Developing Productive and Social Life Skills Among Six-Year-Olds in Masaka District, Uganda: The Impact of Contemporary Pedagogy

This study investigates contemporary pedagogy and its impact on developing productive and social life skills among six-year-old children in Masaka District, Uganda. The research was prompted by the critical need to align Early Childhood Education (ECE) with indigenous African knowledge and global educational trends to prepare children for productive and socially responsible lives. A sequential mixed-methods approach was employed, involving stratiWed random sampling of 18 schools and purposive sampling of teachers and pupils to gather qualitative data through classroom observations, focus group discussions, and semi-structured interviews. Additional data were obtained from practical skill assessments and documentary reviews. The Wndings reveal signiWcant discrepancies between teachers’ intended practices and actual classroom methods, with a prevalent reliance on theoretical instruction over practical life-skill development. While productive work skills such as gardening, waste disposal, and simple crafting were identiWed as crucial, these were rarely incorporated into daily classroom activities due to resource constraints, inadequate space, and time limitations. Social skills were more consistently addressed through routines, rules, and intentional teaching, yet these, too, suffered from insufWcient practical application. A vital outcome of the study is the development of a hybrid pedagogical framework, termed the DRABE (Drop, Restore, Adapt, Blend, and Explore) model. This framework advocates integrating indigenous pedagogical practices with contemporary methods to create a balanced, Afrocentric approach to ECE. The DRABE model emphasizes the need to drop ineffective contemporary practices, restore valuable indigenous methods, adapt both to suit modern educational contexts, blend them to enhance learning outcomes, and explore innovative approaches to skilling. The study concludes that current pedagogical practices in Ugandan ECE inadequately support the holistic development of essential life skills. Recommendations include enhancing teacher training to improve pedagogical competence, revising curricula to incorporate practical skills better, and fostering stronger school-community partnerships to ensure that education remains relevant to the socio-economic realities of African children. These steps are crucial for empowering children to contribute meaningfully to their communities and the global society.