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The initiative to promote early childhood education in Uzbekistan was designed to address significant gaps in preschool enrollment and quality. By 2017, less than 30% of children aged 3 to 7 were enrolled in preschools, with many facing barriers due to high costs and inadequate infrastructure. The project aimed to improve access and quality through a Social Impact Bond (SIB), which initially sought to support approximately 200 public-private preschool schools. Although the SIB component was later dropped due to legal and capacity challenges, the initiative continued with a focus on results-based financing and public-private partnerships.

The project funded several key activities:

• Half-Day School Readiness Programs: To make preschool more accessible, particularly in rural areas, the initiative introduced half-day programs that reduced costs for families. This model addressed financial barriers by offering a more affordable alternative to full-day programs, which were equivalent to 100% of the minimum wage at the time.
• Infrastructure and Learning Materials: Significant investments were made in improving preschool infrastructure, including learning materials, storybooks, equipment, and furniture. These enhancements aimed to improve the quality of education and make learning environments more conducive for young children.
• Teacher Training and Development: The project included training and ongoing mentoring for preschool teachers to enhance their skills and competencies. This effort was crucial in adopting play-based and child-centered teaching practices, which were observed in 60% of trained teachers in rural beneficiary preschools.
• Early Literacy Promotion: For children unable to attend even half-day programs, the initiative provided age-appropriate storybooks and materials to promote early reading at home. This component also involved training parents on the importance of early learning.
• Quality Measurement Systems: Efforts were made to establish systems for regularly assessing preschool education quality, which was previously lacking. This included developing tools for classroom observation and measuring early learning outcomes.

Overall, these activities aimed to create equitable access to quality early childhood education while allowing the Government of Uzbekistan to focus resources on rural areas where public investment was most needed.