GUIDELINES FOR ENHANCING ROLES OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION TO EXCELLENCE OF THE EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS IN RAYONG PROVINCE

Abstract

          The purpose of this research was to study the roles and ways to enhance the role of local government organizations towards the excellence in Early Childhood Development Centers in Rayong Province. This was an integrated research method. The sample group in this research consisted of 260 people quantitatively obtained by multi-stage sampling and 15 key informants qualitatively obtained by purposive selection. The research tools consisted of questionnaires and interview forms. The data were analyzed by frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and content analysis. The results of the research were as follows:
      1. Regarding the role of local leaders to the excellence of the Rayong Development Center, all of the six roles were overall at the highest level. The early childhood development network role was found to have the highest level, the academic role at the lowest level, and the curricular activity role at high level.
      2. For guidelines for enhancing the role of local government organizations towards the excellence in Childhood Development Centers in Rayong Province, it was found to have three dimensions, consisting of: Dimension 1: Open and Connectedness Government, which promoted roles as follows: 1) For budgeting, administration, finance, and procurement, sufficient budgets should be allocated for the management of the Child Development Center and there should be direct recruitment of staff, 2) Regarding academic and curricular activities roles, the curriculum should be organized and teachers should attend trainings and make use of modern technology in teaching and learning. Dimension 2: Citizen Centric: The building, place, environment and safety roles were promoted. The environment conducive to learning should be provided. Dimension 3: Smart and High Performance: 1) Personnel and Child Development Center management roles were promoted. Meetings should be consistently held to clarify policies of the Child Development Center. Rules, regulations, and rules for the operation of the Child Development Center should be clearly set. 2) Participation role and action promotion should be taken to enable all sectors in society to participate in the attention and development of Child Development Centers. 3) Regarding the role of promoting early childhood development networks, there should be a network for the development of Child Development Centers starting from sub-district, district, and provincial levels to the regional level to make the Childhood Development Center a source of knowledge exchange in early childhood development so that the practice of childhood development among heads of Childhood Development Centers, childhood care teachers, executives and related persons would be strengthened and related persons and all sectors would be provided opportunities to continue participating in early childhood development.