Unethical performance is an impediment for economic development and good governance. It is more than true to say it is the bane of development in developing nations of the world under which Nigeria is categorized. The construction sector was highlighted for its practices in areas such as bribery, environmental destruction, capital flight, dangerous practices, poor quality, whistle blowing, etc. and it is also associated with unethical behaviour through the entire construction life cycle. This paper therefore, x-rayed the determinants of unethical performance in Nigerian construction industry with a view to identifying the causes in all the stages of building project. Well structured questionnaires were self administered to direct stakeholder involved in the execution of building projects considered for this research work. Literature review revealed that corruption is evident in the construction industry which causes a lot of setback to project such as abandonment of such project and if complete may be completed below standard. Data were presented and analyzed using non parametric statistic; tools used were Severity indices and Relative importance index rather than mean scores since the data were ordinal in nature. It was observed that the building construction industry is perceived to be more susceptible to ethical problems because of several features and that corruption has effect on all stages of construction right from Planning, Tender stage to Completion stage. It was recommended that viable legislation as a mechanism to deal with small levels of corruption by strengthening professional institutions that will punish erring members will prevent corruption to a certain degree; and enforcement and monitoring measures of anti corruption agencies is believed can enhance transparency, accountability and reduced unethical behavior, and this will create an enabling environment possible for the industry to thrive, operate, and improve on quality and quantity of infrastructure on a more sustainable basis and thereby foster good construction practice ethics.

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The purpose of this study was to understand the components that determine quality early childhood education and Care (ECEC) from the views of practitioners and parents participating in the ECCE Scheme (2010). A major component of quality ECCE as identified by practitioners in this study related to professionalism in ECEC. This paper presents a critical view on traditional perspectives on what it means to be a professional within the context of ECCE. It seems that within the ECCE model, a professional practitioner is one who finds purpose in their work. However, they are also experts in ECCE. That is, a professional practitioner is knowledgeable in ECCE has a deep sense of respect and love for childhood as a distinct period in human growth and develop. These characteristics are the embodiment of a professional practitioner. To describe this phenomenon, this research coins the term “professional purpose.”

Although the literature is replete with research that indicates the importance of qualified and highly skilled practitioners in the provision of quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), challenges to the retention of highly skilled graduates and the establishment of a professional ECEC workforce persist. This study investigates the barriers that hinder practitioners from obtaining higher level ECEC qualifications. It presents findings from the perspectives of practitioners ( n = 18) participating in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme using semi-structured interviews. This article is part of a doctoral study with practitioners and parents on quality in ECEC and the impact of technology on quality practice. Importantly, this article presents findings from the practitioner interviews as they relate to the barriers faced by practitioners in obtaining higher level qualifications. Findings indicate that practitioners value the role of qualifications in the provision of quality practice. Despite this, findings suggest that the likelihood of obtaining an ECEC degree is largely dependent on the practitioner’s financial situation. For example, in the absence of appropriate pay scales and occupational profiles, practitioners are forced to avail of social welfare services.

There is a general disquiet in the Irish Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) sector about the sustainability of initiatives and best practice guidelines in the context of low status, pay and investment. The ECCE Scheme (2010; DCYA, 2018b) provided access to three hours of “free” ECCE for children aged 2.8 years who could continue to avail of the ECCE until they reached 5.6 years old (DCYA, 2018b). Ireland, under the Barcelona Summit (2002), was obliged to provide increased access to ECCE to (European Commission, 2008) to increase women’s participation in the labour market (European Commission, 2008). However, the introduction of the ECCE scheme (2010) contributed to already existing structural and financial challenges in the provision of quality ECCE. To explore parental and practitioners’ experiences of the scheme, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 practitioners and 15 parents. Findings reveal that the scheme seems to have been unsuccessful in supporting practitioners in meeting quality standards, the costs associated with the introduction of the scheme as well as in meeting the needs of working parents for accessible ECCE.