Safaa El-Kogali

Expanding opportunities for the next generation : early childhood development in the Middle East and North Africa

Early childhood is the most important stage of human development. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), there is little research and inadequate investment in this crucial stage of life. This book assesses the state of early childhood development (ECD) in MENA from before birth through age five, examining multiple dimensions of early development including health, nutrition, socio-emotional development, early learning, and early work. The book begins with a discussion of the importance of ECD as a critical foundation for later development, and also as a stage of life when inequality and social exclusion begin. ECD in MENA is set in a global context, and then countries within MENA are compared, with chapters on ECD in Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, West Bank and Gaza, and Yemen. As well as illustrating the state of ECD, the chapters assess risk and protective factors for early development and the extent of inequality in early childhood. A discussion of policies and programs that can enhance ECD illustrates how inequality and shortfalls in early development can be effectively addressed. This book will be of interest to anyone interested in the state of human development and inequality in MENA.

Inequality of Opportunity in Early Childhood Development in Morocco Over Time

Early childhood development is a critical, but often neglected, phase of human development. Shortfalls in early childhood development have historically been a challenge in Morocco, with children facing unequal opportunities to develop because of the circumstances of their birth. This paper examines the roots of inequality in human and economic development in Morocco by focusing on the state of early childhood development, inequality in early childhood development, and trends over time, using several surveys conducted between 2003 and 2012. Large disparities exist in childrens chances of healthy early childhood development based on the circumstances of their birth. There have not been consistent improvements in the levels of early childhood development or decreases in inequality over time. This study discusses critical directions for future policy on early childhood development to address the deficits and disparities identified.

Primary education in Malawi : expenditures, service delivery, and outcomes

The objective of this report is to inform an improved understanding of expenditure allocations and processes, the quality of service delivery (QSD) in terms of inputs and outputs, and educational outcomes associated with primary education in Malawi. The report will also assess the government’s own diagnosis of challenges in the primary education sub-sector, and the reform program intended to address them. The findings of this report are intended to inform discussions as to how to strengthen the government program and associated financing mechanisms, to enhance the likelihood of success. This report was initiated at the request of the United Kingdom (UK) Department for International Development (DFID). Chapter two presents an analysis of budget allocations, actual expenditure and inputs at the school level. Gaps are identified and their significance discussed, with a focus on: (i) budget execution, (ii) accounting and accountability, and (iii) efficiency with regard to the utilization of available resources. Chapter three analyzes primary school performance and factors contributing to high levels of repetition and dropout, low rates of retention and waste in the utilization of public funds. In addition to describing trends in outcomes for primary education, this chapter examines variation in the performance of schools and attempts to isolate factors informing differential outcomes. EMIS. Chapter four examines factors that do not lend themselves easily to measurement, such as teaching quality, as well as factors that are measured less frequently and are not comparable over time, such as learning outcomes. Data collected through sample surveys are analyzed to examine the degree of teacher effort and issues affecting teacher morale and motivation. Equity in distribution of public spending is discussed, with respect to primary education and other sub-sectors of education. Chapter five describes and critically assesses the government’s reform program and financing strategy for education in general, and primary education in particular. This chapter synthesizes analysis from previous chapters to inform proposals to strengthen the reform program and its contingent financing strategy, to support the achievement of the government’s objectives for primary education.

The Impact of a Community Development and Poverty Reduction Program on Early Childhood Development in Morocco

Participatory community development programs are designed to match government investments with local needs. In Morocco, where issues of inequality and poverty are high on the national agenda, a community development program, the National Initiative for Human Development, targeted high-poverty areas for additional investments. This paper examines whether, in addition to reducing poverty, such programs can also promote human development, specifically early childhood development. Early childhood development forms a critical foundation for later human development and plays a key role in the intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic status. Using panel data on communities just above and below the cutoff for National Initiative for Human Development inclusion in rural areas, regression discontinuity and fixed effect models are applied to identify the impact of the program on economic outcomes and early childhood development. Although the analysis finds some transitory impacts of the program on economic outcomes, it finds no impacts on early childhood development. Reducing inequality and promoting human development through early childhood development is likely to require specific, targeted, and sustained initiatives.