Investigating the relevance of preparatory mathematics in three selected kindergartens in the Zambezi region of Namibia

Abstract

This paper is based on a qualitative case study which investigated the relevance of preparatory mathematics in three selected kindergartens in the Zambezi Region of Namibia. A snowball sampling procedure was used, were each successive participant was named by a preceding individual. Eighty – three (83) kindergartens children aged 5 – 6 years old and four (4) kindergarten teachers took part in the study. The data was collected by means of two methods namely documents analysis and semi – structured interviews which provided a degree of cross checking of claims. The main findings of the study were that the preparatory mathematics is unique, interesting and relevant to the kindergartens and further has basic elements of mathematics that is appropriately connects to the mathematics taught at junior primary, senior primary, junior and senior secondary and the tertiary institutions.