Madrasa Early Childhood Development Program: Making a Difference
Loading...
Date
2008
Authors
Mwaura, P.A.M.
Mohamed, B.T.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank
Abstract
The Madrasa1 Early Childhood Development Program is a regional initiative
in East Africa that began in the 1980s. From its beginning in the
Coast Province of Kenya in 1986, the program has resulted in the establishment
of quality, affordable, culturally appropriate, and sustainable
preschools among the socioeconomically disadvantaged Muslim communities
in East Africa. It expanded to Zanzibar’s two islands, Pemba and
Unguja in 1990 and to Uganda in 1993. Although the program is similar
in the three countries, each country works within is own context to meet
the specific needs of its main partner, the communities.
The overall goal of the Madrasa Early Childhood Development
Program is to improve the well-being of young children from marginalized
communities through ensuring a supportive religious, cultural, and
learning environment in their early years. More specifically, the community-
based Madrasa Early Childhood Development Program aims to
provide Muslim children in underprivileged communities with access to
high quality, culturally relevant, and affordable early childhood programs
that will ground them in Islam and increase their readiness for, access to,
and success in later schooling.
The responsibility for the development and management of the
Madrasa preschools lies with the communities who own and operate the
schools. The process of creating and implementing Madrasa preschools is
focused on building the capacity of community members, including
teachers, members of school management committees (SMCs), parents
and others, to provide quality services and create responsive and
supportive educational institutions that are technically, financially, and
organizationally sustainable.
Description
Keywords
Child care—Africa, Sub-Saharan, Early childhood education—Africa, Sub-Saharan, Child development—Africa, Sub-Saharan
Citation
Africa’s Future, Africa’s Challenge Early Childhood Care and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa,2008, 389-406