Assessment of School Transition Practices from Pre-Primary to Primary School in Rivers State

The transition from pre-primary to primary school is a critical period in children's educational journeys, and poorly managed transitions can disrupt development and reduce school success, making the assessment of current practices in Rivers State both timely and important. This study assessed transition practices between pre-primary and primary school settings in Port Harcourt City, Obio-Akpor, and Bonny Local Government Areas, Rivers State. A mixed-methods design was employed, with questionnaires administered to 40 primary one teachers and 30 pre-primary teachers and focus group discussions conducted with 6 groups of parents whose children had recently transitioned. Results showed that formal communication between pre-primary and primary teachers during transition was absent in 77 percent of cases. Child preparation activities beyond verbal announcement of school change were provided by only 33 percent of pre-primary settings. Primary year one classrooms showed abrupt transition to formal desk-based instruction in 80 percent of observed cases. Parents reported that 55 percent of children showed anxiety or reluctance in the first month of primary school. The study concludes that transition support is fragmented and child wellbeing is unnecessarily disrupted. Recommendations include transition readiness protocols, joint pre-primary and primary teacher planning sessions, bridging classroom activities in the first weeks of primary one, and parent information booklets for managing the transition in Rivers State schools.

Keywords: school transition, pre-primary to primary, Rivers State, transition practices, child wellbeing