Impact evaluation of large scale early childhood development and education program in Kenya

• In Event: Early childhood/primary ed

Proposal

This article focuses on endline results from an impact evaluation study of an early childhood development and education program (known as “Tayari”) that was piloted in Kenya between 2016 and 2018. The Tayari program aimed at developing cost-effective, scalable model of ECDE that would ensures that learners graduating from pre-primary schools in Kenya are mentally, physically, socially and emotionally ready to start, and thrive, in primary school. Research has consistently linked quality ECDE programs with desirable later outcomes. In Kenya, ECDE currently face significant challenges, including inconsistent programs across existing pre-primary schools. In addition, the existing ECDE programs have not proven to advance school readiness among children. As an effort to improve the quality of ECDE programs, the Tayari program was piloted by the Kenyan Ministry of Education in partnership with RTI International and evaluated by African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC).

The Tayari initiative consist of four intervention components namely (a) teacher training, (b) teacher classroom instructional support, (c) provision of instructional materials, and (d) health support to pre-primary schools. These components were developed based on theories of change and similar success in improving school readiness in other projects.

Tayari evaluation adopted a randomized control trial design, with three treatment groups or arms (referred to as T1, T2, and T3) and one control group (referred to as T0). Pre-primary schools (also referred to as “ECDE centres”) in the T1 group received a treatment package involving the first two intervention components (a + b), those in the T2 group received a package involving these two components plus the third component (a + b + c), while those in the T3 group received a package involving all the four components. Pre-primary schools in the control group did not benefiting from Tayari during the piloting stage. The evaluation sample involved children attending 298 public and low cost private ECDE centres spread across four counties of Laikipia, Nairobi, Siaya, and Uasin Gishu in Kenya. Low cost private schools are also known as “Alternative Provision of Basic Education and Training” or APBET in Kenya.

Using descriptive methods, the authors investigate changes in school readiness scores between baseline and endline among learners in each of the three treatment arms and control arm. Further, using difference-in-difference and multiple regression analyses techniques, the authors examine the changes in these scores among learners attending each type of ECDE centres (public versus APBET). Results show that each of the three Tayari treatment packages had significant impact on school readiness scores. On overall (data from all the three treatments combined), the learners in the schools exposed to Tayari treatment packages gained about three months when compared to their counterparts in schools that were not exposed to the packages - which is of practical significance because it translates to a learning gain of about one school term after implementation lasting just three schools terms. Implication of the results to ECDE policy and practices are outlined.

Authors

• Moses Ngware, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)

• Njora Hungi, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)

• Nelson Gichuhi Muhia, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)