Factors Affecting Class Attendance in Public Early Childhood Development Education Centres in Nandi East District, Nandi County, Kenya.

School attendance is significant factor in academic outcomes. However, suboptimal school attendance is a common occurrence in schools in sub-Saharan nations including Kenya adversely impacting on pupils academic development. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting class attendance in public ECDE centres in order to enhance academic standards in Nandi East District. The study was based on Abraham Maslow’s theory, (1987) of the Hierarchy of needs as cited by McLeod, (2007).The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and the population for the study was defined as ECDE teachers and head teachers of the selected schools. Stratified random sampling and simple random sampling were used to choose schools to participate in the study. The total sample size was 140 respondents. The methods used for data collection were interviews for head teachers and questionnaires for teachers. The results showed that: lack of sufficient physical resources, learner characteristics, teacher characteristics and lack of parental involvement affected class attendance in ECDE schools in Nandi East District. The study therefore recommended that: Public ECDE management should proactively engage in resource mobilization to ensure that their schools are well equipped for effective teaching that would consequently improve class attendance. Public ECDE management should provide mechanisms to provide meals at the schools premises to aid the pupils nutritionally and also help retain them in school. The Management should further initiate promotion of counselling and motivational sessions to their pupils to assist them develop better emotional and social status that would be helpful to ensure class attendance is consequently improved. The management should further introduce and facilitate continuous professional development. Public ECDE management should involve parents and other stakeholders to enhance ECDE attendance.