Together for Early Childhood Evidence: Building data-informed early childhood education systems

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

Countries across sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly investing in early childhood education (ECE) systems. Locally relevant data are needed to ensure these systems are working to promote children’s development and learning. Data on early childhood education is an essential role in improving policy and programs for early learning. Information on how children learn and how teachers teach can provide valuable insights to stakeholders at all levels of an ECE system.

Initiated in 2018, the Together for Early Childhood Evidence consortium convenes policymakers, researchers, and other early learning experts to explore how the use and application of data can lead to positive change in ECE systems. In its fifth year of work, the consortium has valuable lessons to highlight in building sustainable models to promote country-driven early childhood data generation and use.

Since 2021, Together for Early Childhood Evidence has been providing country-level research grants to teams from across sub–Saharan Africa to support accelerating progress toward data driven early childhood education systems. With the support of Together for Early Childhood Evidence, country teams have been implementing local research activities to inform programmatic and policy decisions facing early childhood education in their respective countries. This panel will highlight the country-led early childhood data activities in Liberia, Rwanda, and South Africa, and feature panelists who will present their own perspectives from participating in the Together for Early Childhood Evidence consortium.

Each country-led research activity fits within a framework for creating data-informed early childhood systems. Building data-informed early childhood systems requires capacity to develop and implement locally relevant tools; analyze new and existing data; and perhaps more critically, apply the findings in ways that lead to more effective early childhood education systems. The Together for Early Childhood Evidence research activities in each country have a common focus on data use. Data can lead to changes in multiple levels in the system, from informing teachers’ behaviors in classrooms to helping inform policy design and resource allocation. Above all, it is critical to use data in ways that protect children’s rights and promote equity by generating data that accurately represent the strengths and barriers faced by different groups of children, and provide a holistic perspective that includes emphasis on health, nutrition, and social protection, as well as education.

Each presentation will demonstrate how country-driven research grants can be effective mechanisms to build local capacity in early childhood evidence collection and use. Several notable themes emerged from the Together for Early Childhood Evidence country projects that could inform future work to support data and evidence uptake in early childhood systems. First, intentional data feedback loops are critical to ensure accessibility and use of data. Second, a culture of data communication and data use is needed. Third, direct linkages between research, practice, and policy are imperative. Fourth, data should respond to and contribute to national priorities. And finally, building local capacity for data collection and use is key for ownership and sustainability.

Data and evidence on ECE are essential for improving pre-primary policies and programs. The commendable efforts of these three Together for Early Childhood Evidence country research teams have demonstrated how data and evidence can be gathered and synthesized to strengthen national ECE systems. While there remains much work to be done to ensure all children have access to quality pre-primary, these activities have contributed to progress toward more data-driven ECE systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

Sub Unit

• Early Childhood Development SIG

Chair

• Rebecca Sayre Mojgani, ECD Measure

Individual Presentations

• Piloting a national early childhood measurement tool in Liberia - Barton Pogue

• Measuring early childhood learning in Rwanda - Theoneste Niyonzima, USAID RWANDA

Discussants

• Heather Rice, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

• Marcia Davidson, USAID, Africa Bureau/SD