between

project municipalities and control municipalities, as well as among parents of preschool-aged children from

the general population and Roma parents. Specifically, respondents in control municipalities more often

than those in project municipalities believe that the preparatory preschool programme in their community is

on a pay-for basis. Furthermore, Roma parents are more likely than parents of preschool-aged children from

the general population to say that they do not know whether the attendance of the preparatory preschool

programme is paid or not. ............................................................................................................................... 33

Respondents whose children are enrolled in preschool or the preparatory preschool programme were asked

to indicate the annual amount of money they spend on these programmes. On the other hand, respondents

whose children do not attend the said programmes were asked to estimate the costs of these programmes. As

regards preschools, parents who are users of their services estimated their annual costs to be on average KM

1,332. Parents who do not use their services estimate that their annual cost is KM 1,207. With regard to the

preparatory preschool programme, parents who are beneficiaries estimate its costs at KM 647 per year,

while those whose children do not attend the programme believe that its annual cost is KM 775. Overall, the

difference between the actual and estimated values is not large, or, in other words, parents are relatively

well informed about the cost of preschool and the preschool preparatory programme, regardless of whether

their child attends preschool/programme or not. Also, no statistically significant differences in the average

amounts cited have been found between the categories of municipalities and categories of parents with

regard to parents whose children actually attend these facilities/programmes. On the other hand, when it

comes to the estimates of parents whose children are not enrolled in preschool/preparatory preschool

programme, it has been found that respondents in control municipalities are more likely to overestimate the

costs than those in project municipalities, which is consistent with previous findings where these

respondents more frequently claimed that the services of these facilities are paid. As regards preschools,

parents from the general population tend to estimate their costs higher than their Roma counterparts, while

parents of children with developmental disabilities estimate the costs of the preparatory preschool

programme higher than those from the general population. When it comes to the preparatory preschool

programme, the estimates of parents who are beneficiaries of these programmes do not differ regardless of

whether they are from project municipalities or control municipalities, nor do they differ between different

categories of parents. However, similar to preschools, the estimated values differ. Respondents in control

municipalities estimate the amounts required for attendance of the preparatory preschool programme higher

than those living in focus municipalities. Also, parents of children with developmental disabilities are more

likely to cite higher amounts than parents of preschool-aged children from the general population. ............ 33

6.6. ATTITUDES AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CHILD DEVELOPMENT ........................................ 35

6.7. DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES – IDENTIFICATION, SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES

FOR PRESCHOOL EDUCATION ................................................................................................................ 39

6.8. OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRESCHOOL EDUCATION FOR ROMA CHILDREN ......................... 43

6.9. PROPER NUTRITION AND IMMUNISATION .............................................................................. 45

7. CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................................ 48

8. RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................ 49

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice (KAP) Survey on Early Childhood Education and

Development in Selected Municipalities in BiH was conducted for the purposes of the project

Increasing Early Learning Opportunities for Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The findings of

this survey will be used in the development of the Communication Strategy for Development. The

findings will serve as a basis for identifying key messages, communication channels, and adapting

communication activities to target groups. Also, they will support the planning of activities to be

carried out by UNICEF in collaboration with the government, as part of the Dubai Cares project.

The project Increasing Early Learning Opportunities for Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina is

conducted in partnership between UNICEF, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, the Federal

Ministry of Education and Science of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Ministry of

Education and Culture of the Republika Srpska, with the support of the Dubai Cares Foundation.

In addition to improving preschool attendance rates, the Project aims at raising public awareness

about the importance of early childhood education for children’s development, especially for socially

excluded groups (Roma children and children with developmental disabilities).

The survey was conducted on a sample of 1,635 households with preschool-aged children in 45

project municipalities and 10 control municipalities which will serve as a control group.

Approximately 8 per cent of the sample households are parents of Roma ethnicity, and about 7 per

cent are parents of children with developmental disabilities.

Parents of preschool-aged children who participated in the survey are mostly individuals between 18

and 40 years, who have completed secondary school and are unemployed, with an average monthly

income of KM 800.

About three-quarters of those interviewed are aware of the existence of the preparatory preschool

programme, both among the general population and the population of parents whose children do not

attend the preparatory preschool programme. Parents in control municipalities and Roma parents are

less likely to be aware of the existence of the preparatory preschool programme.

The vast majority of parents see this programme more as a preparation for primary school than as an

opportunity for socialisation, play and cognitive development.

Only 18 per cent of households participating in the survey have children that are enrolled in

preschool, with the percentage being slightly lower in control municipalities as well as among Roma

parents.

The main reasons cited for not enrolling children in preschool programmes include the perception

that children are better off being looked after by a relative who is known to them than by an unknown

teacher, the great distance of households from preschool, and a general view that children are too

young.

Roma parents repeatedly cite financial obstacles, while parents of children with developmental

disabilities tend to cite health problems. Approximately 15 per cent of all parents do not want to enrol

their children in either preschools or the preschool preparatory programme.

Three-quarters of the parents interviewed in this survey whose children attend preschool are

completely satisfied with the services provided by these facilities as well as the fact that children go

through the process of socialisation because they are looked after and provided with learning

opportunities. Most parents understand that the care they provide to their children is the most

important, followed by the care given by their parents (grandmother or grandfather) and preschools.

Staff working in preschools are perceived as competent, creative and helpful, but also as not having

enough time to devote to each child individually. Roma parents often state that they do not know the

competences of preschool personnel. In general, parents whose children attend preschools tend to

have a more positive attitude towards preschool staff.

Percentage of parents who are familiar with developmental indicators in children varies between 40

and 75 per cent, and there is a statistically significant difference between male and female parents,

with mothers being better informed about child developmental milestones.

Among the more than 100 children with developmental disabilities whose parents participated in this

survey, the disabilities are most commonly associated with speech problems, Down syndrome,

autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, visual impairment, psychomotor problems and hearing impairment.

Approximately 30 per cent of parents believe that children with developmental disabilities should not

attend regular preschools. Roma parents are more likely to think that children with developmental

disabilities should attend preschool together with children from the general population. About 35 per

cent of the sample of children with developmental disabilities attend preschool.

About 16 per cent of respondents believe that Roma children should not attend regular preschools

with children from the general population. Parents of children with developmental disabilities are

more likely to find this segregation justified.

Most parents can provide their children with quality food, including fresh fruits and vegetables.

About 93 per cent of children were vaccinated in accordance with the Immunisation Calendar.

Parents of children that are not routinely vaccinated cite the child’s health condition and fear of side

effects as the main reasons. Roma parents and parents of children with developmental disabilities are

more likely to report that their children are not routinely vaccinated than their general population

counterparts.

The key recommendations arising from this survey call for an improved flow of information between

preschools, policymakers and citizens with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of

childhood and early education programmes. Furthermore, it is necessary to provide funds for the

implementation of high-quality preschool programmes for ALL children and eliminate

discriminatory attitudes (stereotypes and prejudice) and behaviours towards children with

developmental disabilities and Roma children.

2. SURVEY RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

While early childhood development has for a long time been recognised as important for the future

functioning and health of the child, it is in recent years that scientists have begun to increasingly

emphasise its significance. Environment that provides all the necessary and stimulating conditions for

socialisation, education, health care, adequate nutrition and care is considered essential for a healthy

and successful mental, physical, social and emotional development of the child in the future.

Based on the current statistics, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has the lowest preschool enrolment rate

in Europe and Central Asia, with only 13 per cent of children aged 4–5 years attending preschool. In

this context, Roma children and children with developmental disabilities are particularly vulnerable.

Due to the limited availability of educational services resulting from prejudice as well as the limited

awareness among parents about the importance of early learning and education, only 1.5 per cent of

Roma children in the country attend preschool education. Also, children with developmental

disabilities are isolated and marginalised in the current system when it comes to early learning and

education opportunities, with only 0.4 per cent of these children attending school.

Overall, the fact that a huge percentage of children aged 4–5 years in the country – about 85 per cent

– do not have access to preschool education poses a major problem requiring urgent action.

In an effort to expand the existing cooperation in the field of Early Childhood Education and

Development, in January 2013 UNICEF and its partners launched a new project entitled “Increasing

Early Learning Opportunities for Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina”. With the financial support of

Dubai Cares (DC), the primary objective of the project is to increase access to organised early

learning programmes and improve physical, socio-emotional and cognitive development of children

aged 4–6 years in selected municipalities in the country, with special emphasis on vulnerable groups,

such as Roma children and children with developmental disabilities. The project is envisaged to last

two years.

Three separate studies are to be conducted within the project: 1) baseline study, the purpose of which

is to take stock of the current situation in communities with respect to preschool education; 2) KAP

survey, i.e. knowledge, attitudes and practices survey of parents of preschool-aged children about

preschool education; 3) repeated KAP survey with a view to determining indicators of change. The

findings of this KAP survey will be used for the development of a Behaviour Change

Communication (BCC) Campaign and programme interventions.

3. SURVEY METHODOLOGY

In order to examine the attitudes, opinions and experiences of parents of preschool-aged children, a

quantitative research method was used. The survey employed a combination of CATI and CAPI

quantitative research methods. Figure 1 shows the general information about the survey.

Figure 1. General information about the survey

Period conducted November 2013 – January 2014

Data collection method Field research was conducted using a combination of CAPI

and CATI methods

Instruments The instruments used in this survey were developed by

UNICEF

Survey sample

Parents of preschool-aged children:

Total: N = 1,635 participants

Parents of preschool-aged children, general population:

N = 1,393 (85.2 per cent)

Parents of preschool-aged Roma children:

N = 135 (8.3 per cent)

Parents of children with developmental disabilities:

N= 107 (6.5 per cent)

Representativeness

The sample is representative at the level of project

municipalities. Participants were parents of preschool-aged

children, selected using the snowball method.

Computer-assisted personal interviewing – CAPI. Computer-assisted personal interviewing or

CAPI is one of the most advanced interviewing techniques. This method involves a procedure in which

the questionnaire is developed and uploaded to a PDA device. The questions appear on the screen in a

pre-designed and programmed order and according to a logical sequence, and the interviewer records

the respondent’s answers directly into the device. A special software programme is used to control the

course of the interview as well as the selection of the sample.

Computer-assisted telephone interviewing – CATI. Computer-assisted telephone interviewing or

CATI is the most advanced telephone surveying technique. It involves computer-assisted interviewing,

where the computers used for interviewing are connected together in a local network. A special

software programme is used to control the course of the interview as well as the selection of the sample.

The interviewer records the respondent’s answers directly into the computer.

Results. The results of this preliminary survey are shown in total, for the whole sample. In addition,

differences were found between project municipalities and control municipalities, as well as between

the parents from the general population, Roma parents, and parents of children with developmental

disabilities. The narrative section of the report discusses only the differences deemed to be statistically

significant. The graphs and tables show either percentages or arithmetic mean values, with each figure

indicating which of the two is the case.

Interviewers, coordinators and controllers. The survey was conducted by a team comprising 42 field

interviewers, 10 telephone interviewers, and 13 regional coordinators. The interviewers and

coordinators were selected based on prior experience, age, gender and regional origin. Only the

interviewers with experience in at least 10 surveys of similar scope, or with at least one year experience

working in similar projects were selected to participate in this survey. All interviewers received pre-

survey training that covered the sampling procedures, survey methodology to be used, question-by-

question analyses and role play exercises.

Control of interviewers. Fieldwork was supervised in several ways. The coordinators visited field

interviewers conducting the survey on the ground. Additionally, a back-check telephone control of the

questionnaire was carried out using a 10 per cent randomly selected sample of each interviewer’s

questionnaires, based on the phone numbers that were provided by respondents who took part in the

survey.

Data processing, report and delivery. Complete processing of the collected data was performed in

Sarajevo. Data analysis was performed using PASW Statistics 18.0 – professional software package

for statistical analysis. PASW was used for data cleaning and logical control as well as the cross-

tabulation of results.

4. DESCRIPTION OF SURVEY LOCATIONS: GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT

The survey covered 45 project municipalities across the country and 10 control municipalities.

In project municipalities 62.6 per cent of participants were interviewed, and somewhat more than a

third of participants (37.4 per cent) were interviewed in control municipalities. The table below (Figure

2) shows a list of project municipalities and control municipalities in which the survey was conducted.

Figure 2. Project and control municipalities, number of participants (column N) and percentage of

participants (column per cent)

N per cent

Banjaluka 117 7.2Bihać 45 2.8Bijeljina 37 2.3Brčko 84 5.1Čapljina 12 .7Cazin 55 3.4Čitluk 11 .7Gračanica 17 1.0Gradiška 9 .6Hadžići 5 .3Ilidža 30 1.8Ilijaš 7 .4Kakanj 18 1.1Konjic 13 .8Livno 35 2.1Maglaj 12 .7Mostar 60 3.7Prijedor 33 2.0Prnjavor 19 1.2Sarajevo, Centar 24 1.5Sarajevo, Novi grad 62 3.8Sarajevo, Novo Sarajevo 21 1.3Sarajevo, Stari grad 9 .6Tomislavgrad 28 1.7Trebinje 15 .9Tuzla 62 3.8Visoko 30 1.8Vitez 58 3.5Vogošća 16 1.0Zavidovići 26 1.6Živinice 37 2.3Zvornik 16 1.0

Gacko 13 .8Derventa 50 3.1Srebrenik 80 4.9Velika Kladuša 138 8.4Travnik 56 3.4Bileća 16 1.0Doboj 125 7.6Široki Brijeg 59 3.6Goražde 41 2.5Bugojno 34 2.1

Project municipalities

Control municipalities

5. SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ABOUT RESPONDENTS

Parents of preschool-aged children who participated in the survey are mostly persons between 18 and

40 years old with secondary-school qualifications. In these families, the majority of mothers are

unemployed, while fathers are primary breadwinners, usually earning a total income of up to KM 800.

In this survey 73 per cent of respondents are females and 27 per cent are males. The survey mostly

covered mothers of preschool-aged children (64 per cent), followed by fathers (23 per cent), while

others – usually grandparents – responded to other questionnaires. These families have on average one

child of preschool age.

Figure 3. Age of respondents, percentage distribution

About two-thirds of households with preschool-aged children (63 per cent) have an income of KM 800

or less.

Figure 4. Monthly household income, percentage distribution

In terms of educational level, the majority of parents of preschool-aged children surveyed have

secondary-school education. Most fathers are employed on a full time basis, while fewer than one-third

are unemployed. By contrast, the majority of mothers of preschool-aged children are unemployed.

Somewhat more than a quarter of mothers are employed full time.

Figure 5. Educational level of parents of preschool-aged children, percentage distribution

36.1

45.6

8.86.7

2.8

18-30 years old

31-40 years old 41-50 years old

51-60 years old

over 60

21.0

41.8

27.3

5.9

0.5 3.5

up to KM 300 KM 301-800

KM 801-1,600 KM 1,601-3,000

over KM 3001 No answer

Figure 6. Respondents’ employment status, percentage distribution

Slightly more than a half of families with preschool-aged children who participated in this survey live

in rural communities (51 per cent) and the rest live in urban areas (49 per cent).

As previously mentioned, the majority of respondents (87 per cent) were parents of preschool-aged

children. However, due to the fact that 13 per cent of respondents were grandparents and other persons,

it is important to note that the views expressed in this report are not necessarily those of parents of

preschool-aged children.

6. DATA ANALYSIS

The survey also included the examination of various factors that are potentially important for parents

when they are making up their mind whether to enrol their child in preschool/preparatory preschool

programme. Some of the factors analysed in this survey, which are important in the said context,

include awareness, attitudes and perceptions of preschools, the cost of preschool education, the

attitudes and knowledge of child development and its patterns, as well as factors that contribute to a

healthy and optimal development of the child.

6.1. AWARENESS AND ATTITUDES ABOUT PRESCHOOL EDUCATION FACILITIES

AND PROGRAMMES

For the purposes of the survey it was important to determine how much parents of preschool-aged

children know about preschool education. Parents’ awareness of the opportunities, services and

conditions offered by early childhood education is one of the factors affecting their decision about the

enrolment of their child in preschool and/or the preparatory preschool programme. This awareness may

include information on what a preschool preparatory programme actually is, what are its benefits, and

where early childhood education services are provided in their community.

Overall, the findings of this survey reveal that the majority of parents of preschool-aged children (76

per cent) report having heard about the preparatory preschool programme for children in the year before

starting primary school. Furthermore, analysis of the awareness of only those parents whose children

do not attend the programme shows that 73 per cent of them have heard about it. These programmes

are significantly more likely to be known to respondents in project municipalities than those in control

municipalities. Also, Roma parents are found to be less aware of these programmes than parents of

preschool-aged children from general population. Hence, it seems that parents of preschool-aged

children in control municipalities as well as Roma parents of preschool-aged children could benefit

from information on the availability of preparatory preschool programmes, so as to be able to make

informed decisions about enrolling their children in these programmes.

Figure 7. Have you heard about the preparatory preschool programme in the year before starting

primary school? Percentage distribution

The majority of parents of preschool-aged children who are familiar with the term preparatory

preschool programme define the purpose of the programme as simply preparing children for school.

However, a lot of parents perceive the preparatory preschool programme as an opportunity for the

socialisation of children, learning through play, as well as offering activities like those in kindergartens

and playgroups. However, the role of preparatory preschool programmes is actually a multi-faceted

one as they encourage cognitive development of children through educational activities, while also

contributing to the socio-emotional development through socialisation and the development of contacts

and interaction with peers and teachers, as well as the development of children’s play and psychomotor

and gross motor development through fun activities. New and better understanding of the multiple

benefits of preschool activities could motivate some parents to include their children in the

aforementioned preschool activities and give them the opportunity for better early childhood

development.

76.381.0

68.3

78.2

59.3

72.9

23.719.0

31.7

21.8

40.7

27.1

.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

All respondents



Parents, general

population

Roma parents

Parents of children with dev.

disabilities

Total Municipality Category

Yes No

In defining preparatory preschool programmes, parents have actually defined what they see as the

greatest value of preschool education facilities and programmes. For most parents of preschool-aged

children the greatest value of preschool education is contained in the opportunities for socialisation (49

per cent) and in preparation for school (39 per cent). The importance of acquiring knowledge necessary

for later formal schooling is cited significantly more often by Roma parents (53 per cent) than by

parents of preschool-aged children from general population (37 per cent).

Figure 8. Preparatory preschool programme, definition by parents of preschool-aged children.

Percentage distribution

The majority of parents of preschool-aged children are aware of the availability of preparatory

preschool programmes for children in the year before starting primary school. However, many parents

do not realise the overall and multiple benefits of these programmes for early childhood development,

which include positive effects not only on the cognitive or social, but also the emotional and

psychomotor development of the child.

1.6

1.7

2.2

3.7

14.4

15.3

16.7

44.4

.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0

Burden for children and parents

Positive activities for children and parents

Mandatory preparation for school

Don’t know the details

Learning basic things through play

Activities like those in kindergartens or playgroups

Socialisation and adaptation of preschool-aged children to school

Preparation for school

6.2. PRACTICE AND BARRIERS TO PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

As mentioned in the introductory section of this report, the percentage of preschool-aged children who

actually attend preschool in BiH remains low. One of the aims of this survey was to look at the factors

that decrease the likelihood that the child will be given the opportunity to participate in preschool

activities, i.e. to examine the barriers to preschool education of children in the country.

The findings of this survey confirm the low preschool attendance rate as identified in the official

statistics. According to the survey findings, 82 per cent of preschool-aged children do not attend

preschool. Only 18 per cent of children are enrolled in kindergartens and nursery schools, and 19 per

cent of children attend preparatory preschool programmes.

Preschool education of children seems to be less common in control municipalities than in project

municipalities, as well as for Roma children than for other children. Preschool-aged children living in

control municipalities are less likely to be enrolled in preschools or preschool preparatory programmes

than children whose families live in project municipalities. Also, Roma children are less likely to be

enrolled in preschool than their coevals from the general population, but also compared to children

with developmental disabilities. In terms of preparatory preschool programmes, there are no

statistically significant differences between Roma children and their counterparts from the other two

groups.

Figure 9. Attendance rate for preschool and for preparatory preschool programme. Percentage

distribution

The reasons cited for non-enrolment are varied. The most oft-cited reasons include that children are

better-off being looked after by a person close to them than by unfamiliar preschool staff, that

preschools are too far away from where the families live (which is a greater problem in control

municipalities than in project municipalities), and that children are too young to be left to the care of

such facilities. All these are almost equally important reasons for non-enrolment as the fact that the

child is cared for by the people close to him/her. Financial difficulties are more often cited by Roma

families as an obstacle to enrolling their children in preschools, while health reasons are more likely to

pose barriers to parents of children with developmental disabilities than those of healthy children.

Figure 10. Why is your child not enrolled in preschool? Percentage distribution

Total

All respondents



Parents, general

population

Roma parents

Parents of children with

developmentaldisabilities

Preschool 17.6 21.2 11.6 17.8 7.4 28.0

Preparatory preschool programme

18.5 23.3 10.5 17.9 23.0 19.6

Municipality Category

Somewhat more than a quarter of parents (27 per cent) of preschool-aged children who are not currently

attending preschool intend to enrol their children in preschool education facilities. Their main motives

include socialisation of children (31 per cent) and preparation for school (26 per cent), but also the

attitude that a child in preschool will acquire work habits and will handle separation from parents more

easily as a result of greater independence (19 per cent).

Still, the majority of parents do not intend to enrol their children in preschool (43 per cent), while

almost one in three parents (30 per cent) have not yet decided whether to enrol their child. Parents from

control municipalities are significantly more likely than those in project municipalities to report that

they intend to enrol their children in preschool. Also, more Roma parents and parents of children with

developmental disabilities than their counterparts from the general population say that they do not

intend to enrol their children in preschool. When asked about the reasons, they mostly cite lack of

finance, long distance, as well as the availability of other persons to care for the child (e.g. grandma,

grandpa). Given that the majority of families of preschool-aged children have a monthly income of

KM 800 or less, it is to be expected that parents have to prioritise their expenditures. In cases where

one parent is out of work or where grandparents are available to look after the child, parents are not

likely to attach high priority to preschool education of their children and will rather divert money to

meeting basic needs.

.7

1.0

1.5

2.7

4.7

14.1

14.9

18.9

19.2

22.4

.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0

Parents are not informed about

opportunities

The child is not interested or doesn’t want to go

Health problems

Other

Intend to enrol the child/the child already attends preparatory preschool programme

Don’t know/No answer

Financial problems

It’s too early, the child is still very young

Distance

There is no need, the child is looked afterby unemployed parent or other relatives

Figure 11. Do you plan to enrol your preschool-aged children in preschool? Percentage distribution

Parents of preschool-aged children are much more willing to enrol their children in the preparatory

preschool programme than in preschool. In fact, nearly two-thirds of parents whose preschool-aged

children do not attend the preparatory preschool programme report that they intend to enrol their

children in the programme (65 per cent). Acquirement of knowledge needed for school (44 per cent)

and socialisation and adaptation (22 per cent) are the main motives cited by parents for enrolling their

children in the preparatory preschool programme. Other reasons include the fact that it is a legal

requirement (14 per cent), and cultivation of work habits and development of self-reliance in the child

(12 per cent). Given that it was previously determined that the acquirement of knowledge needed for

school, socialisation and cultivation of work habits were not sufficiently motivating factors for the

enrolment of children and that most children did not attend preschools, it can be reasonably argued that

the mandatory nature of the preparatory preschool programme is an important incentive for parents to

enrol children in these programmes more often than preschool facilities such as kindergartens.

Despite the preparatory preschool programme being mandatory, many parents report that their children

will not attend that programme (15 per cent), and many are still considering this option (20 per cent).

Respondents from control municipalities are significantly more likely than their counterparts from

project municipalities to report that they do not intend to enrol their children in the preparatory

preschool programme. Roma parents and parents of children with developmental disabilities are also

significantly more likely to state that they do not intend to enrol their children in this programme,

compared to parents of preschool-aged children from the general population. The reasons why some

parents do not feel the need to enrol their children in these programmes vary, mainly coming down to

the long distance of preschools (25 per cent), as well as the attitude that there is no need for any

preparatory preschool education (often because the child is already attending kindergarten), as reported

by 14 per cent of parents. Many parents cite financial difficulties as the main factor preventing them

from making it possible for their children to attend this type of preschool education (20 per cent), Roma

parents more often so than their other counterparts. Furthermore, children’s health problems and the

fact that these programmes are not adapted to children’s developmental levels are the biggest obstacle

for children with developmental disabilities as potential users of preparatory preschool programmes.

Figure 12. Do you plan to enrol your children in the preparatory preschool programme in the year before starting primary school [if they are not already enrolled]? – Percentage distribution

Location of the preschool (i.e. its distance from the family’s home) and the availability of transport

certainly affect parents’ decision as to whether their child will attend preschool. In this regard, the

survey findings reveal that about three out of four parents (77 per cent) whose children do not attend

the preparatory preschool programme know where their child can attend this programme in the year

before starting primary school. Respondents from project municipalities, as compared to their

counterparts in control municipalities, are more likely to report knowing where it is possible to attend

this programme. Conversely, parents of children with developmental disabilities, as compared to their

general population counterparts, are significantly more likely to report not knowing where their

children can attend these programmes, by that probably referring to the preparatory preschool

programmes tailored to the needs of their children, believing that their children cannot go to

kindergarten with other children.

Figure 13. Do you know where your child can attend the preparatory preschool programme in the year before starting primary school in your community? – Percentage distribution

It seems that in many cases preschool is quite distant from the dwelling place of families with

preschool-aged children. According to parents’ estimates, preschools are on average three kilometres

away from their home. More than half of all respondents (56 per cent) estimate that the child

accompanied by a parent could walk to preschool. However, according to parents, children in control

municipalities are less likely to be able to walk to preschool than their counterparts in project

municipalities. As noted above, distance and lack of transportation pose a real obstacle for some

families to ensure preschool education opportunities for their children. Thus, walking to preschool is a

less feasible option for children with developmental disabilities than other children.

Figure 14. Can the child walk to the preschool (accompanied by a parent)? – Percentage distribution

The findings of this survey confirm the low preschool attendance rate as identified in the official

statistics. However, slightly more than a quarter of parents intend to enrol their children in preschool.

The main barrier to preschool education of children in BiH is the availability of alternative modes of

care for children which are deemed more desirable in BiH society – for example, care by a family

member or a close person – given the high unemployment of people in the country. Distance of

preschool from the family’s dwelling place, perception that the child is too young to be separated from

family, financial difficulties, and health problems of children are some of the other obstacles cited as

important by some families of preschool-aged children.

6.3. SATISFACTION WITH PRESCHOOLS

Positive experiences of parents whose children attend preschool are important in promoting the work

of these facilities, and thus increasing the number of children enrolled. Satisfied parents-users of

preschool services, who understand the purpose and benefits of preschool education for their child, are

the best source of references for preschools to use in order to attract new customers.

The views of parents whose children attend preschool on the services provided by preschool education

facilities are generally positive. Specifically, parents whose children attend preschool usually report

being completely or somewhat satisfied (75 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively) with the services

provided by these facilities. Many parents support this view saying that the services provided by

preschools are generally good (24 per cent), while others cite specific arguments in support of their

positive attitudes, such as positive professional and personal characteristics of staff (18 per cent), the

perception that their child has advanced and learned a lot as a result of attending preschool (17 per

cent), and the fact that children socialise and receive education in these facilities (15 per cent). What

seems to be the most important for these parents is that their children are “in good hands” and that they

advance, but they also find it important that they can socialise with their peers.

Figure 15. How satisfied are you with the services offered in preschools? – Percentage distribution

Overall, the majority of parents (80 per cent) report that they would recommend to other parents to

enrol their children in preschool, with parents of children attending preschool (95 per cent) being more

likely to do so than those whose children do not attend preschool (77 per cent). The most oft-cited

reasons for these positive attitudes include recognising the importance of early socialisation of the child

(56 per cent) and a general attitude that attending preschool is good for children (25 per cent). Some of

the reasons why they would not recommend enrolment in preschools include the view that it is actually

parents themselves who should prepare their children for school (23 per cent), that work with children

in preschools is poorly organised (25 per cent), and that preschool services are expensive (14 per cent).

Interestingly, all of these reasons are cited by parents whose children do not attend preschool.

Respondents in control municipalities, as compared to those in project municipalities, are significantly

more likely to state that they would encourage others to enrol their children in preschool. Also, parents

of preschool-aged children from the general population are more likely to make this recommendation

than their Roma counterparts.

Figure 16: Would you encourage other parents to enrol their children in preschool? – Percentage

distribution

According to parents, the key services that preschool children receive in preschools are those related

to socialisation (socialising, playing, etc.), which is highlighted as important by 42 per cent of parents,

followed by learning and preparing for school (27 per cent). Importance is also attached to the fact that

children are safe in these facilities (10 per cent) as well as that they develop work habits and learn to

be independent (9 per cent). On the other hand, the most important benefit for parents is the help they

receive in child rearing and preparing their children for school (36 per cent), as well as the fact that

their children are being looked after so that they have some time for themselves (31 per cent). The

views of parents whose children attend and those whose children do not attend preschools on the

services provided to children and their parents are similar, with the only exception being that the former

(38 per cent) are significantly more likely than the latter (29 per cent) to place emphasis on child care

and time off for parents.

Although they recognise the benefits of preschool education for both the child and themselves, parents

of preschool-aged children still believe that they themselves play the most important role and that they

have the best impact on the development of their children. The most important role is played by parents,

followed by grandmothers, preschools, grandparents, and lastly babysitters. According to respondents,

parents are ranked first because they are naturally the most important, they have the biggest impact,

and they know what is best for their children, but also because they are most concerned about their

children, and they give them more attention, time and love than anyone else. Parents perceive

babysitters as having the least important role, whom they say they do not trust to know how to raise

children, and to properly care about them. The importance of the role of parents in child development

as well as their motivation to contribute to their child’s development are undisputed. However, it is

important to consider their limitations, which they are often not aware of, such as lack of professional

knowledge and the inevitable subjectivity, as well as the necessity to expose children to the

environment outside their “safe haven” with the aim of encouraging social and emotional maturation,

and adaptation in general.

Figure 17. Which services do you think children receive in preschools? – Percentage distribution

Figure 18. What services do you think are provided to parents of children attending preschool? –


Most parents whose children attend preschool are satisfied with the services provided by these facilities

because their children are “in safe hands”, advance and socialise with their peers. Most parents

encourage enrolment of children in preschools, mainly because of the socialisation effects of these

facilities. However, some believe that parents should take upon themselves to prepare their children

for school, that the work in preschools is poorly organised, and that their services are too expensive.

Despite recognising the importance and benefits of preschools, parents still see themselves as having

the most important influence on their child’s development.

.5

.5

.9

2.0

7.8

9.4

9.7

27.1

42.2

.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0

Proper development

Other

Nothing special

Everything they need

Don’t know/no answer

Education, acquirement ofuseful habits

Safety, day care, food, sleep

Learning, preparation for school

Play, socialisation

.8

6.9

9.3

16.8

30.7

35.5

.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0

Additional costs and obligations

Nothing special

Socialisation and adaptation of children

Don’t know

Child care, free time for leisure

and/or work

Help in education and preparationof children for school

6.4. ATTITUDES ABOUT PRESCHOOLS

Attitudes about preschool staff as well as those about conditions in preschools surely influence the

decision on whether to enrol children in these facilities. Every parent surely wants his or her child to

be looked after and cared for by professional, dedicated and caring staff, in clean, safe and well-

equipped facilities. However, it is important to note that positive attitudes about preschools are not

always a decisive factor when deciding on whether to enrol children in preschool. In many cases,

obstacles such as financial difficulties or large distance are certain to outweigh the benefits, while in

other cases such obstacles will be irrelevant due to the lack of alternative child care options.

Parents’ attitudes towards personnel working in preschools were measured on a scale of attitudes which

consists of 10 items, that is measures 10 different aspects of the characteristics of preschool staff.

Attitudes were measured on a scale of 1 to 3, where 1 means “does not apply to them at all”, and 3

means “fully applies to them”. Analyses have shown that the reliability of the scale is satisfactory and

that all items measure the same construct – satisfaction with preschool staff.

Most parents have a clearly formed opinion about staff working in preschools, mostly positive. More

than half of the respondents see preschool staff as professional, competent, creative, and helpful. The

most frequently cited shortcoming of preschool teachers is that they do not devote enough time to each

child individually. However, in most cases this is not the fault of teachers themselves but rather the

preschool management who do not employ enough teachers to enable better care for each child.

However, it is uncertain whether parents are aware of it, or if it plays any role in their decision-making

about enrolling their child in preschool.

Figure 19: How professional do you think preschool teachers are? – Percentage distribution

Does not apply to

them at all

Partly applies to

them

Fully applies to them

Don’t know

Very competent

3.7 24.6 60.1 11.6Have sufficient knowledge about children’s abilities

3.2 27.0 57.9 11.9I have confidence in them 3.2 24.9 60.1 11.9They know what’s best for children of that age

4.1 23.9 60.2 11.8They can be aggressive towards children

53.3 16.1 13.1 17.4They respect children’s diversity

7.4 27.3 48.0 17.4They don’t devote enough attention to each child individually

31.2 25.6 25.6 17.6They are creative in their educational work

2.7 24.8 57.7 14.8They enable acquirement of desirable behaviours

3.2 25.4 54.8 16.6They are helpful in their interactions with parents

2.3 20.3 61.9 15.5

As regards attitudes about preschool staff, statistically significant differences have been found between

project municipalities and control municipalities. Firstly, respondents from project municipalities are

significantly more likely than their counterparts from control municipalities to report on the negative

characteristics of preschool staff1. On the other hand, respondents from control municipalities are

significantly more likely to report that this staff is very professional, that they know what is best for

children of that age, that they respect children’s diversity, but also that they do not devote enough

attention to each child (response “Fully applies to them” for item “They do not devote enough attention

to each child”), while they are significantly less likely than their counterparts in project municipalities

to state that preschool staff are aggressive towards children (i.e. they are more likely to choose answer

“Does not apply to them” for the item that measures aggression).

Attitudes about preschool staff also vary among different groups of parents of preschool-aged children.

Firstly, Roma parents are significantly more likely than other parents to say they do not know the

characteristics of staff working in preschool institutions. This may be accounted for by the fact, as

mentioned earlier, that Roma children are less likely to go to preschool compared to other children.

Secondly, parents from the general population and parents of children with developmental disabilities

are less likely to say the staff is aggressive towards children, and that they do not devote enough

attention to each child, as compared to Roma parents. Thirdly, parents of children with developmental

disabilities are significantly more likely than other parents to point out that preschool staff know what

is best for the children of that age as well as that they respect children’s diversity, probably based on

their personal experience.

1 Specifically, respondents in project municipalities are significantly more likely than respondents in control municipalities

to use the answer “does not apply to preschool staff at all” for all items, except for the item “They can be aggressive

towards children”, which they are more likely to mention as fully applying to members of preschool staff.

Figure 20. How professional do you think preschool teachers are? – Comparison between the

categories of municipalities and categories of parents of preschool-aged children, Percentage

distribution

Attitudes about preschool staff displayed by parents whose children are enrolled in preschool differ

from those of parents whose children do not go to preschool. The parents whose children attend

preschool have significantly more positive attitudes about preschool staff than other parents. These

parents, as compared to those whose children do not attend preschool, are more confident that preschool

staff have sufficient knowledge of children’s abilities and know what is best for children of that age,

that they respect the child’s diversity, that they are creative in their work with children, that they help

parents in child rearing and education, that they are helpful with parents, and these parents are more

likely to have confidence in preschool staff. In contrast, parents whose children attend preschool are

less likely than other parents to display the attitude that preschool staff do not devote enough attention

to each child. On the other hand, parents whose children do not go to preschool are more likely to

choose the answer “partly applies to preschool staff” for all items, as compared to parents who are

users of preschool services.

Figure 21. How professional do you think preschool teachers are? – Comparison between parents

whose children attend preschool and parents whose children do not attend preschool, Percentage

distribution

Attitudes about preschools were measured in a similar way as those about preschool staff, using a scale

which consists of 7 items. Respondents were asked to rate each item on a scale of three levels, where

Yes N

Does not apply to them at all 5.0 3.9Partly applies to them 22.6 29.1Fully applies to them 72.4 66.9Does not apply to them at all

5.0 3.3Partly applies to them

22.9 32.5Fully applies to them

72.0 64.2

Does not apply to them at all



81.4 65.0




74.0 66.9




12.1 16.9Does not apply to them at all



70.8 54.8


48.9 35.0

Partly applies to them


26.8 32.1Does not apply to them at all



76.3 65.6




76.7 62.9




82.1 71.0

They can be aggressive towardschildren

They respect children’s diversity

They don’t devote enough attention to each child individually

They are creative in theireducational work

They enable acquirement ofdesirable behaviours

They are helpful in their interactionswith parents

Are there in your household children who

attend preschool?

Very competent

Have sufficient knowledge about children’s abilities

I have confidence in them

They know what’s best for childrenof that age

1 means “Does not apply to preschool at all”, and 3 means “Fully applies to preschool”. Analyses have

shown that the reliability of the scale is satisfactory and that all items measure the same construct –

satisfaction with preschools.

In describing preschool facilities, the highest percentage of respondents think that the hygienic

conditions in these facilities are satisfactory, that these facilities are well equipped with educational

materials that promotes child development, that they allow free movement of children, that they

provide a safe place for the care and education of children, that they have safe playgrounds, and that

they have clear rules about who can come and pick up the child from preschool. However, many parents

are not sure about the condition of the abovementioned aspects of preschools, in particular as regards

the quality of food, rules on who can pick up the child, and free movement of children within preschool

facilities, some of which may have a decisive role in deciding on whether to enrol the child in preschool.

Figure 22: Please rate the current state of preschool facilities based on what you know? – Percentage

distribution

Does not apply to

preschoolat all

Partly applies to preschool

Fully applies to preschool

I don’t know

Hygiene in preschools is very high

5.9 30.9 49.2 13.9Preschools offer quality food to children

14.9 30.9 35.3 18.8

Preschools are equipped with materials that promote child developmentPreschools allow free movement of children in the preschool facility

6.1 30.6 48.1 15.2

5.3 27.3 50.4 16.9

Preschools are a safe place for care and education of children

3.7 22.6 59.0 14.6Preschools have safe playgrounds for children

6.5 24.0 54.2 15.4Preschools have clear rules about who can pick up the child

5.3 19.7 56.6 18.3

Statistically significant differences have been found between project municipalities and control

municipalities as regards attitudes about preschools. Specifically, respondents in project municipalities

much more frequently than those in control municipalities believe that preschools do not offer quality

food, are not equipped with special materials that promote child development, do not allow free

movement of children, are not a safe place for care and education, do not have a safe playground for

children, and do not have clear rules about who can pick up the child.

As was the case with the characteristics of preschool staff, Roma parents significantly more often than

other parents say that they do not know the characteristics of preschools.

Figure 23. Please rate the current state of preschool facilities based on what you know? –

Comparison between the categories of municipalities and categories of parents of preschool-aged

children, Percentage distribution

Parents whose children are enrolled in preschool have significantly more positive opinion on all the

characteristics of preschool facilities than those whose children do not go to preschool. Specifically,

parents whose children attend preschool are significantly more likely to say that all items fully apply

to preschool facilities, as compared to their counterparts whose children do not go to preschool (see

table below).

Figure 24. Please rate the current state of preschool facilities based on what you know? –

Comparison between the attitudes of parents whose children attend preschool and attitudes of parents

whose children do not attend preschool, Percentage distribution

Yes No

Does not apply to preschoolat all

6.1 7.1


29.0 37.7


64.9 55.2


20.6 17.8


22.4 42.3


57.0 39.9


7.1 7.2

Partly applies to preschol

22.9 39.4


70.0 53.3


8.2 5.9


20.7 36.1


71.1 58.0


6.0 3.9


14.2 29.6


79.8 66.4


9.3 7.3


17.4 31.1


73.3 61.7


8.3 6.0


14.1 26.7


77.6 67.2

Preschools are a safe placefor care and education of children

Preschools have safe playgrounds for children

Preschools have clear rulesabout who can pick up the child

Are there in your household children who

attend preschool?

Hygiene in preschoolsis very high

Preschools offer quality food to children

Preschools are equipped with materials that promotechild development

Preschools allow free movement of children in the preschool facility

Parent-teacher conferences are the main mode of interaction between parents and preschool staff, and

are considered to be very important for the exchange of information and opinions between teachers

and parents, as well as coordination of educational actions by parents and teachers. Parents whose

children are enrolled in preschool report that parent-teacher conferences are held in preschools, on

average twice a year, although the number of conferences varies greatly from facility to facility – some

preschools hold a conference every month, while others do not hold any at all. Approximately two-

thirds of parents (67 per cent) regularly attend parent-teacher conferences. However, a third of parents

(33 per cent) whose children attend preschool report not attending most of these meetings, or even

never going to them. The majority of parents (82 per cent) who attended parent-teacher conferences

report being very satisfied with the information shared at these meetings, while only 3 per cent express

dissatisfaction, and the rest state that they are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with the level of

information shared at parent-teacher conferences. In any case, satisfaction with parent-teacher

conferences and satisfaction in general depends on expectations. Thus, the level of parents’ satisfaction

identified in the survey does not necessarily mean high quality of parent-teacher conferences. The role

of these conferences is very important yet often overlooked in BiH, as they are often reduced to a mere

one-way reporting on child’s deportment and grades, where the role of parents is often passive, without

real cooperation with the teacher.

Figure 25: How often do you attend parent-teacher conferences at preschool? – Percentage

distribution

The attitudes of parents of preschool-aged children about preschool staff and conditions in preschool

facilities are generally positive. These attitudes are somewhat more negative in project municipalities

and among Roma parents.

6.5. COST OF PRESCHOOL PROGRAMMES

When it comes to enrolling children in preschool, one of the most important factors, if not the single

most important factor in the country is the price of preschool services. More than half of respondents

(59 per cent) say that in their community preschools operate on a pay-for basis (i.e. are funded by

preschool tuition fees paid by parents), 20 per cent say that they do not operate on a pay-for basis,

while 21 per cent of parents are not sure. Furthermore, respondents in control municipalities more

frequently than those in project municipalities say that the attendance of preschool is on a pay-for basis.

Also, Roma parents more often than parents from the general population say that they do not know

whether preschools operate on a pay-for basis or not.

Figure 26. Do preschools in your community operate on a pay-for basis? – Percentage distribution

Figure 27. Does preparatory preschool programme in preschools in your community operate on a pay-for basis? – Percentage distribution

The attitudes and experiences regarding payment of tuition fees for preparatory preschool programmes

are significantly different from those expressed about preschool institutions: 57 per cent of respondents

say that the attendance of these programmes is not paid, 13 per cent say that it is paid, while as many

as 30 per cent of the respondents do not know whether the attendance of these programmes is paid or

not. When it comes to knowledge and attitudes about payment for these programmes, differences have

been observed between project municipalities and control municipalities, as well as among parents of

preschool-aged children from the general population and Roma parents. Specifically, respondents in

control municipalities more often than those in project municipalities believe that the preparatory

preschool programme in their community is on a pay-for basis. Furthermore, Roma parents are more

likely than parents of preschool-aged children from the general population to say that they do not know

whether the attendance of the preparatory preschool programme is paid or not.

Respondents whose children are enrolled in preschool or the preparatory preschool programme were

asked to indicate the annual amount of money they spend on these programmes. On the other hand,

respondents whose children do not attend the said programmes were asked to estimate the costs of

these programmes. As regards preschools, parents who are users of their services estimated their annual

costs to be on average KM 1,332. Parents who do not use their services estimate that their annual cost

is KM 1,207. With regard to the preparatory preschool programme, parents who are beneficiaries

estimate its costs at KM 647 per year, while those whose children do not attend the programme believe

that its annual cost is KM 775. Overall, the difference between the actual and estimated values is not

large, or, in other words, parents are relatively well informed about the cost of preschool and the

preschool preparatory programme, regardless of whether their child attends preschool/programme or

not. Also, no statistically significant differences in the average amounts cited have been found between

the categories of municipalities and categories of parents with regard to parents whose children actually

attend these facilities/programmes. On the other hand, when it comes to the estimates of parents whose

children are not enrolled in preschool/preparatory preschool programme, it has been found that

respondents in control municipalities are more likely to overestimate the costs than those in project

municipalities, which is consistent with previous findings where these respondents more frequently

claimed that the services of these facilities are paid. As regards preschools, parents from the general

population tend to estimate their costs higher than their Roma counterparts, while parents of children

with developmental disabilities estimate the costs of the preparatory preschool programme higher than

those from the general population. When it comes to the preparatory preschool programme, the

estimates of parents who are beneficiaries of these programmes do not differ regardless of whether

they are from project municipalities or control municipalities, nor do they differ between different

categories of parents. However, similar to preschools, the estimated values differ. Respondents in

control municipalities estimate the amounts required for attendance of the preparatory preschool

programme higher than those living in focus municipalities. Also, parents of children with

developmental disabilities are more likely to cite higher amounts than parents of preschool-aged

children from the general population.

Figure 28: Can you estimate the type and amount of costs associated with attending preschool? –

Arithmetic means of the amounts in Convertible Marks (KM)

According to parents of preschool-aged children, preschools in most places in BiH operate on a pay-

for basis, and the attendance of preparatory preschool programmes is generally not paid. However, a

relatively high percentage of parents are not aware whether the attendance of preschools or

preparatory programmes in their community is paid or not. Parents of preschool-aged children are

relatively well informed about the costs associated with attending preschool and the preparatory

preschool programme, regardless of whether their children attend these facilities/programmes or not.

However, cost estimates differ between project municipalities and control municipalities, and between

different categories of parents of preschool-aged children.

All

respondents

Project

municipa-

lities

Control

municipa-

lities

Parents,

general

population

Roma

parents

Parents of

children

with special

needs

Cost of preschool

1332 1357 1257 1338 1763 1141

Estimated cost of preschool

1207 987 1535 1248 885 1121

Cost of preparatory

preschool programme

647 635 696 631 655 797

Estimated cost of preparatory

preschool programme

775 630 917 748 835 1111

M (KM)

6.6. ATTITUDES AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CHILD DEVELOPMENT

When it comes to child development, one of the central dilemmas and the main subject of debate among

scientists throughout history has been the question of nature or nurture. Today we know that both nature

and nurture play a major role in child development, and that they act in interaction, as well as that self-

activity of an individual constitutes an important determinant of his/her development. In any case, it

has been a scientifically established fact that nurture, which includes education, plays an important role

in child development, where parents’ role is indisputable. In addition to parents, preschools are an

environment that has a significant impact on the child through educational activities.

In general, attitudes are the basis of every decision-making, including for decisions about preschool

education of children. In the context of the decision on whether to send a child to preschool, some of

the more important attitudes may include attitudes and ideas about child development and its patterns.

In that regard, this survey thought it important to examine parents’ attitudes about the importance of

specific elements of child development which they consider to be the most subject to effects of

preschool education, as well parents’ knowledge of developmental milestones. Knowledge and

information about child development can shape decisions about whether the child will be enrolled in a

particular early education programme or not. Early education programmes are important environmental

influences that, in interaction with child’s biological dispositions, affect his/her development.

Stimulation and encouragement, both by parents and in preschool, play an extremely important role

for the development of intelligence. Of all the various elements of child development, parents believe

that preschool education has the greatest influence on the development of intelligence, but also on

physical health, and learning to behave non-aggressively. Parents of preschool-aged children from the

general population attach much greater importance to socialisation than those of preschool-aged

children with developmental disabilities. These differences are not surprising given the fact that the

majority of children with developmental disabilities are not well accepted by other children, as a result

of which positive socialisation effects of preschools often do not come into play for them.

Figure 29: Rank by importance the elements of child development that you believe preschool education has the most influence on? – Arithmetic means of the ranks

(A lower ranking indicates greater impact of preschool education on the development of a given

element!)

By three months a baby is expected to coo, constantly put its hands in its mouth, and smile the first

smile. At seven months old a child responds to being called by his/her name, recognises emotions by

tone of voice, fully develops colour vision, and transfers objects from hand to hand. One-year-olds are

expected to crawl forward, cry when separated from parents, know how to find objects hidden under

two or three blankets, suck thumb, move independently from a lying to a sitting position, pronounce

syllables “dada” and “mama”, and walk holding onto furniture. Two-year-olds start to engage in

pretend play, walk and run independently, are defiant, use 2-4 word sentences, and move up and down

the stairs holding onto something for support. A three-year old child can ride a tricycle, sort objects by

shape and colour, and openly express emotions. Four-year-olds cooperate with other children, know

how to use scissors, and move up and down the stairs without support. Finally, five-year-olds can dress

themselves and use a spoon and fork, and sometimes a knife. In order to adequately stimulate their

child’s development, parents should be familiar with the developmental milestones, such as those

described above.

Knowledge of the developmental stages, or developmental milestones, was measured using 26 items,

each describing a different developmental milestone. For each milestone, parents were asked to guess

whether a child is expected to reach it at 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-24 months or 3-6 years old.

Developmental milestones used in this survey represent a satisfactory sample of developmental

milestones that children are supposed to achieve in preschool period.

Assessment of the respondents’ knowledge of developmental milestones has shown that a relatively

high percentage of respondents are well informed about the developmental stages of children (see cells

marked in green in the table below!). Most parents know at what age a child can roll from stomach to

back, raise his/her head, begin to crawl, pronounce the first words, sit alone, name images in a picture

book, use a spoon, speak in syllables, identify body parts, turn pages, distinguish reality from fiction,

use future tense, and use the toilet alone. However, a relatively high percentage of respondents make

wrong assumptions about the age at which children can achieve the aforementioned and other

developmental milestones (see cells marked in red: cells marked in dark red where more than 20 per

cent of the respondents answered wrong, and cells marked in light red where 10-19 per cent of the

respondents answered wrong). The biggest unknown for parents seems to be the age when a child

Total

All respondents



Parents, general

population

Roma parents


special needs

Intelligence 3.48 3.44 3.53 3.49 3.08 3.77Physical health 4.01 3.97 4.09 4.02 3.71 4.27Non-aggressive behaviour 4.63 4.65 4.61 4.68 4.37 4.42Expressing oneself clearly 4.70 4.72 4.67 4.68 5.01 4.46Socialisation 4.74 4.71 4.81 4.78 4.81 4.21Acceptance of oneself 4.78 4.76 4.82 4.74 5.01 5.07Human rights 4.80 4.87 4.67 4.79 4.81 4.84Communication 4.87 4.90 4.83 4.83 5.21 4.95


M

begins to imitate sounds, when it knows at least two words, when it can say its name and gender, when

it begins to show preference for playing with other children over playing alone, when it understands

pronouns like “mine” and “his”, and when it can make simple sentences – more than half of the parents

show incomplete understanding of these milestones. Also, between a quarter and half of the parents do

not have adequate information on when a child can roll from stomach to back, sit alone, stand on one

leg for at least two seconds, track moving objects with his/her eyes, understand concepts such as money

and food, name images in a picture book, say first words, raise his/her head, draw a person with two to

four body parts, name some colours and numbers, and piece together a puzzle with several pieces.

Figure 30: Please specify at what age, in your opinion, can a child be expected to perform each of the tasks that we will read out to you...? – Percentage distribution

Certain differences were found between male and female respondents in terms of developmental tasks

and age when children are able to perform them. Thus, female respondents tend to show significantly

better knowledge of the age range during which a child can roll from stomach to back (73 per cent

versus 67 per cent male), track moving objects with their eyes (42 per cent versus 36 per cent male),

use a spoon (62 per cent versus 55 per cent male), identify body parts (62 per cent vs. 55 per cent male),

and sit alone (64 per cent versus 54 per cent male).

Overall, a relatively high percentage of respondents would benefit from further training in

developmental psychology and developmental patterns, which could result in parents more actively

stimulating and motivating children to achieve specific developmental milestones and to advance

faster, but it would also contribute to early identification and diagnosis of developmental disorders,

thus enabling their timely treatment. These findings also show that parents often expect too much of

children (cases where the red cell is to the left from the green), which is why a child may feel

incompetent or inferior, and as such could be discouraged in the development and advancement.

According to these findings, it is necessary to further work on informing, educating and raising

0-6 months6-12

months12-24

months3-6 years

Roll from stomach to back 71.5 25.9 1.9 .7Start to crawl 17.7 79.1 2.9 .2Can stand on one leg for at least two minutes 2.8 32.0 50.0 15.2Track a moving object with his/her eyes 40.3 40.8 15.2 3.7Understand concepts such as food and money 1.5 7.8 42.5 48.2Can say his/her name and gender 1.0 7.8 63.5 27.6Walk 1.2 46.9 4.9 4.0Prefer playing with other children over playing alone .9 14.7 53.0 31.4Distinguish reality from fiction 1.1 2.8 21.1 75.0Name images in picture books .6 5.6 58.3 35.5Say first words 2.4 67.8 26.9 3.0Understand “mine”, “his”, “her” 2.4 10.5 51.7 35.5Raise his/her head 64.1 26.0 4.9 5.0Draw a person with 2-4 body parts 1.5 3.7 34.1 60.7Use future tense 1.0 2.3 17.1 79.6Use fork 1.3 10.2 59,6 28.9Speak in syllables .7 21.7 55.2 22.4Make simple sentences .5 5.1 59.1 35.3Name some colours and numbers .4 2.9 45.2 51.5Pieces together a puzzle with 2-4 pieces .4 4.3 44.2 51.2Know at least two words 1.3 57.7 35.8 5.2Identify body parts .4 19.6 60.2 19.8Imitate sounds 1.0 22.1 60.4 16.5Turn pages .4 15.5 63.5 20.6Use the toilet alone .5 1.5 19.7 78.3Sit alone 3.8 61.6 25.5 9.1

per cent

awareness of parents and prospective parents not only about the patterns of child development, but also

about how to deal with children in order to make sure they develop their skills optimally.

Parents of preschool-aged children consider the development of intelligence, physical health, and non-

aggressive behavior to be the most important aspects of development that are influenced by preschool

education. While many parents are aware of the developmental milestones, there are still a great deal

of them who have misconceptions about child development, which indicates an urgent need for

educational activities aimed at enabling the optimal development of children and early identification

of developmental disorders.

6.7. DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES – IDENTIFICATION, SUPPORT AND

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

6.7.1. Identification and support

Children with developmental disabilities are a vulnerable category in terms of different life

circumstances, including opportunities for preschool education. Their integration with other children

in preschools (and later in schools) is often problematic because they are visibly different from their

peers. Developmental disorders occur at a time when children are too small for any of their behaviours

to be considered unusual, or for them to be able to report specific difficulties, which makes their early

identification and treatment difficult.

Respondents believe that the greatest responsibility for early identification of developmental

disabilities in preschool-aged children rests with the parents, especially the mother, followed by

doctors, preschool educators and others. The vast majority of parents say that if they noticed or

suspected that their child has a developmental disability, they would first contact physicians, that is

paediatricians (93 per cent).

In this regard, the importance of physicians is significantly more frequently emphasised by respondents

in project municipalities than those in control municipalities. Conversely, respondents in control

municipalities tend to see parents or other caregivers as being more important for early identification

of developmental disabilities. Parents from the general population and parents of children with

developmental disabilities tend to attach greater importance to doctors than Roma parents, who are in

turn significantly more likely than parents from the general population to emphasise the importance of

mother and father in the early identification of developmental difficulties in children.

Figure 31: Please rank in your estimation the responsibility of different persons for the early

identification of developmental difficulties in preschool-aged children? – Arithmetic means of the

ranks

(The table shows the average ranking for each person, where a lower ranking means more responsibility

for identifying developmental disabilities. Respondents could assign the same ranking to more than

one person if they felt that they have equal responsibility.)

Slightly more than a third of respondents (35 per cent) report that professional help for parents of

children with disabilities is available in their communities, while 38 per cent claim that these

professionals are not available in their communities. More than a quarter of respondents (27 per cent)

do not know if these professionals are available or not. While parents in control municipalities are

Total

All respondents



Parents, general

population

Roma parents


special needs

Physician/paediatrician 2.81 2.85 2.73 2.85 2.37 2.75Preschool educators 3.61 3.58 3.66 3.62 3.60 3.51Mother 1.24 1.21 1.28 1.21 1.36 1.47Father 2.20 2.15 2.30 2.17 2.49 2.31Somebody else 3.89 4.08 3.70 3.94 2.25 3.67


M

significantly more likely than their counterparts in project municipalities to report that professional

help is not available, parents of preschool-aged children living in project municipalities significantly

more often report not knowing whether professional help is available in their locality or not. As

concerns the different categories of parents, parents of children with developmental disabilities

significantly more often than other parents say that professional help is available, which is to be

expected given the fact that these parents are probably forced to inform themselves and seek

professional help. However, the fact remains that many parents of preschool-aged children do not know

whether this kind of help is available in their community, which indicates the need for better

information and for expanding professional help services to communities where they are currently

unavailable.

Figure 32: Is professional help for parents who have children with developmental disabilities available in your community? – Percentage distribution

Respondents who report that professional help is available for parents of children with developmental

disabilities most often say that it is available in health care facilities (35 per cent), while 16 per cent

say that they would seek help in centres for children with special needs, and 15 per cent state that help

is provided by various professionals and specialists, doctors and other experts, such as psychologists,

speech therapists or social workers. In this regard, it would be interesting to find out whether

respondents lack proper information or the said professionals are indeed not available in their localities.

Once it has been established which of the two is the case, it would be necessary either to better inform

the respondents of the existing opportunities for professional help, or to work on recruiting

professionals who will provide assistance to parents of children with developmental disabilities.

Figure 33. What kind of professional help is available and from whom? – Percentage distribution

(This question was answered only by respondents who reported that professional help for parents of

children with developmental disabilities was available in their locality!)

1.7

2.1

5.5

5.9

6.0

12.6

15.2

15.7

35.2

.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0

Kindergarten or school

Other

Centre for Mental Health

Center for Social Work

Don’t know/no answer

Various associations and organisations

Various professionals and specialists (doctors,

psychologists, speech therapists, soc. workers)

Centre for children with special needs

Health care facilities

6.7.2. Opportunities for preschool education for children with developmental

disabilities

A total of 6.5 per cent of the respondents in this survey have preschool-aged children with specific

developmental difficulties, ranging from speech impediments (20 per cent), Down syndrome (16 per

cent), autism (9 per cent), cerebral palsy (6 per cent), epilepsy (6 per cent), visual impairment (6 per

cent), psychomotor problems (6 per cent) and hearing impairment (4 per cent), while the rest of the

children have a variety of health problems, such as heart problems, asthma, etc.

Slightly more than half of respondents (51 per cent) believe that children with developmental

disabilities should attend preschool together with other children, mostly for socialisation (40 per cent),

but also because all children are the same and should have the same rights (36 per cent), as well as lest

these children should feel isolated (20 per cent). On the other hand, less than half of the respondents

(41 per cent), but still a very high percentage, believe that children with developmental disabilities

should not attend preschool together with other children but separately, on account of the fact that they

require special attention and professional assistance in education (70 per cent), that they cannot fit in

with other children (14 per cent), and that they are dependent on others for assistance (12 per cent).

Roma parents are more likely than their general population counterparts to hold that children with

developmental disabilities should attend preschool together with other children. Apparently, many

parents are aware of the rights and benefits of inclusive education for children with developmental

disabilities. However, a large number of parents of preschool-aged children continue to treat children

with disabilities differently from other children just because of their condition, thus denying them the

right to optimal development.

Figure 34: Do you believe that children with developmental disabilities should attend preschool

together with your children, or you believe that there should be separate preschools for children with developmental disabilities? – Percentage distribution

Somewhat more than a third of children with developmental disabilities (35 per cent) go to preschool,

while the majority of them do not. For half of the children who do not attend preschool, parents do not

intend to enrol them (50 per cent); only 23 per cent of parents of these children say that they will enrol

their child in preschool. The main reasons why many of these children will not attend preschool include

their health problems and the lack of specialised preschools for children with developmental disabilities

(46 per cent), followed by financial difficulties, which prevent 23 per cent of children from attending

preschool and achieving many of its benefits as previously described.

Figure 35. Is the child enrolled in preschool? – Percentage distribution

Figure 36. Do you plan to enrol your child in preschool? – Percentage distribution

According to parents of preschool-aged children, it is the parents who play a major role in the early

identification of developmental disabilities. Many of these parents report that professional help for

parents of children with developmental disabilities is not available or they do not know if it is available

in their localities. Also, many parents of preschool-aged children believe that children with

developmental disabilities should not attend preschool together with other children, saying that they

require special attention and cannot fit in with other children. Hence, the majority of children with

developmental disabilities do not attend preschool.

6.8. OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRESCHOOL EDUCATION FOR ROMA CHILDREN

For years education of Roma children has been one of the central problems faced by these children and

their parents. In this survey, 8.7 per cent of respondents are persons of Roma ethnicity who have

children of preschool age. The findings of this survey show that discriminatory attitudes are much

stronger towards children with developmental disabilities than Roma children. The majority of

respondents (84 per cent, including Roma people) believe that Roma children should go to preschool

with other children. The main argument in favour of joint education of Roma children and other

children is the awareness that all children are the same and should have the same rights (88 per cent),

and that Roma children should be educated and kept off the streets (10 per cent). As expected, Roma

parents more often than other parents feel that their children need to be with other children. However,

it is important to note that a relatively high percentage of parents (16 per cent) believe that Roma

children should attend preschool separately from other children. Parents of children with

developmental disabilities more frequently than their Roma and general population counterparts

believe that Roma children should attend separate preschools. Arguments offered in favour of separate

preschool education for Roma children reflect different biases towards these children, the most

common one being that they do not care about hygiene and that they are ill-behaved.

Figure 37: Do you believe that Roma children should attend preschool together with your children, or you believe that there should be separate preschools for Roma children? – Percentage distribution

Most parents of preschool-aged children believe that Roma children should attend preschool with

other children as they have the same rights as children from all other ethnic groups. A small number

of respondents who have the opposite view are parents using different prejudices against the Roma

ethnic group as arguments supporting their view about separate preschool education for Roma

children.

6.9. PROPER NUTRITION AND IMMUNISATION

Part of this survey focused on the issue of health and proper nutrition of children, which is considered

to be very important for proper and healthy development of the child.

It seems that parents of preschool-aged children pay attention to ensuring a healthy diet for their

children, i.e. that children are offered enough fruits and vegetables. The majority of parents (86 per

cent) report that their children eat fresh fruits and vegetables daily, and 10 per cent say that their

children consume these foods once a week. Furthermore, the majority of parents (90 per cent) say that

they are able to ensure a daily intake of fresh fruits and vegetables for their child. Parents from the

general population and parents of children with developmental disabilities are more likely to daily

serve fresh fruit and vegetables to their children than their Roma counterparts.

Figure 38: How often does your child have fresh fruits and vegetables as part of his/her diet? –


Figure 39. Can you ensure that your child eats fresh fruits and vegetables as part of his/her daily diet? – Percentage distribution

Most parents of children attending preschool (65 per cent) are familiar with what children in preschools

have on the menu every day, and most are completely satisfied (74 per cent) with these menus, while

one in five parents (21 per cent) state they are partially satisfied with the menu. Again, expectations

are a variable that moderates satisfaction in this case, so the satisfaction of parents with preschool

menus depends on what parents mean by healthy diet.

Figure 40. Do you know what your child has on the menu at preschool every day? – Percentage

distribution

Figure 41: How satisfied are you with the menu offered at preschool? – Percentage distribution

In terms of health, the survey investigated whether parents take regular care of vaccinating their

children. The findings are positive – the majority of preschool-aged children (93 per cent) were

vaccinated. As regards the differences, parents in project municipalities more often than their

counterparts in control municipalities report that their children were not vaccinated. Also, parents of

children with developmental disabilities and Roma parents are more likely than their general

population counterparts to state that their children were not vaccinated. The reasons for avoiding

immunisation most commonly cited by certain parents include children’s health problems (55 per cent),

which is significantly more likely to be cited by parents of children with developmental disabilities

than other parents, and parents’ fear of the side effects of vaccination (25 per cent).

Figure 42. Have your children received all vaccines as required for their age? – Percentage

distribution

Parents of preschool-aged children in BiH take care of their children’s diet as well as their vaccination.

However, it is important to note that both healthy diet and immunisation are associated with personal

views about the hazards and benefits of specific foods or medicines, which can have a significant

impact on parent’s satisfaction levels as well as their decisions about nutrition and health care of

children in general.

7. CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the majority of parents of preschool-aged children are aware of the existence of preschools as

well as the availability of preparatory preschool programmes, and believe they are important for early

socialisation of children and preparation for school. However, most parents do not enrol their children

in preschool. The reasons are varied: financial difficulties, distance and transport availability, as well

as individual attitudes and knowledge. Given the standard of living and the unemployment rate in BiH,

it is quite possible that financial and economic reasons override all other considerations when it comes

to making decisions about early education for children in preschools: lack of resources to finance

preschool education as well as the attitude that preschool is not necessary when one parent is

unemployed. Respondents who have experience with preschools express a positive attitude towards

these facilities, stating that in them children “receive education”, “are cared for”, “socialise”, and that

preschools are clean, safe and well-equipped, with competent, caring and friendly staff. It seems that

parents of preschool-aged children in BiH need to be further educated about all the benefits of

preschool education, other than just socialisation and preparation for school in terms of learning

alphabet, the advantages of which they already recognise very well. Also, it is important to emphasise

the effects of early education on cognitive development, emotional development, language

development, motor development, etc. Furthermore, it is necessary to work on eliminating

discriminatory attitudes among parents of preschool-aged children, in particular with respect to

educational opportunities and the needs of children with developmental disabilities, while parents of

these children should be provided with adequate professional help and information about where and

how to access such help. Finally, parents need to be educated more thoroughly about the healthy diet

for children in general, including the importance of a varied diet as well as creating healthy eating

habits.

8. RECOMMENDATIONS

The recommendations below are based on the findings of this survey. The recommendations need to

be further elaborated and based on them specific policies need to be created which will result in the

improvement of preschool education of children in BiH.

• Roma parents and parents of preschool-aged children in control municipalities would

particularly benefit from further information about the preparatory preschool programme, as

the findings of this survey indicate that these groups of parents are less informed about this

subject than their other counterparts. The payment of preschool tuition fees should be one of

the topics about which parents of preschool-aged children generally need to receive further

information. Overall, many parents of preschool-aged children, while they think they know

what preparatory preschool programmes are, do not realise the comprehensive and multiple

benefits of these programmes for the overall early development of the child, which include the

effects not only on the cognitive or social development, but also the emotional and psychomotor

development of the child. Therefore, all parents should be further educated about the

comprehensive benefits of preschools. Also, nearly a quarter of parents of preschool-aged

children whose children do not attend the preparatory preschool programme do not know where

children can attend this programme. Parents of preschool-aged children should be thoroughly

informed on this matter too.

• In light of the low percentage of preschool-aged children who attend preschool and preparatory

preschool programme, it is necessary to encourage the enrolment of children in these facilities

and programmes, particularly in control municipalities and among the Roma population, where

the enrolment rate was found to be lower than in other population.

• Some of the barriers to preschool education of children that need to be overcome in order to

increase the preschool enrolment rate include large distance of preschools from children’s

homes and financial difficulties. The distance problem can be overcome either by opening

preschools in communities where they are currently not available or by organising transport of

children to locations where preschool education is available. Financial aid would allow and

help many parents to enrol their children in preschool.

• Preschool education should be adapted to children with developmental disabilities, and teachers

need to be educated on the needs of these children, while other children need to be sensitised

to their needs and particularities. Also, a high percentage of parents of preschool-aged children

think that children with developmental disabilities should not attend preschool with other

children. Hence, parents should be educated about this group of children, their characteristics

and needs.

• Positive experiences of parents whose children attend preschool and their attitudes about the

benefits of preschool education and qualities of preschool staff as well as conditions in these

facilities could be put to good use in promoting the work of these facilities and encouraging

other parents to enrol their children to preschool.

• While a large number of parents have complete confidence in preschool staff, and in their

competences, knowledge, positive attitude towards children, etc., there is a high percentage of

those who voice contrasting views. Firstly, it is necessary to examine how competent,

professional and dedicated preschool staff in BiH is, and work to improve their performance

and promote their quality, particularly in project municipalities, where negative attitudes about

preschool staff were voiced more frequently. In particular, it is necessary to improve the

knowledge of Roma parents about preschool staff. Similarly, it is necessary to look at and

improve the conditions in preschool facilities, such as hygiene, food quality, teaching aids, etc.

• Given the importance of parent-teacher meetings, it seems important to legally regulate the

number of mandatory meetings on a monthly basis, as well as clearly define their content and

purpose. Also, parents should be required to attend a certain number of these meetings.

• Parents of preschool-aged children need to be further educated about the developmental

milestones and early indicators of developmental difficulties, with the aim of early

identification of developmental disabilities, but also in order to avoid excessively high

expectations and encourage child’s real potential. Also, parents need to be educated about the

importance of encouraging the achievement of specific developmental milestones during early

development, importance of parental involvement in this period, as well as how to properly

stimulate development. Furthermore, education is needed with respect to unrealistic

expectations and their deleterious effects. Parents of preschool-aged children should also be

informed about who they can contact if they suspect that their child has some developmental

difficulties. Moreover, it is necessary to identify priority locations where help to parents of

children with developmental disabilities is currently unavailable and should be made available.

• Although most parents of preschool-aged children believe that Roma children should go to

preschool with other children, prejudices against this group are still present in the attitudes of

quite a few parents who have the opposite view. It is vital to continue and improve activities

aimed at eliminating prejudice against the Roma ethnic minority and reducing discrimination

against Roma children with respect to education.

• Future surveys of preschool education in BiH should address the quality of preschool

programmes and identify the types of programmes that have the best long-term impact on

children’s development.

kap survey on early childhood education and development

Documents

anonymity of respondents

identity of respondents

attendance of preschool

respondents answers

half of respondents

preschool education

cent of parents

preschool tuition fees