Evaluation of Factors that Influence School Readiness among Nursery School Children in Enugu.

Summary The preschool child is often confronted with adverse environmental influences that may affect his/her development and hence his readiness for schooling. The factors that affect school readiness were evaluated in 532 nursery school pupils using a proforma on perinatal problems and gross motor development of the pupils. Their nutritional status, neurodevelopment status, and their performance on the Draw A-Person Test were assessed. Sixty (11.3 per cent) of the 532 children were unready for schooling. Factors that are responsible for this included malnutrition, adverse perinatal period and a younger age at school entry.