In Ghana, despite increasing enrolment, majority of children do not have access to quality early childhood education. The lack of a context-specific and culturally relevant definition of quality in early childhood education is one of the challenges stakeholders face in promoting quality standards in Ghana. In this paper, we use data collected through qualitative semistructured interviews to explore stakeholder definition of quality in early childhood education, the implications of quality, and the key characteristics emphasized in recruiting teachers into quality early childhood education. For the participants, quality early childhood education embodies three key components: safety, nutrition, and teaching. Cognitive development, social skills, and leadership abilities were emphasized as some of the benefits of quality early childhood education for children. Regarding the recruitment of teachers, participants emphasized tertiary education rather than attitudinal and behavioral qualities as relevant for teachers in early childhood education. In view of the emphasis placed on nutrition in defining quality, we recommend that advocacy groups must ensure that the government’s school feeding program extends to day care centers. This will go a long way to ensure that children from poor households are not excluded from the benefits of quality early childhood education.

中文翻译：

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探索利益相关者对加纳私立日托中心优质幼儿教育的看法：一种定性方法

在加纳，尽管入学人数增加，但大多数儿童无法获得优质的幼儿教育。缺乏针对幼儿教育质量的特定背景和文化相关定义是利益相关者在促进加纳质量标准方面面临的挑战之一。在本文中，我们使用通过定性半结构化访谈收集的数据来探讨利益相关者对幼儿教育质量的定义、质量的含义以及在招募教师参与优质幼儿教育时强调的关键特征。对于参与者来说，优质的幼儿教育体现了三个关键组成部分：安全、营养和教学。认知发展、社交技能、和领导能力被强调为儿童优质幼儿教育的一些好处。关于教师招聘，参与者强调高等教育，而不是与幼儿教育教师相关的态度和行为素质。鉴于在定义质量时强调营养，我们建议倡导团体必须确保政府的学校供餐计划扩展到日托中心。这将大大有助于确保贫困家庭的儿童不会被排除在优质幼儿教育的好处之外。鉴于在定义质量时强调营养，我们建议倡导团体必须确保政府的学校供餐计划扩展到日托中心。这将大大有助于确保贫困家庭的儿童不会被排除在优质幼儿教育的好处之外。鉴于在定义质量时强调营养，我们建议倡导团体必须确保政府的学校供餐计划扩展到日托中心。这将大大有助于确保贫困家庭的儿童不会被排除在优质幼儿教育的好处之外。