Caregivers’ Role in Talent Development Among Early Childhood Learners in Bumula and Bungoma South Sub-Counties, Bungoma County, Kenya

Caregivers play a crucial role in early childhood development, significantly influencing children’s cognitive, social, and creative growth through their interactions and engagement. However, there is limited research on their specific role in talent identification and development, particularly in rural settings. This study aims to examine the role of caregivers in identifying and nurturing the talents of Early Childhood Development (ECD) learners in Bumula and Bungoma South Sub-County, Bungoma County, Kenya. The general objective is to explore how caregivers identify and nurture the talents of young learners, with particular focus on the screening tools used and methods of nurturing. The study is guided by four specific objectives: to establish if caregivers can identify talents among ECD learners in Bungoma County; to determine the screening tools caregivers use for talent identification; to describe the methods employed by caregivers to nurture these talents; and to identify the factors influencing talent identification and nurturing. The scope of the study waslimited to caregivers in the Grade 2 and Grade 3 levels within Bumula and Bungoma South Sub-Counties, examining how caregivers’ literacy levels and socio-economic conditions may affect their ability to support talent development. The research is grounded in Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences and John Holland’s Theory of Career Choice. These frameworks provide insight into how caregivers can best recognize and cultivate various types of talents in early childhood learners. The study adopted a comparative research design, which is ideal for comparing talent development practices between two distinct sub-counties, Bumula and Bungoma South, in Bungoma County. The target population for this study included caregivers who comprised of ECDE teaches. This study used purposive sampling to select Bumula and Bungoma South SubCounties from the nine sub-counties in Bungoma County. A total of 373 ECDE teachers were selected through purposive and stratified random sampling from a population of 1,243 teachers in Bumula and Bungoma South Sub-Counties. Data for this study was collected using a questionnaire, which was administered to ECDE teachers to capture structured data on their perceptions, practices, and policies related to talent development in ECD learners. A pilot study was conducted with 2 sampled ECD centers, to test the research instruments for validity and reliability. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for all constructs exceeded the recommended threshold of 0.7, indicating good internal consistency, with the pilot study revealing that the research instruments were reliable and valid for the main study. The study employed a quantitative data analysis approach, as only questionnaires were used for data collection. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 27 was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies, means, and standard deviations, were used to summarize the data. The data analysed was presented using tables, charts and graphs to visually highlight patterns and relationships in the data. The findings show regional differences, with 78% of caregivers in Bungoma South using structured tools and formal nurturing activities, while 65% in Bumula relied on informal methods like praise and family support. The study highlights resource disparities between urban and rural areas, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. Parental involvement was more structured in Bungoma South (72%) compared to Bumula, where 58% of caregivers used informal community-driven strategies. The study suggests that improving access to resources and training for rural caregivers is crucial for fostering a more inclusive approach to talent development across Bungoma County.