Promoting gender-responsive and play-based learning in early childhood education: Insights from the GREAT-ECE pilot project in Rwanda and Mozambique

• In Event: Play-based early childhood Interventions: Transformative pathways to equitable and inclusive ECCE

Proposal

GREAT-ECE (2022-2024) is a pilot project aiming to promote the use of gender responsive and play-based learning approaches in early childhood education in Rwanda and Mozambique. To study the scalability and effectiveness of the GREAT-ECE teacher training package, mixed methods research is conducted in ten pilot schools in Ruhango district Rwanda and Namaacha district Mozambique. The project kicked-off with an evidence-based adaption of the existing GREAT curriculum in both countries followed by a 5-day training, 3-day refresher training and monthly Communities of Practice for all 14 and 15 pre-primary teachers in respectively Rwanda and Mozambique. Two full action research cycles have been completed together with teachers as well as two baseline studies using the globally validated International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA) toolkit. The various learnings from the research will feed into a scalability strategy that will be co-created with government stakeholders.

Author

• Ilse Flink, Three Stones International