REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA Presentation at

The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa

Southern Africa Regional Conference on ECCDE

‘Quality Matters’

3-5 December 2013

•Government• Ministry of Education Science, Vocational Training & Early Education• Ministry of Health• Ministry of Community Development Mother & Child Health• Ministry of Local Government & Housing• Ministry of Gender & Child Development• Ministry of Home Affairs• Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock• Other government departments

•Cooperating partners• i.e. UNICEF, USAID, DFID and others

•International Organizations• i.e. Plan International, World Vision, Save the Children, Child Fund, OSISA, and others

•Civil Society Organizations• i.e. ZANEC, Mulumbo ECCDE Foundation, Children Sentinel Trust Zambia, DAPP, and others

•Faith Based Organizations•Private • i.e. Private Universities, Zambia Pre-school Association, Early Childhood Teacher Training

Association of Zambia, and others

Key Players in ECCDE

Progress in ECCDE

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Present

PoliciesLegislationGov. financingStakeholder ParticipationFormal ECD trainingQuality assurance

1960’sMinimal focus in ECD

IndependenceNo specific

ECCDE policies

Landmark Change: Welfare centre’s managed by local authorities

1970’sEducation reforms/health policy

Government involvement in

ECCDE

Continuing health promotion through growth monitoring, immunization and nutrition

Landmark Change: Education reforms – Focus on Learning policy document, immunization and nutrition services

1980’sFormal training of ECCDE teachers

Government financing ECCDE

training

Introduction of ECCDE training in govt. teacher training

colleges

Landmark Change: ECCDE teacher training, social protection programs and financing

1990’sInclusion of ECCDE in policy

Provision of ECCDE centres by

stakeholders/ Private sector

Teacher training and development

of materials

Landmark Change: National Education Policy incorporates issues of ECCDE

2000’sCollaboration & Coordination in ECCDE activities

Quality assurance in ECCDE services

Increased policies with ECCDE components

across Ministries

Landmark Change: Development of child assessment tools & Early Learning Development Standards

2010 – PresentIntegration of ECCDE

ECCDE incorporated into various pieces

of legislation

Development of national ECCDE curriculum

frameworks, instructional materials & teacher training

at university level

Landmark Change: Government to finance/provide pre-school education

• Limited mechanism for coordination and collaboration among ECCDE providers and stakeholders• Limited financial resources & high poverty levels• Poor mechanisms for early identification and intervention

for children with special needs• Delay in policy development processes• Limited capacity among administrators to implement

ECCDE programs

Challenges

• Annexing ECCDE/pre-school education in primary school• Strengthen integrated ECCDE service provision• Increased financing of ECCDE programmes• Enhancement of social protection legislation and

programmes• Enhanced policy implementation towards social cash

transfer schemes for vulnerable families

Recommendations

Thank you!