THE EFFECT OF GOAL SETTING ON THE SERVICE DELIVERY OF ECDE TEACHERS IN ISIOLO COUNTY, KENYA

Purpose of the Study: The study sought to determine the effect of goal setting on the service delivery of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers in Isiolo County, Kenya. Specifically, it examined whether clarity, teacher participation, curriculum alignment, and regular review of performance goals significantly influence the quality and consistency of ECDE teacher service delivery. Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive research design and targeted 200 respondents comprising ECDE teachers, head teachers, and county ECDE officers. A sample of 133 respondents was selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and linear regression in SPSS. Findings: Goal-setting practices were moderately implemented among ECDE teachers in Isiolo County (aggregate mean = 3.04, SD = 1.027). While teachers strongly endorsed that set goals improve teaching effectiveness (M = 3.68, SD = 0.902), they reported limited participation in goal formulation (M = 2.64, SD = 1.128) and infrequent goal reviews (M = 2.57, SD = 1.089). Service delivery was rated relatively highly (aggregate mean = 3.53, SD = 0.922), with lesson preparation (M = 3.62) and curriculum adherence (M = 3.59) as the strongest dimensions. Goal setting demonstrated a positive and statistically significant relationship with service delivery (r = 0.412, p < 0.001) and significantly predicted service delivery, explaining 17.0 percent of its variation (R² = 0.170, F(1,116) = 23.78, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The study concludes that goal setting significantly and positively influences ECDE teacher service delivery in Isiolo County. Strengthening clarity, teacher participation, and regular review of performance goals could improve service delivery. However, goal setting is not the sole determinant of performance, necessitating complementary interventions in supervision, professional development, and teaching resources.