Identifying current situation and expectations in the 4-6 years old early childhood education facilities under the administration of directorate of religious affairs

Early childhood period, 0 to 6 years of life, comprises the most intense and fastest growing process of cognitive, social-emotional, language and physical aspects of human development. The early childhood education plays a crucial role in later life. The individuals who spend this period under qualified and suitable physical conditions will be more successful and happy in their lives. In this crucial period, supporting all the developmental areas of the individuals and their inclusion to the educational process according to their abilities and interest forms the base of success. Not having a religious education in the curriculum creates a gap in the moral development of the children in this important period. The only educational institute who provides religious education along within the early childhood curriculum is the 4 to 6 year old early childhood centers under the supervision of Presidency of Religious Affairs (PRA). The aim of this study is to evaluate the current situation and expectations of those early childhood facilities. The participants of the study are 102 instructors who work in Bursa city. The evaluation of the current situation based on their answers of the survey. As a result of the evaluation it was deduced that the general physical conditions of the facilities and the educational materials are suitable for the early childhood facility standards. On the other hand, instructors have some difficulties in educational process due to their limited child development and education trainings.