Scaling Up Affordable, Quality, and Contextually Relevant Preschool Provision in Kenya (MECP)

Duration: 2018-2021

Location: Kenya

Reach: 10,000 children aged 4 to 6 (5,000 girls and 5,000 boys)

Budget: $2 million (Grand Challenges Canada: $1 million; AKFC: $1 million)

This initiative is supporting the Madrasa Early Childhood Programme (MECP) to solidify its place as the leader in early childhood development (ECD) and related services in Kenya.

The project is scaling up the MECP model to expand the provision of key interventions to improve ECD, by supporting county governments in Nyanza region to deliver high-quality ECD services. Implementation will focus on Kisumu and Kisii, the two most populous counties.

Key program activities include:

  • Training ECD teachers on high quality, gender-responsive pedagogical practices
  • Providing parents and community members with appropriate strategies to support young children at home and school for their holistic development
  • Working with local education authorities to identify effective strategies for supporting ECD centres and teachers, thereby strengthening the capacity of these institutions to deliver high-quality services over the long term.

The project provides 600 teachers with professional development courses. It also is also engaging 4,000 parents, caregivers, and community members; 1,000 members of school boards of management; and at least 20 local government officials in charge of the early learning sub-sector at the county level. The ultimate beneficiaries are 10,000 girls and boys aged four and five years, in 200 ECD centres.

 

Results:

Progress Update: 2019

Progress Update: 2021