A child's first 5 years set them up for life. African study explores how to target education spending
A study of early childhood education programs in sub-Saharan Africa suggests that play-based learning and parental support are key to child development. Researchers emphasize that simply expanding school enrollment is insufficient without creating high-quality, nurturing learning environments.
Why it matters
It provides evidence-based guidance for policymakers in developing nations to optimize education spending for long-term economic and social outcomes.
by Katherine Theiss, Subha Mani, The Conversation
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Add as preferred source Credit: Justin muhinda from Pexels The first five years of life lay an important foundation for children's future schooling, health and earnings. Yet over 77% of children in sub-Saharan Africa don't have access to early childhood care and education. This places them at risk of not reaching their development potential.
In response, governments across Africa are increasingly committing to expanding enrollment in pre-primary school.
But research suggests that expanding enrollment is not enough. It's also important to create healthy, nurturing learning environments that help prepare children for primary school.
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