Lemma, Girma(Ato)Gebreanenia, Zeray2018-07-302023-11-102018-07-302023-11-102009-02http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/12345678/10463The main purpose o[ the study was to investigate the current status and practice of preschool education in Mekelle. Moreover, it aimed at identifYing the major bOllle necks that hindered the promotion of preschool education and provide recommendations that could alleviate the problems. Mixed research designed was used in dealing with the research where the quantitative data gathered through questionnaire were triangulated with data gathered through in-depth interview with educational authorities in Tigray Education Bureau and Mekelle Zone Education office. To investigate the current status o[preschool education documents from the TREBIEMIS were used and gross enrollment rate and net enrollment rate calculated The results o[ the analysis showed that more than two third of the children in Mekelle did not have the opportunity to preschools in the city. Among the existing preschool institutions in the town 96.4% of them were owned by private investors, NGGs and religious organizations where they charge tuitionfees which are not ajjordable[or most o[the parents in city. It was also found that the zonal education office is taking alternative strategies called "O-class " in the premises of the formal primary schools to age six children ji-om the poor family to prepare them for the formal schooling. The main bottlenecks in promoting preschool education according to the result of the research were more of economic i.e. house hold poverty and family size., lack of awareness on the value of preschool education and child right, shortage of facilities, lack of coordination among the stakeholders, shortage of public investment contributed to the low participation rate of preschool education in Mekelle. To alleviate the problems and promote preschool education feasible suggestions are forwarded.enEducationThesis