Africa's future, Africa's challenge : early childhood care and development in Sub-Saharan Africa / editors, Marito Garcia, Alan Pence, Judith L. Evans.

Format:

Book

Government document

Contributor:

Garcia, Marito, 1951-

Pence, Alan R., 1948-

Evans, Judith L.

Series:

Directions in development. Human development.

Directions in development. Human development

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Child care--Africa, Sub-Saharan.

Child care.

Early childhood education--Africa, Sub-Saharan.

Early childhood education.

Child development--Africa, Sub-Saharan.

Child development.

Sub-Saharan Africa.

Physical Description:

xxix, 525 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

Washington, DC : World Bank, [2008]

Summary:

Early childhood, from birth through school entry, was largely invisible worldwide as a policy concern for much of the twentieth century. Children, in the eyes of most countries, were "appendages" of their parents or simply embedded in the larger family structure. The child did not emerge as a separate social entity until school age (typically six or seven). Africa's Future, Africa's Challenge: Early Childhood Care and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa focuses on the 130 million children south of the Sahel in this 0-6 age group.

This book, the first of its kind, presents a balanced collection of articles written by African and non-African authors ranging from field practitioners to academicians and from members of government organizations to those of nongovernmental and local organizations. Africa's Future, Africa's Challenge compiles the latest data and viewpoints on the state of Sub-Saharan Africa's children. Topics covered include the rationale for investing in young children, policy trends in early childhood development (ECD), historical perspectives of ECD in Sub-Saharan Africa including indigenous approaches, new threats from HIV/AIDS, and the importance of fathers in children's lives. The book also addresses policy development and ECD implementation issues; presents the ECD programming experience in several countries, highlighting best practices and challenges; and evaluates the impact of ECD programs in a number of countries.

Contents:

Children in Sub-Saharan Africa 1

Children as Social Entities 2

Children on the Agenda in Africa 3

Why This Volume? 3

Section 1 Contexts 9

Chapter 1 The State of Young Children in Sub-Saharan Africa / Marito Garcia, Gillian Virata, Erika Dunkelberg 11

Indexes Indicate the Conditions of Children 14

Children in Sub-Saharan Africa Fare Worse than Children in Most Other Regions 17

Investments in Young Children 26

Chapter 2 Positioning ECD Nationally: Trends in Selected African Countries / Agnes Akosua Aidoo 29

Africa's Young Children 30

Evolution of ECD Policy 31

ECD Links with International and Regional Conventions and African Development Policies 32

National ECD Policies: Needs and Challenges 36

Policy Development Process 39

Chapter 3 Early Childhood Care and Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: What Would It Take to Meet the Millennium Development Goals? / Adriana Jaramillo, Alain Mingat 51

Can the World's Goals for Children Be Met? 52

Arguments to Support the Extension of ECCD Activities in Sub-Saharan Africa 60

Policy Implications for Reaching ECD Goals 66

Chapter 4 Brain Development and ECD: A Case for Investment / Mary Eming Young, Fraser Mustard 71

The Economics of ECD 72

Africa Today 73

Why ECD? 74

Brain Development and Function: The Science 74

Literacy and Health 80

Turning Around Poor Development in the Early Years 83

Vulnerability and Cognition 84

The Benefits of ECD for Africa 85

Chapter 5 New Threats to Early Childhood Development: Children Affected by HIV/AIDS / Jodie Fonseca, Chloe O'Gara, Linda Sussman, John Williamson 93

HIV/AIDS and Young Children: The Problem 94

The Rationale for a Response 100

Young Children Affected by HIV/AIDS: The Way Forward 105

Section 2 Sociohistorical Contexts 115

Chapter 6 ECD in Africa: A Historical Perspective / Larry Prochner, Margaret Kabiru 117

ECD in the Colonial Era 118

Indigenous ECD in Historical Perspective 123

A Contemporary Community-Based ECD Model: Kenya's Harambee Preschools 126

Chapter 7 (Mis)Understanding ECD in Africa: The Force of Local and Global Motives / A. Bame Nsamenang 135

Whose Interests Are Addressed in ECD Programs? 136

Fundamentals of Indigenous African ECD 139

Chapter 8 Fathering: The Role of Men in Raising Children in Africa-Holding Up the Other Half of the Sky / Linda M. Richter, Robert Morrell 151

Absent Fathers 152

Why Is It Important to Involve Men in the Care of Young Children? 155

What Do Children Say About Fathers? 158

Men's Care and Protection of Young Children 159

What Still Needs to Be Done? 161

Section 3 Policy Development 167

Chapter 9 ECD Policy: A Comparative Analysis in Ghana, Mauritius, and Namibia / J.K.A. Boakye, Stella Etse, Madeez Adamu-Issah, Medha Devi Moti, Juditha Leketo Matjila, Shamani-Jeffrey Shikwambi 169

Ghana 170

Mauritius 173

Namibia 178

Chapter 10 Participatory ECD Policy Planning in Francophone West Africa / Emily Vargas-Baron 187

The Three-Country Project 188

Some Lessons Learned about ECD Policy Planning in Africa 193

Future ECD Policy Challenges 197

Section 4 Programming 199

Chapter 11 Responding to the Challenge of Meeting the Needs of Children Under 3 in Africa / Kofi Marfo, Linda Biersteker, Jenieri Sagnia, Margaret Kabiru 201

Key Issues: An Overview 203

Case Studies: Exemplary and Innovative Approaches to Policy and Program Delivery 209

Chapter 12 Introducing Preprimary Classes in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges / Linda Biersteker, Samuel Ngaruiya, Edith Sebatane, Sarah Gudyanga 227

South Africa 229

Kenya 232

Zimbabwe 234

Lesotho 238

Opportunities and Challenges: What Have We Learned? 241

Chapter 13 Inclusive Education: A Mauritian Response to the "Inherent Rights of the Child" / Gilberte Chung Kim Chung, Cyril Dalais 249

Inclusive Education: A Brief History 251

The Experience in Mauritius 252

Schools for Children with Special Education Needs 253

From Segregation to Inclusion: A Long Road 253

Developments 259

The Inclusive Reform Strategy 260

Chapter 14 Parenting Challenges for the Changing African Family / Judith L. Evans, Chalizamudzi Elizabeth Matola, Jolly P. T. Nyeko 265

The Changing African Family 265

A Focus on Families and Communities 270

Strengthening Care for the Youngest Children through Parenting Programs 271

Chapter 15 ECD and HIV/AIDS: The Newest Programming and Policy Challenge / Patrice L. Engle, Erika Dunkelberg, Shireen Issa 285

Programming for Young Children Affected by HIV/AIDS 285

Program Options 288

Best Practices and Challenges 298

The Policy Framework 302

Chapter 16 Supporting Young Children in Conflict and Postconflict Situations: Child Protection and Psychosocial Well-Being in Angola / Michael Wessells, Carlinda Monteiro 317

The Angolan Wars and the Aftermath 319

Tools to Support Young Children 321

Chapter 17 Strategic Communication in Early Childhood Development Programs: The Case of Uganda / Cecilia Cabanero-Verzosa, Nawsheen Elaheebocus 331

The Need for Strategic Communication in ECD Programs 332

Key Concepts of Strategic Communication 333

Case Example: Uganda Nutrition and Early Childhood Development Project 336

Section 5 Evaluations and Research 353

Chapter 18 The Synergy of Nutrition and ECD Interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa / Harold Alderman, Patrice L. Engle 355

Synergy of Nutrition and Cognitive Development and School Readiness 356

The Programmatic Synergy of Community Nutrition and ECD Approaches 359

Chapter 19 The Impact of ECD Programs on Maternal Employment and Older Children's School Attendance in Kenya / Michael M. Lokshin, Elena Glinskaya, Marito Garcia 371

The Kenya Household and ECD Centers Surveys 373

Chapter 20 Madrasa Early Childhood Development Program: Making a Difference / Peter Mwaura, Bishara T. Mohamed 389

Curriculum 392

Management and Governance 393

Operational Activities 393

Program Sequence 393

Research within the MRC Program 395

Impact of the Program on the Community 401

Chapter 21 Linking Policy Discourse to Everyday Life in Kenya: Impacts of Neoliberal Policies on Early Education and Childrearing / Elizabeth Swadener, Patrick Wachira, Margaret Kabiru, Anne Njenga 407

Education Postindependence: From Harambee to the National Alliance Rainbow Coalition 411

Final Reflections 420

Chapter 22 Community-Based Approaches That Work in Eastern and Southern Africa / Jane E. Lucas, Jessica Jitta, Gareth Jones, Katarzyna Wilczynska-Ketende 427

A Review of Household and Community Interventions 428

Survey Evidence on Changes in Key Family Care Practices 432

Coordinating a Package of Interventions for Greater Efficiency and Effectiveness 450

Section 6 Challenges and Ways Forward 457

Chapter 23 Can Early Childhood Programs Be Financially Sustainable in Africa? / Adriana Jaramillo, Alain Mingat 459

Considering Costs 459

Policy Implications 466

Creating an ECD Policy 467

Unit Costs of the Policies 470

The Simulation Model: Putting It All Together 475

Chapter 24 A Tri-Part Approach to Promoting ECD Capacity in Africa: ECD Seminars, International Conferences, and ECDVU / Alan Pencem, Abeba Habtom, Francis R. W. Chalamada 487

A Tri-Part Set of Initiatives: Seminars, Conferences, and the ECDVU 488

Promoting Capacity through Multiple Approaches 491.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780821368862

0821368869

9780821370544

0821370545

OCLC:

85830712