Challenges of Access Quality in ECD and Implications

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Challenges of Access & Quality in ECD and Implications for C 4 D Nishat

Challenges of Access & Quality in ECD and Implications for C 4 D Nishat F. Rahman, Ph. D Assistant Professor Coordinator ECD Academic Program IED-BRAC University May 26, 2015 1

ECD Refers to the qualitative and quantitative changes of a human being that occur

ECD Refers to the qualitative and quantitative changes of a human being that occur during the period from conception till age 8. 2

The Problem 41% of children under 5 are stunted (LH/A), 16% are wasted (LW/H)and

The Problem 41% of children under 5 are stunted (LH/A), 16% are wasted (LW/H)and 36% are underweight(LW/A). 18% of babies are born with low birth weight (BDHS, 2011). The primary repetition rate is 6. 9%, the primary dropout rate is 21. 4%, and the transition rate from primary to secondary is 97. 5%. (Annual Sector Performance Report, 2013). Enrollment in pre-primary and primary has gone up but there is a concern about quality. 3

Problem • Evidence from brain research emphasizes more on stimulation of children in the

Problem • Evidence from brain research emphasizes more on stimulation of children in the first 5 years • In Bangladesh interventions for 3 to 5 yr old children is very limited • 0 -3 yr old children are mainly under the coverage of health programs where stimulation and parenting education is rare • Lack of play based interventions • Big class size in grade one and two • Assessment based and rote learning • Lack of research 4

The Need • The early years of a child’s life and well-being of the

The Need • The early years of a child’s life and well-being of the mother are most critical for the child’s growth and development (WHO, 2010). Nasreen et al 2011 reported 18% maternal depression among disadvantaged women • In Bangladesh, disadvantaged children younger than five are at considerable risk of poor development due to poverty, inadequate nutrition, lack of appropriate health services and lack of stimulation (UNICEF, 2013). • ECD programs can mitigate the impact of disadvantage in the early years on outcomes throughout the life cycle. • In Bangladesh, comprehensive ECD programs are not widespread and have low coverage particularly among the most disadvantaged. 5

The Need ACCESS/COVERAGE DEMAND Percentage of infants under 6 months of age who are

The Need ACCESS/COVERAGE DEMAND Percentage of infants under 6 months of age who are exclusively breastfed – 56. 4% (MICS, 2012 -3) Percentage of women receiving antenatal coverage for at least 4 visits - 26% (BDHS, 2011) Pre-primary gross enrollment rate - 25. 6% (UNESCO, 2011). • IED has done a midterm evaluation of Comprehensive child development program of BRAC and found that parents were positive and appreciative towards the program (BRAC CCDP Pilot study 2015). • U 5 population 15. 6 million (Unicef Statistics, 2012) • 2. 3 million children of age four years and 1. 5 million of age five years are out of pre-primary education (Education Watch, 2013) 6

The Opportunity • Having ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

The Opportunity • Having ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Government of Bangladesh is committed to protect its children and ensure their well-being. POLITICAL CONDITIONS/POLICY FRAMEWORK • The National Education Policy recognizes PPE as an integral part of primary education. • The National Children Policy (2011) guides standardized services to the children and adolescents irrespective of their age, gender, religion, occupation, social and ethnic identities in fulfilling their rights to education, health, nutrition, safety and recreation. • Comprehensive ECCD Policy (2013) addresses the holistic development and needs of children from conception till age 8 through an integrated and crosssectoral approach. 7

The opportunity • PEDP 3: The government has decided to introduce gradually one-year pre-primary

The opportunity • PEDP 3: The government has decided to introduce gradually one-year pre-primary education for 5+ children in all schools nationwide (Education Watch, 2013). According to ASPR 2014, nearly 100% of GPS and 88% of NNPS now offer pre primary classes. • Bangladesh ECD Network • Government and private sector’s facilities for professional training on ECD 8

The Evidence • Comprehensive Childhood Development Package (CCDP): Improvement in children’s verbal item scores

The Evidence • Comprehensive Childhood Development Package (CCDP): Improvement in children’s verbal item scores (receptive vocabulary), performance score (block design), overall improvement in mothers’ knowledge about ECD and child care ( Ahmed et al. , 2013) EVIDENCE • In an intervention in rural Bangladesh, mothers in a control group received 12 informational sessions on health and nutrition and mothers in an intervention group received an additional 6 sessions delivered by peer educators. Mothers in a second intervention group received the additional sessions along with food powder fortified with vitamins and minerals. Children in the intervention groups had higher responsive talking, language skills, and weight for age scores (Aboud & Akhter, 2011) 9

Communication for Making ECD a Priority • More Investment in comprehensive program model implementation

Communication for Making ECD a Priority • More Investment in comprehensive program model implementation to have empirical evidence • Linkage and coordination between government and non government service facilities relevant to child development • Coordination and support between different NGOs through Bangladesh ECD Network • investment for government staff capacity building on ECD • Focusing on play and learning 10