________________________________________________________________________

ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF POST GRADUATE
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION AT TIGRAY REGIONAL STATE: THE

CASE OF KILTEAWLAELO WEREDA

BY
ABRHA KIROS
AND
ABDEREHUMAN SEID

SUBMITTED TO LEURATE PROFESSOR TIRUSSEW TEFERA

ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSTY

FEBRUARY, 2012
________________________________________________________________________

CONTENTS PAGES

INTRODUCTION---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RESEARCH QUESTIONS-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY----------------------------------------------------------------------

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY-------------------------------------------------------------------

CONCEPTS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION--------------------------

RATIONALE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION -----------------------

BENEFITS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION --------------------------

WORLD WIDE PROGRESS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION -----

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT IN ETHIOPIA------

THE STATUS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION IN TIGRAY--------

METHODOLOGY--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION----------------------------------------------------

CHALLENGING REMARKS OBSERVED--------------------------------------------------------

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION-----------------------------------------------------

REFERENCES ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Introduction
Early childhood is a time of remarkable transformation and extreme vulnerability.
These years of a child’s life represent a crucial period of growth and change.
Programmes that support young children during the years before they go to
primary school provide strong foundations for subsequent learning and
development. Such programmes also compensate for disadvantage, disability
and exclusion, offering a way out of poverty. In relation with this, World
Declaration on Education for All stressed that Learning begins at birth.
Systematic development of basic learning tools and concepts therefore requires
that due attention be paid to the care of young children and their initial
education, which can be delivered via arrangements that involve parents, the
community or institutions, depending on requirements.
In recent years, research has underscored the need to prioritise early childhood
care and education (ECCE) services. It was believed that poverty and other
disadvantages (disability) experienced during early childhood can greatly affect a
child’s development, while well-planned interventions can have long-lasting
benefits (Martin Woodhead, 2009)
Programmes thus increasingly focus on early childhood care and education as an
important proper strategy, underlining the principle that all children have a right
to development and to education in their best interests, without discrimination.
There is growing global recognition of the potential of early education to improve
and change young lives. The key question is how far this potential is being
translated into reality, through positive early childhood policies in practice.
The Jomtien Declaration recognized that basic education begins well before
primary school. This was a watershed in the understanding of early childhood as
it brought Early Child Care Education(ECCE) into mainstream education.
Following Jomtien, the value of ECCE was emphasized in the first goal of the
Dakar Framework for Action. The goal calls for expanding and improving
comprehensive ECCE, especially for disadvantaged and vulnerable children. The

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 special theme for the 2007 Education for All Global Monitoring Report was also
Early Childhood Care and Education. This has not only emphasized the
importance of ECCE, but also the need to measure the impact on girls and boys.

1. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In order to critically analyze the problem, the researchers have tried to investigate the following basic
questions:
1. How is early childhood education defined?
2. What are the types of services provided to children whose ages are appropriate to pre-education?
3. What are the types of children who are getting pre-education services?
4. Who are the major stakeholders to take part in the educational process of the children?
5. What is the impact of the pre-education outputs to the regional development?
6. What are the major challenges that early childhood education could face?

2. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to describe the conditions of early childhood education, care and its
effectiveness on child’s development in Tigray regional State.
It also tries to explore the challenges and important lessons for scaling up the early childhood
programs in the region.
Finally, it suggests possible measures to device some alternative approaches of early childhood
education and care.
3. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The result of this study is believed to contribute for all groups of society (i.e. the children, the parents,
the community, the government itself). It is specially helpful for the nation to produce quality people
through education since early childhood education shapes the children's mentality beginning from their
early age. It also serves the basis for putting important lessons to entertain the children with all types
of services.

4. Concepts of Early Childhood Care and Education

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Early childhood care and education (ECCE) refers to a wide range of programs, all
aimed at the physical, cognitive and social development of children before they
enter primary school; theoretically from birth to about age 7 or 8. ECCE supports
children’s survival, growth, development and learning – including health, nutrition
and hygiene, and cognitive, social, physical and emotional development – from
birth up to primary school in all forms of learning settings (UNESCO, 2004).
The provision of ECCE programs can free members of the household from
childcare responsibilities, allowing parents to work or older siblings to attend
school. Early Childhood Care Education programs encompass very diverse
arrangements, from parenting to community-based child care, center-based
provision and pre-primary education, often in schools. Programs typically aim at
two age groups: children under 3 and those from age 3 up to primary school
entry (UNESCO, 2006).
Education for All further reported that ECCE is a right, recognized in the
Convention on the Rights of the Child. Early Child Care Education can improve the
well-being of young children, especially in the developing world, where a child
has a four in ten chance of living in extreme poverty and 10.5 million children a
year die from preventable diseases before age 5. Early childhood is a time of
remarkable brain development that lays the foundation for later learning. Early
Childhood Care Education contributes to the EFA goals and to the Millennium
Development Goals, especially the overarching goal of reducing poverty, as well
as the education and health goals.

5. Rationales of Early Childhood Care and Education

The rationale made for Early Childhood Care Education rests on several ways of
argument: These are the economic arguments, the developmental arguments,
and the children’s rights arguments. Each of these arguments implies a different
way of seeing, understanding and supporting young children. In practice they are
melded together to make a composite and sometimes contradictory case for
more and better Early Childhood Care Education provision (Calman L., 2008).

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5.1 The Human Capital Argument
The human capital arguments claim that Early Childhood Care Education is cost
effective when seen in terms of its economic analysis point of view.
It is argued that early interventions are more economically effective than any
subsequent educational interventions. Calman L. (2008) argued that investing in
early education generates economic development for communities in the form of
jobs, the purchase of goods and services. In the long run, quality early education
builds an employable and educated workforce. Children who receive early
education arrive at school; ready to learn; and do better in schools. They are
more likely to graduate from high school and to hold jobs. They are less likely to
be on welfare; and are significantly more likely to be protected themselves
against winding up around the courts and the jails—and costing taxpayers a
fortune (Calman L., 2008)
Similarly, Harvey G. et.al., (2005) strongly believed that the returns are greater
if we invested the same amount of money in the stock market. ‘’Young children’s
lives can be reshaped by appropriate early intervention – you get better
economic results by investing in young children because they become more
productive citizens in adulthood’’ (Penn H., 2008).
Provision of some investment to an early intervention programs leads to
improved school performance, since it lessens grade repetition in grade 1 which
strongly associated with school drop-out (UNESCO, 2006).

5.2 The Developmental of Brain Research Argument

The second strand of argument for Early Childhood Education and Care is
developmental. It draws heavily on brain research. According to this argument,
stimulation of brain cells in infancy through attentive parenting led to the
development of more neuronal connections, which led to faster and better brain
functioning (Penn H., 2008). Research on brain development shows that the brain
develops more rapidly in the first three years of life. For instance, Shonkoff and
Phillips (2000) (cited in UNICEF, 2009) found that it is imperative to provide

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supportive services for pregnant women and young children from birth to age
three. During this period, approximately 80% of the brain is developed. In other
words, children who do not have a stimulating environment have smaller than
normal brains for their age (UNESCO, 2007).
It is commonly agreed that young children are especially vulnerable to
environmental influences especially in neglectful parenting, hunger; toxic or
dangerous environments, endemic diseases, polluted water, war and other
hazards harmful to the children. Early Childhood Education and Care programmes
may offset these hazards. Nutritional supplements, protective health
programmes and caring safe environments can offer counter-protection in places
where young children lead difficult lives (Penn H., 2008)

5.3 The Children’s Rights argument

The third argument that recently put and strongly stressed agenda of the EFA
Global Monitoring Report is the children’s rights agenda). A recent update of the
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) has elaborated how the
concept of rights might apply to preschool age children (CRC. 2005; Woodhead
M., 2006).
Penn also argued that young children have entitlements to basic services, to
protection, to provision and to active participation in the lives that they lead. In
other ways, if every child has basic entitlements, all children accesses to basic
facilities such as education, health, shelter, clean water and sanitation. A child
rights’ approach puts emphasis on the lives of children as competent citizens,
and sees the provision of ECEC services in that wider context (Penn H., 2008).
Further more UNESCO (1992) stated that children need special care, protection
and due emphasis on the primary caring and protective responsibility of the
family. It also reaffirms the need for legal and other protection of the child before
and after birth.

6. Benefits of Early Childhood Care and Education

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Early childhood care and education benefits to good child development outcomes
that set the foundation for lifelong learning and help in the monitoring of health
and nutrition status during this critical period of development (UNESCO, 2004).
Especially, those with ssocially disadvantaged children who attend preschool are
more ready for primary school, perform better in school and are less likely to
drop out than their peers who do not attend preschool. Early childhood
programmes that give children meals increase the chance that children who live
in poverty (UNESCO, 2007).
Young Lives (2010) found that high-quality early childhood care and education is
a core strategy for poverty reduction. There is evidence of high returns from
ECCE investments, which can contribute to global policy priorities such as
tackling child malnutrition, increasing children’s successful participation in
school, and strengthening economic development.
Young Lives also highlighted the importance of pre-school services for children
aged 4 to 5 ensures the most disadvantaged children with quality services and
adequate governance if ECCE policies are to live up to their potential as a
strategy for poverty reduction. Thus, supporting children and families early in life
can help to interrupt the cycle of poverty (Young Lives, 2010).
In short, it is believed to have a huge substantial payoff and enormous positive
impacts on the quality of life of children when there is an improved public
investment on early childhood development programs (Harvey G. et.al., 2005).

6.1 Early Childhood Care and Education improves primary school

attendance and performance
Early childhood care and education assist children to be well prepared for
elementary school. As reported by Harvey G. et.al., (2005), children who have
got quality early childhood care and education perform higher scores on math
and reading tests, greater language abilities. It also has less grade retention, less
need for special education and remedial work in elementary schools as well as
Lower rates of child abuse and neglect.

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The positive impact of ECCE programme participation on education at the
primary level and beyond enhances physical well-being and motor development,
social and emotional development, language development and basic cognitive
skills.; reduce delayed enrolment, dropout and grade repetition; and increase
completion and achievement (UNESCO, 2006).
UNESCO (2007) revealed that attending preschool helps girls and boys do better
in primary school and has better cognitive skills that children are more aware of
what is going on and better able to figure out what to do. For instance, pre-
school experience in the United Kingdom resulted in improved measures of
intellectual development, independence, concentration and sociability during the
first three years of primary schooling (Sylva et al., 2004 cited in UNESCO, 2006).
Another study surveyed in a disadvantaged district of Nepal indicated more than
95% of children attending an ECCE programme went on to primary school,
compared to 75% of non-participants; the grade 1 repetition rate of participants
was one-seventh that of non participants and the participants are more likely to
adopt friendly teaching methods and curricula (Arnold et al., 2000, cited in
UNESCO, 2006).

7. Worldwide progress in early childhood care and education

According to the ‘Global Monitoring Report’, the nations of Latin America and the
Caribbean lead the developing world in the provision of pre-school education.
Some 62 per cent of that region’s pre-school-age children are in education
programmes – compared to 35 per cent in the developing countries of East Asia
and the Pacific; 32 per cent in South and West Asia; 16 per cent in the Arab
states; and 12 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa (UNESCO, 2006).
Whilst coverage rates are increasing worldwide, .children from poorer and rural
households have less access to ECCE programmes than those from richer and
urban ones (EFA, 2007). In addition, many countries have no programmes

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addressing the diverse needs (health, nutrition, care and education) of children in
the first three years of life. Few countries have established national frameworks
to coordinate ECCE programmes. Although ECCE enrolments fell sharply in
transition countries after the break-up of the Soviet Union, research showed there
are some recovering in the program. For instance, the coverage is greatest
among developing countries including in Latin America and the Caribbean with
the exception of the sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab States (EFA, 2007).

8. Early Childhood Care and Education Development in

Ethiopia
In Ethiopian, out of the total 73 million populations more than 33 million (over
45%) are children below fifteen (Population Census, 2007). However, their access
to education, health, nutrition and other resources are limited. For example, in
2005, Infant mortality rate stood at 77 and under-five mortality rate was 123 per
thousand live births (DHS, 2005). That means 1 in every 13 children die before
reaching the age of one, while 1 in 8 does not survive up to its fifth birthday
(DHS, 2005).
Like wise, with nearly one in two (47%) children under five years of age
categorized as being chronically malnourished; about 83% children with iodine
deficiency, and 39% children estimated to have goitre. The majority of births in
Ethiopia (94%) are delivered at home. Over 7 out of 10 mothers do not receive
antenatal care. In 2003, there were an estimated 5.4 million (13%) orphan
children.
Woodhead, M. (2009) found that there are significant inequalities in access to
early education in Ethiopia, India and Peru, as well as clear discrepancies in the
quality of services available. These findings underline the importance of ensuring
that high-quality care and education in early childhood reach the poorest children
if educational policies are to fulfil their potential. Similarly, UNESCO (2007)
reported that in Ethiopia pre-school is a minority experience although Ethiopia
has made rapid progress towards achieving universal enrolment and gender

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parity at the primary school level (Young Lives,2005). To help fill the gap at the
level, the government is encouraging the involvement of other partners,
including the private sector. Private preschools are the main option for all
children in Ethiopia, but access to such schools strongly favours children from
more advantaged families around the urban. Most preschools are run by NGOs,
communities, private enterprises, faith organizations etc. Although the number of
pre-primary schools is increasing every year; their distribution is limited to the
major urban centres. In 2005/06 out of the estimated 6,959,935 children of the
appropriate age group (4-6) only about 186,728 children have been reported to
have access to pre-primary education in 1,794 kindergartens all over the country.
The level of enrolment is therefore, negligible when compared to the appropriate
age group. The Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) for kindergarten level is 2.7% in
2005/06 which is a little higher than the previous year’s 2.3%. This means, 97.3
% of the eligible children at these level do not have access to pre-primary
education (Government of Ethiopia, 2007). The highest and the lowest GER for
this level are shared by Addis Ababa (40.3%) and Afar (0.5%) respectively. With
the exception of Harari, Dire Dawa, Benishangul-Gumuz and SNNPR, all other
regions have GER less than the National average (2.7%) (Government of Ethiopia,
2007).
In 2007/2008, the early childhood education enrolment rate was 3.9% (MOE,
2008/2009). This statistics also show that at national level, 22.9% of pupils
enrolled in grade 1 had left school before reaching grade 2. For the same year
the survival rate to grade 8 was 43.6%. Similarly, the latest Kindergarten
statistical data of the Ethiopian ministry of education of 2010 showed that the
national enrolment rate has risen to 4.8%. With the exception of the three
regions such as Addis Ababa(85%), Diredawa(23%), and Hareri(15.3%) almost all
regions look to have similar enrolment scores. Such statistical differences were
observed in the tables below:

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Table 1. Gross enrollment rate of kindergarten at 2009/10 in Ethiopia

Benishangul
Tigray

SNNP
Diredawa

Hareri
Regions

Adiss Adis

Nation
Amhara

Oromia

Gambella
Somali
Afar
In 3.8 85 23 15.3 2.4 3.6 1.0 1.6 3.6 3.1 4.5 4.8
%
Source: FDRE, Ministry of Education(2010). Statistics Annual Abstarct: Adiss Ababa .
As shown in table2 and 3 below, low enrolment rate of pre-education is supposed
to be one of the major contributing factors of educational wastage. For instance,
in Ethiopia, the quality indicators of primary schools such as repetition rate,
dropout rate and completion rates of grade 5 and 8 were resulted to be 4.9%,
18.6%, 75.6% and 47.8% respectively. This shows that the internal efficiency of
our educational system was highly affected by the dropping outs of the children
inputs that inturn affects the target set by EFA and MDG goals. Although there
are many improvements in progress, some indicators are shown to be
declined( example, dropout rate was increased from 22.4% in 2004/5 to 22.9% in
2009/10; repetition rate of grade 4-8 raised from 5.3% to 6.7% in the same
years.
Table 2. Educational efficiency outputs of primary education in Ethiopia(2008/9)
Boys Girls Total
Repetition rate 4.7 5.2 4.9
Dropout rate 18.2 19.0 18.6
Completion rate
Grade 5 77.5 73.7 75.6
Grade 8 51.0 44.5 47.8
Table 3. ESDP III target set for 2009/10
Base year Target 2009/10 Achievement
2004/5 2009/10
Grade1 dropout rate 22.4 9.5 22.9
Primary school dropout rate for girls 13.6 5.26 13.2
Average grade 4-8 repetition rate 5.3 2.93 6.7
Completion rate
Grade 5 57.4 121.14 75.6
Grade 8 34.3 58.17 47.8
Source: FDRE, Ministry of Education (2010). Education Statistics Annual Abstract: Addis Ababa .

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Thus, three year school readiness pilot project was initiated by UNICEF and the
Child-to-Child Trust in 2007 came to an end in May 2010. Currently, the
government of Ethiopia is trying to implement ECCE policy and programs in all
regions (MOE., MOH., MOWA,2009).
For instance, in March 31, 2010 three ministries such as the ministry of
Education, Ministry of Health and Ministry of women’s Affairs made a historic joint
millstone to launch the early childhood care and education policy and strategic
frame work. The policy calls for a collective effort by all sectors in achieving the
overall goal of promoting early stimulation, health care and early education for all
children from prenatal to seven years. The policy focuses on enhancing the
quality, accessibility and equitable distribution of services for children through
more efficient partnerships and capacity building programmes. The policy
stresses four basic services including parental education, health and early
stimulation programme from prenatal up to three years, pre-school community-
based kindergarten from four up to six years and community based non-formal
school readiness programmes.
Therefore, various stakeholders including the parents and care givers, the
community, the MOE, MOH, MOWA, and other social and nongovernmental
organizations should work hand in hand to fully and successfully implement this
novice program in Ethiopia.

9. THE STATUS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION IN

TIGRAY
Early childhood education in Tigray was practiced by nongovernmental organizations, communities,
and faith-organizations. Almost all of these institutions were centered at the urban areas. Even these
urban preschool centers were lacking adequate infrastructures. Mostly, their compounds were designed
for residence purposes. ‘’Many of them didn’t have adequate space, well ventilated resting and
sleeping rooms’’. They faced various limitations including insufficient trained teachers, and learning
materials and scarcity of supervisory activities. Poor parents were not capable enough to send their

13
children to the private preschools ( Tirussew et.al., 2009).Worst enough, rural children were not
equally accessible to education as compared to their peers in the urban children Currently however,
the government seems to expand pre-education systems in the rural areas. The government has tried to
develop curriculum, teacher preparation, and attaching the system with its supervisory activities of the
other educational systems (MOE, 2010).
Over all, Tigray has 3.8 percent (15,130) children enrolled in pre-education out of 396,956 whose
ages are appropriate to the groups of 4 -6 years old. (FDRE population census commission, 2008;
MOE, 2009/10). This enrolment rate is slightly below the average rate of the country (i.e. 4.8%) as
shown below
Table 4. Gross enrollment rate of kindergarten at 2009/10 in Ethiopia

Benishangul
Tigray

SNNP
Diredawa

Hareri
Regions

Adiss Adis

Nation
Amhara

Oromia

Gambella
Somali
Afar
In 3.8 85 23 15.3 2.4 3.6 1.0 1.6 3.6 3.1 4.5 4.8
%
Source: FDRE, Ministry of Education(2010). Education Statistics Annual Abstarct: Adiss Ababa .
.This low enrollment rate of pre-education undoubtly affects its educational quality.
Table 5. Educational efficiency outputs of primary education in Tigray(2005/6-2006/7)
Grades 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total
Repetition rate 2.64 2.49 2.67 2.84 5.58 3.05 3.5
Dropout rate 12.36 8.99 7.77 6.16 10.3 8.7
Total wastage 14.03 10.77 9.71 9.17 15.41 10.86
Completion rate 68.3 49.5
Source: TREB, 2005/6-2006/7
As indicated above, the low achievement of completion rate; the increment of dropout rates and
repetition rates are more likely resulted from prior lack of pre-education systems

Therefore, like any other regions in Ethiopia, introduction of early childhood care and pre-education to
rural areas of Tigray could value a lot to improve quality education in the country.

10. METHODOLOGY
To study this problem, the researchers used descriptive study method. It was tried to employ
qualitative approach to investigate the status of early childhood education in a particular wereda of

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Tigray regional State. Kilteawlaelo wereda was selected purposefully since this wereda was the
pioneers of all rural weredas of Tigray to introduce early childhood education.
The instruments used were observation, group and individual interviews, and document analysis.
The respondents were two National and one Regional UNICEF officials; one regional early childhood
education focal person and one regional education plan expert; and two individuals ( one early
childhood education focal person and one wereda education head) from the wereda were selected as
major informants. Like wise, some five parents including the PTA head, 2 school principals, two
teachers and three facilitators of the O-class and child to child were interviewed. Last but not least,
both types of children (the child to child and the O-class) were observed and recorded during their
class activities.
Tigrigna language have been used to make conversation during the interviewing processes; the
responses were also systematically translated to English and make it ready for right up.
Data – Analysis techniques
The data gathered was analyzed using qualitative description method. All data collected will be
organized and presented based on their similarities

11. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

The Status of Early Childhood Care and Education in Tigray Regional State
To understand the status of Early Childhood Care and Education in Tigray, we have interviewed
various informants who directly involve in the program.
A. Discussions with ‘Silas’, the Expert of an Early Childhood Education in Tigray
Silas is the senior expert in early childhood education in the bureau of Tigray Regional education.
According to her, the early childhood education consists of two programs namely the O-class pre-
education and the child to child learning approaches as follows.

A.1 The O-class pre-education

This type of educational system deals with the educational provision of children whose ages are 6.
There are 67,615 children (male=35,219; female=32,396)
There are 1876 O-classes clustered and simultaneously monitored by each regular school around them.
In other words, almost all rural primary schools have set O-class programs sideways. Each O-class has

15
 one teacher who was trained at Adwa teacher Education College for a month. The criteria to teach in
this program include sex, age, and grade level, emotional and physical fitness. All teachers are
expected to be females; minimum age of 18; and should complete at least grade 10. The condition of
physical and sensori-motor fitness, the status of overall personality and emotional well-being along
with the better prior academic achievement of the individual teachers are major criteria of selection for
pre-education career.
According to Silas, the Tigray government has the responsibility
 To hire temporary teachers with the monthly salary of 340 birr each.
 To supervise its learning systems using the available supervision task forces

A.2 The Child to Child programs

This child to child pre-education system is an approach to entertain the educational needs of the rural
children in their early age (4-5 years of age). This approach is a type of playing and learning
arrangements using some local materials, alphabet and pictorial symbols.
There are 69,266 children (male=36,385; female=32,881) learning at 13,853 centers. Each center has
estimated to have 5 children. Grade 5 and 6 children are the major facilitators of these groups of
children which of course make it child to child supports. It is absolutely no cost classes. Classes are
any where around the shades of the neighbors; writing boards are the big stones or any flat metallic
substances; sites are the wooden materials or flat stones etc. The child facilitators also don’t demand
any payment. They work on volunteering services.
Parents and Communities Role on Child to Child Pre-education Systems
 Sending their children to the center
 Selecting the safest center for the children to learn
 Supervising their children’s safeness during learning
 Providing learning materials
Constraints Reported: As reported by Silas, there are some constraints to be addressed: Some of
these constraints are lack of indoor and outdoor games; lack of teacher guidance and student materials;
and unavailability of incentives for both types of teachers

B. Discussions with the Education authorities of kilte-Awlaelo Wereda

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In this Wereda, Kalayu, the education head and Getachew Gebrehiwot, the expert of early childhood
pre-education of Kilteawlaelo were interviewed in group.
Accordingly, they have reported that there are a total of 57 O-class centers at Kilteawlaelo( they have
57 regular primary schools and each have their own O-classes). UNICEF has started the program at
BeatiAkor Tabia. Simultaneously, some Tabias such as Agulae, AbrhaWeatsbaha, Mahbereweini, and
Tsigereda were taking the lead to open O-class centers by themselves. Such communities have
budgeted the pre-education expenses. Many of them have worked in this program for two-three years
which they have really proud to see its impacts across the different grades (especially at grades 1-2). In
this wereda, there are a total of 2,367 (male=1198, female=1169) O-class students and a total of 4810
(male=2427, female=2383) 4-5 years old children who are entitled to attend in the child to child
programs. The children facilitators are expected to teach the 4-5 years old children two times a week
although the facilitators are motivated to teach the children every day at evenings.
According to the respondents, this program has inaugurated regionally to implement as of October,
2000EC.( 2010/11).
As to Kalayu, this program touches all parents’ interest to send and follow their children’s learning. It
also shows some progresses in their social and academic achievements. It mainly reveals the following
changes of behavior in the children:
 Able to solve some emotional and psychological adjustment problems
 Develops the basic skills how to handle and write using pencils
 Develops the habit of using latrines and keeps personal sanitation
 Develops self confidence to actively speak in the class
 Shows better academic performance than their peers who don’t pass through pre-education
systems.

C. Observation results at BeatiAkor pre- education center

BeatiAkor is a small town found 70 kms away from mekelle, the capital city of Tigray. This pre-
education center has been found and supported by UNICEF. It has currently 45 children enrolled in the
O-class center whose ages are 6 years. The center includes the following components:
 Some playing games and latrine facilities
 One circle-shaped learning room that includes few bed sheets for children nap

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It was also observed that the children were writing, drawing and singing as shown in the pictures
below

18
O-Class children playing games

19
These children were observed to practice writing and singing in their class

20
C.1. Discussions with the O-class teachers
Awet from BeatiAkor and Samya from Agulae were interviewed about their satisfaction in this job.
Both pre-education teachers express their happiness to be assigned in this profession to deal with the
children and their parents. However, they reported that the program lacks adequate teaching facilities
and games. Especially, Agulae O-class lacks its own latrine, play field, and indoor and outdoor games,
ventilated class although the parents are pleased to establish such program in their community.

C.2. The child-to-child program

Parents and facilitators response about the child to child program
Child to child pre-education system seems to be more valued by all stakeholders such as the parents,
their facilitators, and the government since it motivates children to practice pre-learning activities at
their early stage of mental and physical development. The child facilitators are especially in fond of
the teaching and singing to the children. For instance, Selam said ‘yes I love teaching to the children. I
follow them daily at the evening’. Another facilitator Akililu responded as ‘In my future I want to be a
teacher’. It creates more interest on the facilitators to be teachers in their future.
Some of the parents also reported that they are happy because their children counts numbers, draws,
speaks and articulates even some English Alphabets. The father Weldegerima found his younger son
reads and writes better than the elder one who didn’t pass through these processes.
Look at their kin facilitators how fascinating and committed they are. They work for free and try to
feel more responsible to change the pedagogic skills of their children around the open air.

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In general, this program is believed to improve the academic performances of the children in their
latter grades. Many of the education experts from the wereda and the regular schools reported that
such system reduces educational wastage (i.e. Reduces dropouts and repetition rates)

D. Interview with the UNICEF coordinators at Tigray and the head office
We have made group interview on both Maeckelech, the education specialist of the national UNICEF
Ethiopia and Woulje Waninge, the education expert at the same organization regarding UNICEF’s
intervention towards the early childhood intervention in Ethiopia. Accordingly, the respondants
responded how and why UNICEF has dealt with it: they have come to understand the children
problems in Ethiopia before going to any implementation.
The problems were identified as follows (Maeckelech and Woulje, UNICEF interviewees):
 Ethiopian early childhood intervention was found to be very poor
 Most of the children die very soon before the age of 5
 Malnutrition was found one of the panic problems because of lack of awareness about feeding
systems
 There is 23% drop out in grade primary schools
 There is high school readiness problems at grade one

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  There is high iodine deficiency
As to these respondents, such problems brought for the integrated activities of the different sectors
such as health, education and social which require to develop a joint policy framework among the
different ministries and nongovernmental organizations. 9 Members from MOE, MOH, MOWA,
some representatives of international NGO’s, and UNICEF have been established nationally as a
working task force for the early childhood intervention activities.
It comes out with policy frame work of early stimulation which consists of 4 components such as
parental education, health and early stimulation, preschool education, and non-formal school
readiness.
This integrative activities are believed to guarantee child health and education which latter ensures
quality education in many aspects. UNICEF has started this program through pilot work at Tigray,
Oromoa and Harer regions. This year, the program has expanded to other regions.
According to Maeckelech, it has contributed:
 To rise parental and community awareness to the program;
 Parents were highly involved in the program;
 Develops positive attitude towards learning;
 Improves academic performance;
 Reduces dropouts and repetition rates;
 Develops a sense of volunteerism;
Beyene, head of UNICEF Tigray has also replied that their organization had contributed to bring this
paradigm shift in children learning established as samples of O-classes at 14 schools initially.
‘It had knocked all doors of the society now’. We have trained 70,000 parents,
46 Wereda education heads, Regional education experts, and 398 teachers to
make them aware about and implement at all corners of Tigray both O-class and
child-to-child programs. Currently, both facilitators and the children become very
active participants in their schools. Most of them become best students in the
classes. Many of them stood 1st-3rd .It is possible to say now dropout rates and
repetition rates are almost scant with these type of children. It is also worth
valued for the facilitators to work in this program as it counts them as one
criterion to involve in the school parlama members (Beyene, head Tigray
UNICEF).

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12. Challenging Remarks Observed from the Visit
Although the beginning seems to be a good start, the following conditions were observed as
challenging issues to be addressed:
1. The preschool education under way lacks standard curriculum and learning text books. As
inferred from the field observation, the children have no books of their own and standardized
learning materials with the exception that most of them use grade 1 text books. It also revealed
that supporting learning materials were scant which could stimulate the children to learn
through play.
2. It also looked to misunderstand and mix-up the conceptions of the psychological and mental
make up of these groups of children with the formal schooling. Their teaching strategies were
wrongly followed to use the strategies of grade 1 and upwards missing the children’s age and
mental set up.
3. The classes didn’t have sufficient learning materials as play cards, various reading books,
shelves for displaying references, and other play games pleasant and stimulating for the
children.
4. The teachers themselves didn’t have clear and well prepared lesson plans. It was observed that
spontaneous instruction of words, numbers displayed on the walls.
5. Many of the preschools lack sufficient spacing, and well ventilated resting places.
6. Some of the physical settings were not suitable and sufficient for the children’s play, learning
and movement: lacks an appropriate chairs, tables, toilets, rooms and play fields ( Agulae is an
instance).
7. It was also inferred that other basic services needed to children such as health facilities, water
tapes and other sanitarian facilities were scant.

13. Conclusion
Different groups of education experts and heads were interviewed in group and individually to
examine early childhood intervention practices in Tigray. Some preschools were also observed and
video-taped during the process of children learning at O-class sessions and child-to-child programs. In
this process, consistent flow of ideas and practices were revealed from top to down hierarchies of the

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pre-education stakeholders. The reports of UNICEF Head office coincides with the reports of Regional
UNICEF and such clarity flow of information went consistently up to the pre-education centers.
It was found that almost all rural weredas of Tigray have introduced the child to child and O-class
programs in the attempt to reduce education wastages and to strengthen the basic education processes.
Such programs were found to be stimulating for the children as well as their parents. These pre-
education programs were found to be helpful to many children to progress in their academic and social
activities It raises children’s confidence and positive attitude towards learning; increases parental and
community awareness to the program; and develops a sense of volunteerism to teaching.
However, appreciating its start, the program has various interrelated challenges to be addressed both
by the government and the public:
The preschool education lacks its own standardized text books and other relevant references. Most of
them use the formal school texts such as grade 1 text books and the like. It also observed that the
teachers seemed to have unclear lesson planes who tried to react sporadically to teach certain words
and numbers. The physical setting it self revealed to be unpleasant and unattractive for these groups of
children: it lacks adequate spaces for ventilation, resting, and playing; lacks an appropriate chairs,
tables, toilets, rooms and play fields.
On top of that, other integrated services such as health facilities, water tapes and other sanitarian
requirements were limited.

14. Recommendations
These researchers would like to suggest the following possible solutions to make the program as
successful
as it is expected to be.
 The preschool education program should have well planned curriculum and text books
of its own. Such curriculum should also be supported by various pre-education
references and teacher guides that fits the children’s mental and psychological
readiness.
 It is also a stimulating condition to furnish the classroom with illustrative pictures,
drawings, playing games, various puzzles, reading books etc.
 It is also advisable to make the classroom conducive for children’s health and safety. It
needs to have sufficient spaces, and well ventilated rooms;

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 It is also advisable to make the physical environment appropriate for the children’s
needs and ages rather than trying to fit the children to the environment. Age-sized and
appropriate chairs, tables, toilets, rooms and play grounds should be established.
 The condition of the physical and social setting are influencing factors for children
since these groups of children are highly sensitive and fast growing ones. Thus, their
physical environment should be pleasing to their eyes and mobility. There should be
sufficient and green places to play and breath a fresh air from around.
 We recommend to be established a coordinated and integrated activities among the
different social and governmental sectors including education, health, and water sectors
to create a full-fledged pre-school education systems.
 Appreciating UNICEF’s intervention to strengthen early childhood care and education
in Tigray, the Regional Education Bureau in particular and the Ministry of Education in
general has to promote the program to make it effective and sustainable program in the
country.
 Government sectors and other nongovernmental donations need to encourage and
support the attempts of the rural Weredas and Tabias with some early childcare and
education facilities and equipments.
 Rural development agents, health workers, and social workers need to mobilize
villagers to build one neighborhood childcare center using the available materials in the
village ( Tirrussew etal.,2009 cited in Tirussew T., Aklilu D., and Mekasha K.,(ed)
(2009).
 There is a need to raise awareness to the rural parents and communities about the early
childcare and education benefits. Such awareness strategies may be linked with the
family education that includes caring and rearing practices of a child, the process of
child feeding systems and the how of keeping personal hygiene and sanitations(Ibid)

27
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