ICMEC Seminar: London Role of Private Market in Early Childhood Development in Africa: Who Provides? Marito Garcia, PhD World Bank, Washington DC Overseas Development Institute London, June 2, 2008

ECD improves schooling success!

Children before 6: Africa’s Future,and Challenge

AGE Sensing Pathways (vision, hearing) Language Higher Cognitive Function MonthsYears C. Nelson, in From Neurons to Neighborhoods, 2000 Conception Window of Opportunity - ECD

ECD Reduces Grade Repetition Rates in Africa !

African ECD Participation Increased the Fastest, But Rates Far Below the Rest of the World

Public funding of ECD Public funding of ECD Sweden > 80% UK> 80% France> 80% US60% South Africa40% Indonesia5% Lesotho5% Kenya2% Uganda1% Source: UNESCO 2006

Who provides ECD Services in Africa? Who provides ECD Services in Africa? In general, the public sector does not provide for ECD services in Africa. ECD is primarily the responsibility of parents! Thus, ECD funding and service delivery in the hands of: ----Communities ----Parents associations ----Private sector ----International, National NGOs ----Religious organizations, church, mosques

Emerging trends in ECD service provision in Africa Kenya –NACECE, DICECE, Bernard van Leer Foundation –Aga Khan Foundation South Africa –Grade R –New national ECD programme with employment creation for females Lesotho –Grade R, with funding from WB Eritrea –Integrated ECD with 5 ministries Lagos (Nigeria) –Private sector led

ORPHANS: Current response is grossly inadequate relative to the scale of the problem ! Uganda (2004): 80,000 or 5% of the 1.6 million orphans are reached by 280 small to large NGOs, community organizations, faith- based groups, and government The rest are cared by extended families or are completely abandoned.

Emerging Trends from Education for ALL- Fast Track Initiative ECD is a strategy to accomplish universal primary school completion ECD positively affects flow of students into primary— preparation, learning, readiness

Fast Track Initiative Countries with Catalytic Funds Benin Burkina F. CameroonCARepublicsEthiopia The Gambia GhanaGuineaKenyaLesothoChadMalawiUgandaBurundiMadagascarMaliMauritaniaMozambiqueNigerRwanda St. Tome & Prin Senegal Sierra Leone Yemen Approved Pipeline

How could the Private Sector be Involved? Experiences outside Africa (a) financier –Colombia’s ICBF – 3% payroll tax pay –pilot programs filling gaps in coverage, e.g. Bernard van Leer, Aga Khan, Soros - Open Society –Public –Private Partnership – Brazil’s Millennium ECD Fund (b) cofinancing and provider of innovative services provider, Dominican Republic’s competitive fund for education innovation

Reaching MDG Education Goal Through ECD: Financing Targets for Africa Percent ECD Funding to Total Education Budgets to Increase From current 1% to 5% of Education Budgets