The Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development

Who Are We?

Established in 1983, the Consultative Group onECCD is an international consortium comprisedof: UN Agencies (i.e UNICEF, UNESCO, World Bank (Human

Development Unit) Multi and bilateral donors (i.e. CIDA, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs) International Foundations & NGOs (i.e PLAN International) National and regional organizations and networks; and Academic/educational institutions and organizations

that advocate and support program andpolicy development for young children, 0-8 years

Mission and Objectives

To improve early childhood policy and practice focusing on children in disadvantaged circumstances.

Knowledge Generation and DisseminationAccessible and used by a wide range of actors and stakeholders

Communications and Advocacy The critical importance of ECCD to  social development and poverty reduction and advocate for improved investments, policies and actions to support the holistic development of young children.

Strengthening Regional Capacity To generate and disseminate knowledge,   share information and advocate for the support of children’s overall development.

CG and EFA

- 1990, Jomtien

Lobbied with others to include ‘Learning Begins at Birth’ as a key

statement and integrated into the agreement- 1995 Mid-Decade Review, Amman

Reinforced message with ‘8 is Too Late’- 2000, Dakar: CG became the lead organisation for the EFA and

ECCE

Flagship initiative- 2004

Lobbied to have EFA’s first goal as a focus of the 2007 Global

Monitoring Report

GMR 2007: Strong Foundations

Contribution to Raising Awareness…

Early childhood programs are vital to offsetsocial and economic disadvantage. ECCE is an instrument to guarantee children’s rights that opens the way to all theEFA goals and contributes powerfully toreducing poverty, the overarching objectiveof the Millennium Development Goals (p. 6)

Early Childhood Programmes should:

Be comprehensive focusing on all of the child’s needs from 0-8 (0-3, 3-6 and 6-8) and encompassing Health, Nutrition and Hygiene, Cognitive and Psychosocial

development Be provided in the child’s mother tongue Help to identify and enrich the care and education of

children with special needs Include activities:

Centered on the child Focused on the family Based within the community Supported by national and multi-sectoral policies and adequate

resources Coordinate closely with grade 1 and 2 teachers to ensure continuity

in learning experiences for children

ECCE and Links to other EFA Goals

While EFA Goal No. 1 is significant in and of itself, quality ECCE programs also set Strong Foundations for achieving other EFA goals...

EFA Goal 2: Access to/Completion of Quality UPE by 2015

Countries with disaggregated data

DROP-OUT - Grade 1 drop-out: Malawi 24%, Uganda 24%, India 14%, Bangladesh 14%, Colombia 19%, Guyana 22% - Drop-out in Grade 1 at least double drop-out in Grade 2/S. Asia Grade 1 drop-out more than triple drop-out Grade 4

77 million children drop out before completion

of primary education

EFA Goal 2 (cont’d)

REPETITION

- Grade 1 repetition: Nepal 43%, Equatorial Guinea 48%, Madagascar 42%, Cameroon 33%, Mozambique 26%

Crisis in Grade 1

In many countries as many as half the Grade 1 children repeat or drop outThe system fails children worst right at the beginning

Children not ready for schools

&

Schools not ready for children

The Opportunity- make the links

• Early Years Programmes – both before and after children enter school

• Linking Early childhood and primary (reduces # of underage children in grade 1) and ensuring more attention to the early grades in primary school improvement efforts: child-friendly, active learning methods etc

Making the case

- Facilitates improved primary school enrolment and smooth transition to school, which leads to better results in the first years of school, especially for disadvantaged children

- Contributes to reducing school dropout, grade repetition and the need for special education placements in schools, and therefore improve the internal efficiency of primary education and reduce costs for both governments and families

Goal 5: Gender disparity/equality

Early Childhood programs…

Are an important instrument for promoting gender parity in terms of children’s equitable participation in ECCE programs and positively influencing their subsequent enrolment in school

Releases older female siblings from child-care responsibilities and enable them to attend school

Goals 3 and 4: Lifeskills and Literacy

Provide care givers often with access to parental and adult education, as well as family literacy programs, which in turn improve adult learning

Goal 6: Quality

Improves children’s school participation and achievement, and contributes to the quality of the education system as a whole

What is required?

 What Is Required to Ensure Strong Foundations for All Young

Children?

More Attention and More Investment, NOW!

     

Commitment from Government

Increased high-level policy and

political commitment to ECC

in all nations is necessary for

achieving children’s rights and

Education For All.      

ECCE in all national budgets

ECCE should be included in all

national budgets, all sectoral

plans for education, health,

sanitation and social protection,

and in all Poverty Reduction

Strategy Papers

Public Funding

Significantly increased public funding ofECCE at national, provincial and local levelsis essential, especially targeting vulnerable,marginalized children and their parents andcaregivers – including children living in povertyrural areas, and ethnic minority groups oraffected by HIV/AIDS, malaria or other diseases,malnutrition, disabilities, conflicts or domesticviolence

Commitment from Donors

Stronger political and financial commitment from international donors is urgently required for expanding ECCE

GMR 2007: A Springboard for Early Childhood Advocacy

CG Agreed Advocacy Messages & Recommendations

  4 Cornerstones to Secure a Strong

Foundation for Young Children  

Early childhood provides a strong foundation for success in education and good health.

Investing in young children saves money and pays off in the long run.

      

Cornerstone 1

Start at the Beginning

Integrate child development, early stimulation and parenting information into prenatal, early health, and education services.

Cornerstone 2

Get Ready for Success

Ensure access to at least one year of quality early childhood development services prior to formal school entry, beginning with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children. 

Cornerstone 3

Improve Primary School QualityIncrease investments and improve quality in Grade 1 of primary by providing teachers with knowledge and training in early childhood development, adequate learning materials for children and smaller classes.

Cornerstone 4

Promote Early Childhood Policy DevelopmentInclude early childhood in all national policies, plans and instruments including Fast Track Initiative and Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSP), and ensure adequate resources and multi-sectoral coordination.

Global Advocacy Campaign

The launch of the report provides anunprecedented opportunity for a Global EarlyChildhood Advocacy campaign to: Raise public awareness that improved ECCE support is an

essential key to improving children’s access, retention and success in school

Provide concrete examples from around the world to indicate that improved ECCE is possible through diverse strategies that significantly contributes to the quality, equity and efficiency of primary school

Inform and stimulate public discussions and debates re the role of ECCE in basic education and an unprecedented collaborative commitment to ACTION

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The Consultative Group is well placed tofacilitate an international advocacy campaign

that is realised through:

Coordinated planning and collaborative action internationally, regionally and nationally

Please let us know what YOU are doing to move the agenda forward

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