PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Early Childhood Development Interventions from Around the World March 2017 E L P CONTENTS Introduction 3 The Educate Your Child Program (Cuba) 4 Aga Khan Early Childhood Development Program (East Africa) 5 Community-Based Preschool Program (Mozambique) 6 Early Childhood Education and Development Project (Indonesia) 7 Releasing Confidence and Creativity (Pakistan) 8 Prospera Conditional Cash Transfer Program (Mexico) 9 Home-based ECCE Centers (Colombia) 10 Mother-Child Education Program (MOCEP) (Turkey) 11 Radio Instruction to Strengthen Education (RISE) (Zanzibar) 12 Early Education Program (Educacion Inicial) (Mexico) 13 Incorporating ECD teacher training into a skills training program (Liberia) 14 Cautionary Tales: Learning from Programs that Missed Their Intended Impact 15 2 PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Introduction ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This guide was prepared by This guide was prepared by the Early Learning Partnership (ELP) team at the World Bank ELP team members, including as a resource for policy makers and development professionals interested in improving Amanda Devercelli (Task Team access to high-quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) services. It brings together Leader), Lucy Bassett, Amina a selection of approaches to ECD that have been implemented with promising results Denboba, Pamela Mulet, in low- or middle-income countries (or both). The list of programs and approaches Shawn Powers, and Rebecca highlighted here is by no means exhaustive; rather, those cited have been selected based Sayre. The ELP team thanks the on (i) some evidence of their positive impact or documentation of their results and (ii) World Bank’s Education Global their relevance to common needs and questions posed by governments and World Bank Practice Management team staff working in ECD. This is intended to be a living document, and additional promising for their support. ELP gratefully approaches will be added over time, as will descriptions of programs that missed their acknowledges the financial intended impact but nonetheless offer important lessons for ECD policy. This first edition support of the Children’s includes some brief descriptions of a few such “cautionary tales” as an appendix. Investment Fund Foundation This guide should be considered a starting point for generating ideas about approaches (CIFF) and the UK Department that may be worth considering in a given country context. Each profile includes a for International Development description of how each approach was implemented and financed; a summary of results (DfID). as measured through impact or process evaluations or program administrative data, as available; and a discussion of the key factors that likely contributed to those results. Readers who might be interested in replicating a particular approach are encouraged to consult the references to gain further insights. Following are important questions to consider when exploring potential adaptations of these approaches: • Is the problem that this approach seeks to address similar to the problem in the new context? (e.g., low take-up of ECD services, poor nutrition, lack of stimulating home environments for disadvantaged children) • Does the capacity exist to implement this approach in a similar manner, or would significant modifications need to be made? • On what types of background infrastructure (physical, human, legal and regulatory, etc.) does this approach depend? For example, does the approach require that there be a workforce with a particular skill set? Does it assume a certain method of delivering child care? • Is the cost per beneficiary likely to be similar in this new context? Is this a good value for money given the available resources? • What type of monitoring, and possibly evaluation, would be needed? Are they feasible? Feedback, corrections, and suggestions for approaches to be profiled in future editions of this report are welcome and may be sent to earlylearningpartnership@worldbank.org. PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT 3 The Educate Your Child Program (Cuba) Implementation Arrangements AT A GLANCE Teams of promoters—made up of teachers, educators, and health professionals—engage with communities and mobilize resources for this program. These promoters train TYPE OF INTERVENTION “facilitators,” who are professionals such as family doctors but may not be familiar with Community-based and family pedagogical techniques. The training equips the facilitators to provide pedagogical advice centered promotion of child to families, whether in their homes or in community centers. Families with children development below age two receive weekly individual home visits and are guided through games, conversations, and other activities to enhance their babies’ development. Children YEARS OF OPERATION between the ages of two and six and their families go on weekly group outings to parks, Piloted in 1983; scaled up in 1992 cultural facilities, and sports centers with counselors trained in child development and family participation. PROGRAM OBJECTIVE Develop and improve children’s Cost and Financing Arrangements emotional communication, intelligence, language, motor The Educate Your Child program is estimated to cost approximately 0.26% to 0.32% of development, health, and Cuba’s gross domestic product (GDP). The cost is difficult to quantify because of the nutrition wide range of actors participating in and funding the program. After its 20 years of implementation, the model has proven to be inexpensive and sustainable. COVERAGE The Ecuadorian adaptation of the Educate your Child program, called “Growing with 70% of all Cuban children below Our Children,” costs US$121 per child per year to implement one session per week. 6 years old (as of 2010) Results IMPLEMENTER /FUNDER Child development: In experimental studies in 1987, 1992, 1994, and 1999, children Ministries of Education and of who participated in the Educate Your Child program showed better results in all areas Health of development (cognitive, emotional, communication, motor, and habits) compared to children in a control group. SCALE National Parental behavior and knowledge: Families that participated in the Educate Your Child program showed increased knowledge and positive attitudes towards child development. TARGET POPULATION Children who do not attend What contributed to the program’s success? formal childcare centers Communities and families share responsibility for child development: Promoters, teachers, educators, professionals, women’s groups, and community members educate COST PER BENEFICIARY Not specified for Cuba and encourage families to support their children’s development. (Approximately $121 per child Comprehensive training and monitoring: The program includes an intensive training per year for similar program in program for promoters and facilitators offered at national, provincial, municipal, and Ecuador) local levels. The program also receives constant monitoring to identify improvements and monitor children’s growth. EVALUATION Experimental pilot and national Multisectoral approach: The program’s trainings and child development strategy include studies between 1983 and 1999 content for child and maternal health, nutrition, sports, and cognitive development. The ministries of Health, Education, Culture, and Sports coordinate and provide holistic REPLICATION support to maximize children’s development. Program methodology has been adapted in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Venezuela For more information, please consult: Alfredo R. Tinajero, Scaling-up Early Child Development in Cuba, Wolfensohn Center for Development Working Paper no. 16 (Washington, DC: Brookings Institution, 2010); UNICEF, Cuba: Country Program Document 2008-2012 (2007); M. Siverio, “Educa a Tu Hijo: Un programa para la familia,” in Estudio sobre las particularidades del desarrollo del niño preescolar cubano, edited by Rogelio Herrera García and Caridad López Agüero (Havana: Editorial Pueblo y Educación, 2002). 4 PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Aga Khan Early Childhood Development Program (East Africa) Implementation Arrangements AT A GLANCE The program facilitates new Madrasa preschools in mosques, in Quranic schools, or as independent centers: TYPE OF INTERVENTION 1. Community Sensitization and Mobilization: In the first stage, the program assesses Community-owned and community needs and available resources, raising community awareness of ECD. managed preschools 2. Contract and Implementation: Two groups are formed: a School Management Committee (SMC) to oversee the implementation of the project, and a Community YEARS OF OPERATION Resource Team (CRT) to assume responsibility for constructing or rehabilitating Started in Kenya in 1986; Current classrooms, training, monitoring and evaluation, operations, and financial support of model: 2002- present the preschools. Parents can become CRT or SMC members. PROGRAM OBJECTIVE 3. Graduation and Post-Graduation: Programs graduate after they have met a set of Provide child-friendly early criteria regarding community involvement, teaching and learning environment, and education using culturally management. Upon graduation, programs continue to receive support and training in appropriate curricula and teach order to ensure their sustainability. skills to promote success in primary school Cost and Financing Arrangements The program is funded by the Aga Khan Foundation along with a wide range of COVERAGE More than 67,000 children community contributions. (over 25 years) through 203 • All communities receive an initial US$1,000 grant from the Aga Khan Foundation to community preschools in Kenya, assist with the rehabilitation of school structures and to purchase teaching and learning Tanzania, and Uganda materials. • The total annual community contribution per center ranges from US$1,800 to IMPLEMENTER / FUNDER US$8,000 (in kind and monetary), depending on the number of children served and the Aga Khan Foundation extent of services provided. • Communities contribute between 20% and 50% of the costs of the centers (including SCALE set-up and recurrent costs). 203 Muslim communities in East Africa (Mombasa, Kampala, and Zanzibar) Results Child development: Participating children had significantly higher cognitive TARGET POPULATION development and school readiness compared to children who attended other preschools. Muslim children ages 3 to 7 Teacher quality: The quality of teaching and the learning environment in the Madrasa from poor socioeconomic preschool was higher than in comparison preschools. backgrounds COST PER BENEFICIARY What contributed to the program’s success? Between US$6 and US$24 per month, depending on community Community ownership: The program encourages each community to reflect on its needs, resources, and responsibilities to improve the lives of its children. This system EVALUATION helps creates an economically, socially, and culturally appropriate program. Quasi-experimental impact Comprehensive training and monitoring: Because the program relies on community evaluation (see “For more volunteers or low-wage preprimary teachers, training arrangements are critical to ensure information,” below) quality. Teachers receive both theoretical training and practice in the classroom under the regular guidance of a mentor trainer. REPLICATION Egypt and Afghanistan (2008)  Transitional support for teachers and children into primary school: Training activities also address the transition from preschool to primary school and the transition from home to school. Preschool and primary school teachers discuss transition issues in joint workshops. For more information, please consult: Shireen Issa, A Costing Model of the Madrasa Early Childhood Development Program in East Africa (Association for the Development of Education in Africa, 2006); Julie Evans and Kathy Bartlett, The Madrasa Early Childhood Programme: 25 Years of Experience—An Aga Khan Devel- opment Network Series (Geneva: Rosseels Printing Company, 2008). PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT 5 Community-Based Preschool Program (Mozambique) Implementation Arrangements AT A GLANCE As a precondition to receiving this program, communities commit to providing a space to construct the classrooms as well as some construction materials and labor for TYPE OF INTERVENTION construction, and they commit to creating a committee responsible for managing and Center-based, community- driven preschool program in supervising the preschools. Communities receive materials necessary for the construction rural areas of up to three classrooms that can each hold up to 35 students. The committee mobilizes parents and caregivers to enroll their children and to participate in meetings, YEARS OF OPERATION construction, and maintenance activities. Piloted in 2005; scaled to 30 Each class is staffed with two volunteer teachers, who receive training. The training communities in 2008; scaled to focuses on developing an understanding of child development, teacher-child interaction, 5 provinces in 2012 and implementation of the daily routine, including emergent literacy and mathematics activities. Parents and teachers participate in parenting meetings. Facilitators are present PROGRAM OBJECTIVE in the preschools during the first day of school and conduct monthly visits where teachers Increase school readiness and are coached and mentored on their teaching practices. facilitate children’s transition to primary school by delivering Cost and Financing Arrangements quality early stimulation under The Ministry of Education and Save the Children provide the resources for the initial positive parent practice years of the program and work with each community so it can sustain the preschool(s) after funding ends. Each teacher receives a stipend (US$10 per month), while the COVERAGE community decides how much each household will contribute. Program cost per year per Children ages 3 to 5 from 600 student ranges from US$20 to US$30, depending on the number of months the preschool communities in 5 provinces is open. IMPLEMENTER/FUNDER (Currently) Ministry of Results Education (MINED) / (Initially) Preschool participation: Among children ages 3 and 4, the program led to a 43.9 Save the Children percentage-point increase in preschool enrollment. SCALE Child development: Children enrolled in the program showed a 14.6 point increase in 30 communities in rural areas cognitive development on the Ages & Stages Questionnaire II (ASQ). Transition to primary school: Children who attended preschool were 10.2 percentage TARGET POPULATION points more likely to enroll in primary school at the appropriate age, compared to Low-income, rural children students who did not attend preschool. COST PER BENEFICIARY Adult caregiving and labor supply: Parents who attended monthly parenting meetings US$2.47 per child per month and had children enrolled in preschool were 21 percentage points more likely to practice daily routines with their child and were 6.2 percent more likely to have worked in the past EVALUATION 30 days. Randomized impact evaluation What contributed to the program’s success? REPLICATION The program has expanded Communities build capacity: This preschool model is based on communities being to 600 communities in 5 responsible for managing and sustaining the centers, including providing space for the provinces construction of schools, building materials, and all associated labor costs, as well as creating a preschool supervisory committee. The committee’s responsibility is to help mobilize resources and draw in the support of parents through school meetings and activities. Comprehensive and continuous training: Each classroom is staffed with two volunteer teachers, who must first pass a written literacy exam and math exam, interview with the committee, and deliver a classroom simulation. The program provides foundational training for teachers as well as ongoing mentoring and support. Facilitators and For more information, please consult: government partners help provide regular teacher support through monthly visits. Sebastian Martinez, Sophie Naudeau, Learning Circles are designed to enable knowledge sharing among teachers working in and Vitor Pereira, Promise of Preschool in Africa: Community-Based Preschools different districts. in Rural Mozambique (Washington: Save the Children and World Bank, 2012). 6 PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Early Childhood Education And Development Project (Indonesia) Implementation Arrangements AT A GLANCE The Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) project provided facilitation and block grants to communities to implement community-based early childhood TYPE OF INTERVENTION education services for poor children. With the assistance of a technical advisor, Block grants for community- communities chose from a list of service options, including playgroups, formal based ECE centers kindergartens, health posts, community centers with integrated ECE services, and outreach services, such as home visiting or mother-child meetings. Communities could PROGRAM OBJECTIVE combine more than one type of service. Increase the delivery of early The programs were implemented by one teacher and one community development childhood care and education at worker, who each received 200 hours of training in early child development, nutrition, the local level by providing block and community-driven development. The grant also funded training of community-based grants to communities in order teachers and advocacy activities to sensitize the community about the benefits of ECE. to implement community-based early childhood education Cost and Financing Arrangements YEARS OF OPERATION • The total project cost was US$127 million (World Bank, US$67.5 million; the 2006 to 2012 Netherlands, US$25.3 million; and Government of Indonesia, US$34.9 million) • The ECED provided villages with block grants averaging US$18,000 for up to two COVERAGE services, which covered startup and operational costs over 3 years 738,000 children ages 0-6 Results IMPLEMENTER Ministry of National Education Enrollment: Children in the program were 7.5 percentage points more likely to be (MONE) enrolled in any preschool. Socio-emotional outcomes: The program significantly increased measures of social SCALE competence, emotional maturity, and language and cognitive development among the 50 districts with low preprimary poorest children, as measured by the Early Development Instrument (EDI). enrollment and high poverty rates Quality: On average, the centers opened under the program provided higher quality services than other types of preschools in the targeted communities, as measured by the TARGET POPULATION Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R). Poor children COST PER BENEFICIARY What contributed to the program’s success? $18,000 per community for up to Flexible delivery model: Within certain program requirements, villages were able to 2 service types over 3 years make decisions about the scheduling, physical setting, and implementation features of the services. REPLICATION Community involvement and education: The program was designed to help increase the None known capacity of poor communities to engage in participatory planning that would result in new or improved ECE services. Villages were sensitized to the importance and benefits of ECE and provided with technical support. Technical advisors helped villagers assess existing services and unmet needs, submit a proposal for a block grant, establish a team to manage the grant, and identify people to serve as teachers and child development workers. For more information, please consult: Sally Anne Brinkman, Amer Hasan, Haeil Jung, et alia, “The Role of Preschool Quality in Promoting Child Development: Evidence From Rural Indonesia,” Policy Research Working Paper no. WPS 7529 (Washington, DC: World Bank Group, 2016); Amer Hasan and Nozomi Nakajima, “Expanding Access to Early Childhood Education and Development Services: Findings and Lessons from Rural Indonesia,” Presentation at the World Bank, April 27, 2016; M. Pradhan, S. A. Brinkman, A. Beatty, et alia, “Evaluating a Community-Based Early Childhood Education and Development Program in Indonesia: Study Protocol for a Pragmatic Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial With Supplementary Matched Control Group,” Trials 14(1): 259. PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT 7 Releasing Confidence and Creativity (Pakistan) Implementation Arrangements AT A GLANCE The Releasing Confidence and Creativity (RCC) program includes two main activities. First, the program identifies and trains local women in the community and lower- TYPE OF INTERVENTION primary school teachers to serve as preschool teachers and caregivers. Once training Multipartner community-based programs are completed, the program supports the establishment of ECE classes in intervention, holistic ECD government primary schools with support from a local NGO partner. PROGRAM OBJECTIVE Cost and Financing Arrangements Expand access to quality early childhood care and education The program is funded jointly by USAID and the Aga Khan Foundation. The six Pakistani programs for poor and NGOs involved in the program also provide some staff time and the use of equipment marginalized children for program development and delivery. Specific information on costs is not presently available. YEARS OF OPERATION Since 2002 Results Child development (note that these are not causal estimates of impact): COVERAGE • Compared to baseline data, children’s cognitive development improved during the RCC No detailed information program. available • RCC participants performed better in primary grades 1 and 2 than peers who did not attend the program, according to teacher reporting. IMPLEMENTERS Governments of Balochistan Teacher training: RCC teacher training, follow-up, and ongoing mentoring contributed and Sindh; the Aga Khan to better classroom practices. Teachers engaged children in small groups and worked one- Foundation on-one with students. SCALE 292 schools in Sindh, What contributed to the program’s success? Balochistan, Chitral, and the Parental and community involvement, education, and dialogue: The program ensures northern areas of Pakistan coordination among parents, communities, and government officials to promote ECE through sessions with local government leaders and community events. TARGET POPULATION Training for teachers, schools and government officials: Teacher trainings emphasize Poor and marginalized children child-friendly approaches that focus on young children’s cognitive and socioemotional development. Training programs also guide teachers in developing strategies for easing COST PER BENEFICIARY children’s transition from home to school. Teachers meet to discuss new teaching No information available techniques or talk about classroom experiences, and school administrators participate on a limited basis. Training programs are also provided for local government and school officials. EVALUATION Process and qualitative Quality assurance through NGOs: Teacher training and preschool programs are evaluation and simple managed through a cluster approach, in which local NGOs are responsible for supporting (nonrandomized) comparison schools. NGOs provide each cluster (of 27-55 schools) with professional development (see “For more information,” training, including arranging study tours and program implementation support, below) providing learning materials, and coaching. NGOs also help organize community campaigns, advocacy efforts, and related health interventions. REPLICATION Unkown For more information, please consult: Wendy Rich-Orloff, Jamshed Khan, and Audrey Juma, Early Childhood Education in Pakistan Evaluation Report of USAID’s Supported Programs (DevTech Systems, Inc., 2007); Rachel Christina, First Principles: Designing Effective Education Programs in Early Childhood—Educational Quality Improvement Program 1 (EQUIP1) (American Institutes for Research, 2011). 8 PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Prospera Conditional Cash Transfer Program (Mexico) Implementation Arrangements AT A GLANCE This program seeks to improve outcomes in education and health by providing cash transfers every two months to selected households with children below the age of 22. TYPE OF INTERVENTION The transfer is traditionally awarded to mothers on the condition that families send their Conditional cash transfer children to school (from primary to high school) regularly and attend health check- ups. The education-based transfers are awarded per child for up to three children per PROGRAM OBJECTIVE household and vary depending on the child’s gender and school grade level. Girls receive Break the intergenerational more money than boys, and the transfer increases with grade level. cycle of poverty by improving education, health, and nutrition The health component consists of providing nutritional supplements for all infants between 6 and 23 months, for undernourished children between the ages of 24 and 59 months, and for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Since 2010, beneficiaries have also YEARS OF OPERATION Since 1997; previously received a direct cash transfer, called Child Benefit for a Better Living, for every child ages called PROGRESA and then 0 to 9 years to support nutrition and development. Parents are also expected to attend Oportunidades parental talks on the importance of nutrition, education, and health investments for their children. COVERAGE 6.5 million families Cost and Financing Arrangements As of 2012, the Chamber of Representatives authorized US$5.3 billion for the program. In IMPLEMENTER/FUNDER 2006, the budget for the program (then called Oportunidades) was 0.4% of Mexico’s GDP. Mexican Federal Government, Secretariat of Social Development Results • Children 3 years old and younger in participating families had fewer socio-emotional and SCALE behavioral problems and greater language and speech development skills. All municipalities, with an • By 2007, anemia incidence in beneficiaries younger than 2 years old had been reduced by emphasis on marginalized almost half compared to the incidence in 1999, dropping from 61% to 35.8%. communities • In rural areas, preventive and curative health visits of beneficiary families increased by 35%. TARGET POPULATION Extremely poor households • The program reduced sick days by 20 percent among children 0–5 years old in rural areas. COST What contributed to the program’s success? Education: Costs vary from Effective targeting: Prospera applies a rigorous beneficiary identification system using US$10.50 to US$66 per month by socioeconomic and demographic criteria. Selected families receive transfers based on gender and a child’s grade level. Health: US$15.50 per month poverty and vulnerability. Continued payment is conditional on regular attendance at for food consumption and school and for medical appointments. supplements per household. Constant evaluation and monitoring at national and international levels: Since its inception, the program has included an evaluation to assess impact and improve program EVALUATION design. This early data-collection stage resulted in a number of papers by renowned Several, including randomized international organizations and social policy experts. Constant evaluation has also helped impact evaluations (see “For with the program’s transparency and accountability. The Chamber of Representatives more information,” below) receives an annual report on the program. It is noteworthy that this program was continued (though with a different name) through three presidential administrations. REPLICATION The model is being adapted Women-oriented transfers: One of the program’s key design features is that money is in more than 30 countries transferred directly to the mothers within each household to achieve a higher impact on worldwide the children’s education and nutrition. For more information, please consult: Oportunidades, a Human Development Program, at the web page of the Ministry of Social Development: http://www. oportunidades.gob.mx/Portal/wb/Web/oportunidades_a_human_development_program, accessed January 19, 2014. PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT 9 Home based ECCE centers (Colombia) Implementation Arrangements AT A GLANCE Traditional Community Welfare Homes (abbreviated as HCBs in Spanish) are led by a “communitarian mother” (MC), who is a home-based childcare provider. Each home TYPE OF INTERVENTION serves up to 15 children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years on part-time or full- Home-based child care centers time schedules during weekdays. Services provided in the HCBs include childcare, food supplements, monitoring of nutritional status, psychosocial development activities, and PROGRAM OBJECTIVE the development and promotion of health and disease prevention. Parents also receive Provide childcare to vulnerable support to strengthen their relationships with their children, with their families, and with families and thereby the community. promote women’s labor force Most MCs have a high school education, though roughly one in six providers has participation. some higher education and another one in six has only an elementary education. All are required to attend 40 hours of preservice training in childcare and development. MCs YEARS OF OPERATION also receive subsidized loans from the National Institute of Family Welfare to improve the Established in 1972 childcare spaces in their homes. COVERAGE 800,000 low-income children Cost and Financing Arrangements The National Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) budget represents 0.3% of Colombia’s IMPLEMENTER/FUNDER GDP and is funded by 3% of payroll taxes. Participating parents are required to pay a National Institute of Family monthly fee not higher than 25% of the daily minimum wage, which goes directly to the Welfare (ICBF) MC’s salary. As of 2009, the annual budget for the program was estimated to be US$435 million. SCALE Most of Colombia’s 1100 Results municipalities Child development: After at least 15 months of exposure to the program, children scored TARGET POPULATION higher on tests of cognitive development (0.15 to 0.3 of a standard deviation) and socio- Low-income children under emotional skills (0.12 to 0.3 of a standard deviation), compared to similar children who age 6 entered the program later. Nutrition: Evidence on the program’s impact on nutritional status is mixed. One study COST PER BENEFICIARY finds no significant effect, while another finds a 2 percentage-point decrease in the See below probability of chronic malnutrition for children between the ages of 2 and 4 (see “For more information,” below). EVALUATION Quasi-experimental impact evaluation (see “for more What contributed to the program’s success? information” section) Comprehensive approach: The program is intended to improve all aspects of a child’s development, including cognitive, behavioral, and physical development. It achieves REPLICATION this by having a qualified and prepared MC; providing per-child payments for food and Not available annual payments for pedagogical materials to the HCBs; and engaging parents and the community in the child’s development through support, meetings, and building of networks. Training: All MCs receive training on health and nutritional monitoring and child development. MCs also receive the necessary materials to teach and care for participating children. For more information, please consult: Raquel Bernal and Camila Fernández, “Subsidized Child Care and Child Development in Colombia: Effects of Hogares Co- munitarios De Bienestar as a Function of Timing and Length of Exposure,” Social Science & Medicine 97: 241–49; Raquel Bernal, Camila Fernández, Carmen Elisa Flórez, et alia, “Impact Evaluation of the Early Childhood Program Hogares Comunitarios De Bienestar in Colombia” (CEDE [Centro de Estudios sobre Desarrollo Económico], 2009). 10 PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Mother-Child Education Program (MOCEP) (Turkey) Implementation Arrangements AT A GLANCE Through group discussions and learning exercises, mothers receive training in cognitive development, childrearing, conflict resolution, reproductive health, early literacy, and TYPE OF INTERVENTION child health. The training is provided in Adult/Public Education Centers (A/PECs) by a Parental education network of teachers and social workers who are trained by the Mother-Child Education Foundation (AÇEV) and the Ministry of National Education (MoNE). AÇEV provides PROGRAM OBJECTIVE trainers with ongoing and on-the-job follow-up training, mentoring, and supervision in Empower mothers by providing order to enhance program effectiveness. Program facilitators also conduct home visits to them with skills to support their provide further individualized literacy learning assistance to participating families and to children’s cognitive development consolidate mothers’ gains in parenting and literacy skills. and help prepare their children Groups of 15 to 25 mothers attend weekly three-hour sessions for a period of 25 weeks for primary school (six months). Sessions cover three core components: • Mother support program: Provides mothers with the skills to support the cognitive YEARS OF OPERATION development of their children and prepare a positive mother-child home environment. Since 1993 • Reproductive health and family planning: Mothers learn about keeping their family healthy and about reproductive health. COVERAGE • Cognitive education program: Helps mothers prepare their children for school by Details not available going over pre-literacy and pre-numeracy activities to be practiced with their children. IMPLEMENTER Ministry of National Education Cost and Financing Arrangements (MoNE), in close collaboration Funding for MOCEP comes from the Ministry of Education and is found to cost US$15 with Mother-Child Education per mother trained. Foundation (AÇEV) SCALE Results Nationwide • Trained mothers talked to their children more and were less punitive and more responsive to their children. TARGET POPULATION • 86% of the children in the mother-trained group were still in school, compared with Children ages 5 and 6 without 67% of the nontrained group. access to preschool • Children in the mother-trained group showed better school performance than the nontrained group during the first 5 years of primary school. COST PER BENEFICIARY US$15 per mother trained What contributed to the program’s success? EVALUATION Role of mothers as first educators of children: The program emphasizes the role of Randomized impact evaluation mothers as first teachers/educators of children. REPLICATION Comprehensive training: The program focuses on many dimensions of child The program has been replicated development. It provides training in a number of important areas that can have an impact in 13 countries on parents’ relationships with their children as well as children’s overall development. Trainers are also provided with continued support through mentoring and supervision. For more information, please consult: Aylin Koçak and Sevda Bekman, Mothers Speaking: A Study on the Experience of Mothers with Mother-Child Education Program (MOCEP) (İstanbul: Boğaziçi University Faculty of Education); ACEV, Mother-Child Education Foundation, website: http://www.acev.org/en/ne-yapiy- oruz/cocuklar-icin; Mother-Child Education Program, Anne Çocuk Eğitim Vakfı (AÇEV) (Mother-Child Education Foundation), available through a web service of Columbia University at http://blogs.tc.columbia.edu/transitions/files/2010/09/80.Turkey-Mother-Child-Education-Program_profile.pdf PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT 11 Radio Instruction to Strengthen Education (RISE) (Zanzibar) Implementation Arrangements AT A GLANCE RISE staff, in coordination with MoEVT, designed, produced, and distributed interactive audio material (radio, video, kits, and story books), provided the necessary equipment TYPE OF INTERVENTION (including MP3 players and solar radios), and conducted trainings for teachers (both formal Interactive audio instruction and informal facilitators), school management committees, district officials, and district coordinators in how to use the materials and effectively use interactive audio instruction YEARS OF OPERATION (IAI) for classroom instruction. Throughout the program, RISE built the capacity of MoEVT 2006 – 2011 staff in the design, development, and production of IAI programming and training programs. the project was based on an operational manual, which established clear institutional and PROGRAM OBJECTIVE implementation responsibilities and financial procedures to allow for efficient flow of Develop and pilot several funding. models of ECE for children in Synergy between government and development partners: The project was based on the most underserved areas existing partnerships in ECD services between the government and development agencies. Rather than starting completely new partnerships, the project built upon the Government COVERAGE of Zanzibar’s current engagements with partner agencies. 35,000 children in Zanzibar’s two lowest-performing districts Cost and Financing Arrangements IMPLEMENTER / FUNDER The RISE program was funded by USAID. After its 10 years of implementation, the Education Development model has proven to be inexpensive and sustainable. Generally speaking, IAI costs can Center, Inc. (EDC) and Ministry be significantly lower than those for other models of teaching training and instruction, of Education and Vocational especially if the materials are used over several years. Programs can include cost-recovery Training (MoEVT) mechanisms like user fees, but considering that IAI aims to reach the most vulnerable in remote areas, this may not be feasible. SCALE 2 (of 10) districts Results TARGET POPULATION Teaching training: Over 800 formal teachers and non-formal facilitators were trained, The most vulnerable children providing learning opportunities for 35,000 Zanzibari children. in the remote communities \ Learning outcomes: • Children that participated in RISE outperformed control students by 7.5 points out of 75 COST PER BENEFICIARY total points (or 10%), overall. Learning gains were higher among girls than boys. Unknown • Six years later, there was evidence of better mastery of grade-level concepts among RISE EVALUATION students in formal schools compared to control students in formal schools and to RISE Quasi-experimental impact students in nonformal schools or in some combination nonformal/formal schools. evaluation (see “For more Institutional transfer and sustainability: Both the use of interactive radio instruction information,” below) and community preschools were institutionalized within the government, and a distance learning division was created. REPLICATION The same approach has been used in Bolivia, Democratic What contributed to the program’s success? Republic of Congo, Honduras, Approach well suited to the challenge: IAI was well suited to meet the objective of Nepal, and Paraguay, among reaching vulnerable children in remote areas. other countries. Community engagement: RISE undertook community sensitization to engage the community before starting the community preschools. School management committees were trained and worked to support the centers. Capacity building for the ministry: Building capacity in the MoEVT to design, develop and produce IAI programming and materials contributed to the ministry’s ability to take over the implementation and institutionalize the approach after just a few years of implementation. For more information, please consult: EDC, Radio Instruction to Strengthen Education (RISE) and Zanzibar Teacher Upgrading by Radio (ZTUR) Post-project Eval- uation: Final Report (Washington, DC: 2015); EDC, Radio Instruction to Strengthen Education (RISE) in Zanzibar: Learning Gains Assessment: More than Child’s Play (Washington, DC: 2009); EDC/World Bank, Expanding Access to Early Childhood Development Using Interactive Audio Instruction: A Toolkit and Guidelines for Program Design and Implementation (Washington, DC: 2015). 12 PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Early Education Program (Educacion Inicial) (Mexico) Implementation Arrangements AT A GLANCE T A Mexico’s National Council for Education Development (CONAFE) targets parents and GLANCE caregivers of children ages 0 to 4 to improve their competencies and practices in caring TYPE OF INTERVENTION for children, in order to contribute to the children’s development and school readiness. Interactive audio instruction Using existing public spaces such as preschools, a network of local volunteer women teach parenting skills and activities for caregivers to use with children. The program has PROGRAM OBJECTIVE been implemented in several states across Mexico. To provide training to caregivers Facilitators are local individuals who receive 2 weeks of annual training, educational of children ages 0 to 4 in highly materials, and a small stipend. They run weekly information sessions with parents, marginalized communities caregivers, and children through a curriculum-based program 9 months of the year, with in rural Mexico to improve limited monitoring by a full-time supervisor. The curriculum follows a competency- child development and school based approach focusing on (1) language and communication, (2) protection and care, readiness. (3) personal and social skills, and (4) exploration of one’s environment. The intervention includes the introduction of early stimulation practices to promote children’s cognitive YEARS OF OPERATION development, and it emphasizes the participation of men in the training practices. Each 2 years (study); 2012 – 2014 session consists of four phases: reflection, sharing ideas, practice, and closing, supported by program materials provided by CONAFE. Evaluations are integrated throughout the COVERAGE program cycle. 623 children ages 0 to 4 and 505 caregivers. Cost and Financing Arrangements IMPLEMENTER / FUNDER Implementation costs were estimated at roughly US$112 per child per year, including Mexico’s National Council training, stipends and salaries, and materials. Program costs vary significantly between for Education Development urban and rural areas. (Consejo Nacional de Fomento Educativo – CONAFE) Results Improved parenting behaviors: According to preliminary data, 80 percent of teachers SCALE and 76 percent of school directors reported that participating parents provided greater 64 towns in 6 states across Mexico parental attention and support. After the first year of the program, participants improved on an index of 9 observed parenting practices by 0.34 standard deviations (statistically significant at the 5% level). Children in the program were also more likely to have more TARGET POPULATION Parents and Children between 0 than one book and watched fewer hours of television. and 4 years and their caregivers Improved child development outcomes: Preliminary results indicate that children in the younger age groups (0 to 3 years of age) had improved outcomes in the areas of COST PER BENEFICIARY communication and gross motor skills. Approximatively US$112 per child per year What contributed to the program’s success? EVALUATION Strong institutional backing: The program had a strong foundation in the National Randomized impact evaluation Constitution and a series of plans, laws, decrees, and regulations providing a legal basis (see “For more information,” for the program. below) Community-based approach: The program relied primarily on existing community REPLICATION resources, including local community members, volunteer trainers, and community The program was scaled up to infrastructure for its implementation. A community-based model may reduce costs, reach the 64 communities. increase accountability of all participants, and be more sustainable. For more information, please consult: Sergio Cardenas, David K. Evans, and Peter A. Holland. 2015, “Parenting Training and Child Development at Low Cost? Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment in Mexico,” Working Paper; Peter Holland and David Evans, “Early Childhood Development Operations in LCR: Jamaica, Mexico, and Brazil in Focus” en breve 152 (February, 2010). PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT 13 Incorporating ECD teacher training into a skills training program (Liberia) Implementation Arrangements AT A GLANCE The Economic Empowerment of Adolescent Girls and Young Women (EPAG) program has been running since 2009. In 2015, for the first time, the program launched a new TYPE OF INTERVENTION training stream, focused on training preschool teachers and childcare business owners. Teacher training The program is managed by the Ministry of Gender and implemented by a local service provider. In the pilot, 60 young women were trained as preschool teachers and caregivers. YEARS OF OPERATION Training components on life and business skills were also included to equip these women Piloted in 2015-2016 to potentially become entrepreneurs and run their own early learning centers. PROGRAM OBJECTIVE Integrate preschool teacher Cost and Financing Arrangements and childcare business owner The one-off cost to develop the program (curriculum, intensive monitoring and training track within a job evaluation during pilot phase) was US$135,000. The cost per trainee during the pilot was skills training program for US$1,700 for three months of classroom training (including provision of childcare for adolescent women, providing trainees who had their own children), plus a three-month job placement. employment and increasing the number of qualified preschool teachers and Results caregivers in Liberia Early results from the pilot phase are encouraging. Demand for the program was strong with 361 applicants going through the recruitment process for the 60 places; all 60 COVERAGE women enrolled, completed the classroom training with an attendance rate of 98% and 60 women in several districts in 92% of trainees achieved more than 85% on the assessment. Currently the trainees are Montserrado County (including performing well in the job placements – 97% are performing above expectations and 50% Monrovia) have already received assurances of employment after the program. The final impact evaluation will be ready in April 2017. Based on earlier evaluations of other EPAG training IMPLEMENTER/FUNDER streams, the initial investment in training is recovered through increased income of Carried out through the participants within 1-2 years. Empowerment of Adolescent Girls and Young Women (EPAG) team in Liberia within What contributed to the program’s success? the Ministry of Gender and Designed to address constraints of women’s participation: Childcare services were Ministry of Education available to help remove barriers to employment for young mothers, as well as ensure children were in a safe and stimulating environment. Interviews with the women before SCALE the training indicated that almost 30% of the participants’ children (under 5 years) had Small scale pilot in been left completely alone at some point in the previous week. Montserrado County in Liberia Careful matching of employment demand and unemployed women: A feasibility study identified sufficient demand for employment in the relevant regions before launching TARGET POPULATION the training. Job placements were carefully chosen, taking into account the capacity and Young women needs of the institutions. This increased the potential for the placements to lead to future employment. COST PER BENEFICIARY Tackling three issues with one investment: This project effectively tackles women’s US$1,700 per trainee, including empowerment; women’s employment; and increasing the workforce to deliver quality childcare services during the childcare and preschool services for one cost-effective investment with a return that is training multiplied. EVALUATION Ongoing with report due in April 2017 REPLICATION For more information, please consult: World Bank, Can skills training programs increase employment for young Not yet women in Liberia ? http://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2014/04/14/can-skills-training-programs-increase- employment-for-young-women-liberia; Overview of ELP work in Liberia: http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/ education/brief/early-learning-partnership-countries; PAG evaluation – http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/ en/610391468299085610/pdf/WPS6832.pdf 14 PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CAUTIONARY TALES: Learning from Programs that Missed Their Intended Impact Challenges at Scale in Cambodia Moving programs from the pilot stage to a larger scale brings challenges, including maintaining adequate participation and quality. In 2009 – 2011, with assistance from the World Bank and other development partners, the Government of Cambodia scaled up three pilot ECD programs: formal preschools staffed by government teachers, informal preschools staffed by trained community members, and home-based programs run by trained women from the community. Researchers worked with the government to evaluate the programs by randomly assigning the formal preschools and the two community-based programs to respective eligible communities. Across all three of the scaled-up programs, enrollment was low. Interviews with parents suggest that the costs of supplies, inconvenient timing of the school day for work schedules, and a lack of information contributed to low enrollment in formal preschools. Community preschools experienced difficulty retaining teachers (due in part to low stipends) and finding space, while the home-based programs often were not even implemented. Researchers found that the three programs by and large had no impact on children’s development or school readiness, and a subset of children in the formal preschools actually did worse than children in the control group on cognitive skills important for school readiness. Cambodia’s experience underscores the importance of working closely with communities to enroll children in ECD programs and of ensuring that quality does not become diluted at scale. For more information, please consult: Adrien Bouguen, Deon Filmer, Karen Macours, and Sophie Naudeau, Impact Evaluation of Three Types of Early Childhood Development Interventions in Cambodia, Policy Research working paper no. WPS 6540 (Impact Evaluation series no. IE 97) (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2013). Expanding Access Without Commensurate Emphasis on Quality In South Africa, public preschool, or “Grade R” (Reception Year), is designed to prepare 5-year-old children for primary schooling. In 2001, the government introduced the ECD Conditional Grant in order to expand access to Grade R for children from low socio-economic status households. In 2001, less than 40% of 5-year-olds in South Africa had access to pre-primary education. By 2011, this figure had risen to over 80%, and as of 2015 preschool participation is nearly universal. While the country saw substantial increase in access, it faced challenges in ensuring program quality; and in many cases, learning outcomes have not improved. A recent impact evaluation (see “For more information”) found that Grade R did not have a significant impact on learning outcomes in mathematics or language for children from the three poorest wealth income quintiles. This suggests that the quality of preschool, particularly for low-income families, is critical to achieve the desired outcomes. The government is currently implementing an improvement plan to address the system’s shortfalls. This includes development of Grade R regulations, improved pre-service and in-service training for Grade R practitioners, and culturally relevant teaching and learning materials for children and their parents or caregivers. For more information, please consult: M. L. Samuels, S. Taylor, D. Shepherd, et alia, “Reflecting on an Impact Evaluation of the Grade R Programme: Method, Results and Policy Responses,” African Evaluation Journal 3(1); I. Goldman, J. E. Mathe, C. Jacob, et alia, “Developing South Africa’s National Evaluation Policy and System: First Lessons Learned,” African Evaluation Journal 3(1): 1–9. PROMISING APPROACHES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT 15 E L P EARLY LEARNING PARTNERSHIP E L P EARLY LEARNING PARTNERSHIP www.worldbank.org/education/ELP FOR MORE INFORMATION about the Early Learning Partnership and/or to be added to the Early Learning Partnership’s Mailing List, please write to earlylearningpartnership@worldbank.org EARLY LEARNING