EXPLORING THE COMPETENCY AND CHALLENGES OF PRESCHOOL TEACHERS IN HEALTH EDUCATION: A QUALITATIVE STUDY IN THE CHINESE CONTEXT

Abstract

This study explores preschool teachers’ competency in delivering health education in China and investigates the barriers they face in implementing it effectively. Qualitative research design based on the interpretive phenomenological approach (IPA) was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 preschool teachers from both urban and rural kindergartens in Henan Province. Thematic analysis was used to extract key patterns from the data. Four major themes emerged: varying conceptualizations of health education, with an emphasis on hygiene and physical care; informal and reactive teaching practices due to lack of structure; inadequate professional training and resource support; and limited institutional and family engagement. Despite recognizing the importance of health education, teachers reported low confidence and inconsistent practices due to systemic constraints. This study provides new empirical insights into the lived experiences of Chinese preschool teachers in promoting child health. It highlights the urgent need for curriculum reform, targeted teacher training, and enhanced collaboration with families to support holistic health education in early childhood settings.