Guinea's Early Childhood Development Policy: Providing Equal Access to Quality Early Learning Programmes for All Children
Executive Summary
In Guinea, quality elementary education outcomes depend on the provision of effective early learning programmes at pre-school levels. To address this issue, the Early Childhood Development sub-component (ECD) was established in 2000 with the goal of ensuring all children aged 3 to 5 have access to early learning programmes.The Community Education Center (CEC) serves as the entry point for early childhood policy in Guinea. Its aim is to provide a supportive and social environment for young children in rural and peri-urban areas, who are often the most vulnerable.Before the introduction of the ECD policy, pre-schooling was mainly available in urban areas, leaving two-thirds of children aged 3 to 5 in rural areas at a disadvantage. The ECD policy adopts a comprehensive and multisectoral approach, focusing on the well-being of the child, their family, and the community. It encompasses areas such as health, education, child protection, and water availability.With the CEC initiative, Guinea aims to provide equal access to quality early learning programmes for all children, regardless of their location or background.
Implementation
In this context, the implementation of the early childhood development policy over the past ten years in Guinea has enabled the implementation of important actions, in particular: The creation of 301 Community Support Centers (CEC) in the regions of Nzérékoré (129), Faranah (74) and Kindia (56); The development of a standard programme for the development of young children to serve as a reference for the system and the production of educational tools; Training in the use of these tools for 900 educators and supervisors from private nursery schools and CECs; Providing CECs with educational tools (Standard programme and accompanying manuals, Educational and recreational kits, etc.); The publication of the statistical yearbook of early childhood each year; Support for about 90 women´s groups around the CECs (between 2002 and 2006) in income-generating activities and literacy for some 2,100 of their members; The design of parental education modules and informative materials (posters; leaflets; image boxes, etc.).
The first phase (2001-2004) of the DPE, which was a pilot phase, covered six prefectures of the country, for two rural communes (CR) per prefecture: Télimélé (CR of senta and sarékalé, Dalaba (CR of mitty and ditinn), Mamou (CR of saramoussaya and bouliwell), Dabola (CR of Banko and dogomet), Kouroussa (CR of sanguina and douako), Mandiana ( CR of faralako and koundian).
Stakeholders and partners involved
Objective: Enable all preschool children (3 to 5 years old) in disadvantaged areas (estimated at 30,056 children in 2015/2016) to access preschool services.
Implementation supported by the Education Sector programme (PSE) and Guinea-UNICEF Cooperation programme, as well as other partners such as Child Fund, Plan Guinée, Aide et Action, EUPD, and FRAD.
Local partners (schools, DSEE, post/health centers, associations/NGOs) to provide educational support/monitoring, health/nutritional monitoring, and technical and financial support.
The state to mobilize and provide necessary financing, devote personnel resources for implementation, control and evaluation, and provide technical support.
Technical and financial partners (TFPs) and international NGOs to assist with construction and equipment, educator training, provision of materials, awareness-raising, parental education, and planning, supervision, and evaluation.
Impact
The implementation of this programme has had a tremendous impact on the beneficiary communities. Significant transformations have occurred through the establishment of health centers, primary schools, and various interventions by our partners in areas such as health, nutrition, education, protection, water, hygiene, and sanitation. These interventions have directly influenced the cognitive, psychomotor, and emotional development of children in these communities. Furthermore, the programme is visibly seen in the communities, as parents are now relieved from childcare responsibilities. This newfound freedom allows them to engage in income-generating activities to meet the basic needs of their families, particularly mothers. As a result, the programme strengthens the education system and enhances its overall efficiency.
Innovations
Multisectoral Interventions to Address Diverse Needs of Children and Enhance their Quality of Life
The policy has contributed to improving the living conditions of children through the multisectorality of interventions. It also contributes to increasing family income and improving the rate of schooling, retention and success in primary school. For this policy to be successfully reproduced in a similar context, certain conditions are worth mentioning: the political will of the government, the existence of a legal and institutional framework that guarantees the rights of children, the existence of a dynamic partnership framework between the State and the TFPs, the support of the communities.
Constraints
In the context of preschool education, there are several challenges that need to be addressed: 1) The communities often struggle to fulfill their financial commitments towards the payment of educators, 2) From a pedagogical standpoint, there is a noticeable deficiency in the level of educators, including those who have received training through the program, 3) The allocation of less than 1% of the national budget to the sector
Early learning programs in preschool, emphasizing foundational skills and holistic development, improve primary education outcomes
Early learning programs implemented in preschool settings play a significant role in facilitating comprehensive child development. A child who has availed the advantages of these early learning interventions has a higher likelihood of successfully completing primary education without encountering significant obstacles such as grade repetition or dropout rates.Furthermore, it is worth highlighting that the Guinean government has demonstrated a commendable level of political will and commitment towards early learning initiatives. Additionally, the interest and support from Technical and Financial Partners (TFPs) have notably increased over time. This collaborative effort has resulted in a sense of ownership and engagement with the program, leading to tangible improvements in the overall well-being of communities. Examples of these improvements include the construction of health posts, accessibility to clean water through the establishment of water points, and the promotion of birth registration for children.