The benefits of making early investments in children through early childhood development programmes have been well examined. They include healthy development of children, greater capacity to learn while in school and increased productivity in adulthood, thus presenting opportunities to break the cycle of inequality and poverty (World Bank, 2016; USAID, 2013; UNICEF, 2017). Crucial to attaining this, is the creation of rich and stimulating environments, assured safety underpinned by care and protection, stable and nurturing relationships, adequate health, nutrition, and early learning opportunities (Ibid). Such conditions enhance cognitive, language and psychosocial outcomes as well as executive functioning, leading to improved academic achievement in primary school and ultimately, increased opportunities for staying and progressing in school. Articulating the benefits in monetary terms, the World Bank (2016) hints that for every additional dollar invested quality preschool programmes, the investment will yield between US$6 and US$17 in returns towards development and economic gains.
The inclusion of Early Childhood Development (ECD) in four of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with very specific targets and indicators, represents global stakeholder convergence on the need to prioritise and scale up investment in ECD, further reaffirming the conclusions above. However, Zambia, like many other less developed countries, continues to face major challenges in creating a favourable environment for thriving ECD. These challenges include fragmented ECD related policy framework and programming, limited investment in ECD-related research, weak monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and limited awareness among parents and key stakeholders of the importance of ECD. Other major challenges include limited funding to ECD in the national budget, limited coverage and access to ECE, particularly in rural areas, poor quality of ECE services, poor nutrition and feeding related practices, weak child protection systems, limited child registration, and limited access to clean drinking water and sanitation, among other things.
Despite these challenges government and other stakeholders have been making concerted efforts to address these challenges and ensure Zambian children are provided with the opportunity to attain their full potential. The good news is that there is evidence of increasing recognition of the importance of early childhood development (ECD) in Zambia, with improving ECD outcomes. USAID (2017) points to a number of progressive developments in this regard. Zambia has made significant progress in reducing both infant and under-5 mortality with deaths falling from 70 and 119 in 2007 to 45 and 75, respectively, per 1000 live births (CSO, 2014). The introduction of Early Childhood Education (ECE) centres, the commencement of training ECE teachers and formulation of curriculum and ECE standards as part of the public education system highlights further progress. In addition, access to schooling has progressively grown since the introduction of free primary education with primary net enrollment rate standing at 94% (Education Policy Data Center, 2014). However, quality and progression into secondary and tertiary education remain major issues. Further access to clean and safe water has improved with access rates standing at 81% and 94% in rural and urban areas, respectively (UNICEF, 2013). Several other indicators are showing a positive trend.
This notwithstanding, most of the efforts to address the challenges have until now, taken a siloed or sectoral approach. They have thus been missing the opportunity to harness the benefits of an integrated crosscutting approach, which ECD by its nature, requires. The 7th National Development Plan, launched in 2017 provides a key shift in development planning. In addition to setting the tone for integrated planning, programming, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development in Zambia, the plan inscribes the SDGs, thus acting as the basis for the implementation of the goals.
Riding on this development and the birth of the Global ECD Action Network, Zambia has recently established the ECD Action Network (ECDAN) Zambia. ECDAN Zambia represents a coalition of organisations with interest in scaling up ECD, including relevant government ministries, cooperating partners and development organisations, civil society organisations and foundations. Among other things, the network aims to support the development of an integrated ECD Policy and implementation plan and advocate for the establishment of an ECD technical working group within the human development pillar of the 7th National Development Plan. The network further seeks to champion the establishment of a framework for multi-sectoral coordination and ensure improved ECD advocacy and communication. In addition, ECDAN Zambia is positioning itself as a platform for setting an ECD learning agenda focused on generating Zambia-specific ECD data, and the development of ECD indicators. The Network is also aiming at contributing to strengthening the ECD monitoring and evaluation function as part of the process of ensuring evidence-based decision making.
This focus of the network is very much in-sync with the global ECD Action network launched in 2016, whose areas of focus covers the various aspects of integrated ECD including advocating for awareness, action, and investment in ECD; engaging health, education, nutrition, child protection and other sectors in ensuring scaled up and coordinated programming and delivery of ECD; targeting and championing implementation of SDGs affecting children; bringing together and embracing committed stakeholders as well as promoting the sharing of knowledge, resources, and tools related to ECD.
The establishment of the ECD Action Network Zambia, therefore, provides a ray of hope for building on the progress scored thus far and accelerating improvements in ECD outcomes. With the 7th National Development Plan and the ECD Action Network Zambia now in place, Zambia has the opportunity to connect with the global network and leverage resources including financing as well as experiences and knowledge from other countries, to scale up ECD. If successful, the network would contribute immensely to changing the fortunes of many Zambian children, thus enhancing Zambia’s ability to realize the SDGs.