A Costing Model of the Madrasa Early Childhood Development Program in East Africa

Research findings (e.g. Young, 2002) suggest that early childhood development programs can make a highly cost-effective contribution, not only to learning in school but also the overall development of a child into a balanced adult that contributes positively to a nation's development. These effects are particularly strong for children with disadvantaged home background due to poverty or low levels of parental education. The aim of the costing study is to formulate policy options for governments that are willing to invest in ECD interventions as a major strategy to meet the Millennium Development Goals in health and education. This case study focuses on the Madrasa Early Childhood Development Programme (hereafter Madrasa Programme), a community-based initiative of the Aga Khan Foundation, currently operates in the three countries which comprise East Africa -- Kenya, Tanzania (Zanzibar), and Uganda.