REPUBLIC OF RWANDA b b
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
b b
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT POLICY
b b b
‘‘Igiti kigororwa kikiri gito’’
b b b
‘‘The future development of the child depends upon good parenting durin
b b b b b b b b b b
g the first months of life’’
b b b b b
Kigali, 2011 b
,ECDbPolicy,bWhitebPaper Juneb2011
Contents
FOREWORD .........................................................................................................................4
ACRONYMSb ANDb ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................5
EXECUTIVEb SUMMARY...................................................................................................7
1. INTRODUCTIONb ANDb ISSUE ......................................................................................9
1.1 DEFININGb ECD ............................................................................................................ 9
1.2 IMPORTANCEb OFb THEb EARLYbYEARS ....................................................................10
1.3 ECDb PRINCIPLES .......................................................................................................10
2. CONTEXT:b ECDb ANDb INTERNATIONALb ANDb NATIONALb PRIORITIES .....13
2.1 REGIONALb ANDb INTERNATIONALb CONTEXTS .....................................................13
2.2 INTERNATIONALb FRAMEWORKSb FORb ECD ..........................................................14
2.3 ACHIEVINGb NATIONALb GOALSb THROUGHb ECD ....................................................15
2.4 KEYb SECTORb POLICIESbRELATEDb TOb ECD.............................................................17
3. ECDb VISIONb ANDb OBJECTIVES ...............................................................................18
3.1 VISION ........................................................................................................................18
3.2 GOALb ANDb OBJECTIVEb OFb ECDbPOLICY .................................................................18
3.3 SPECIFICb OBJECTIVES ..............................................................................................18
4. ANALYSIS.......................................................................................................................20
4.1 SOCIO-ECONOMICb ANDb SOCIO-POLITICALb CONTEXTS .......................................20
4.2 MATERNALb HEALTHb ANDb NUTRITION..................................................................20
4.3 CHILDb SURVIVAL,b HEALTHb ANDbNUTRITION .......................................................21
4.4 EARLYb CAREb ANDb EDUCATIONb SERVICES ............................................................23
4.5 WATER,b HYGIENEb ANDb SANITATION.....................................................................25
4.6 CHILDb RIGHTSbANDb PROTECTION..........................................................................25
4.7 SUMMARYb OFb ANAYSISbOFb ECDb SERVICES............................................................26
5. RECOMMENDEDb POLICYb ACTIONS .....................................................................27
5.1 GUIDINGb PRINCIPLES ...............................................................................................28
6. STAKEHOLDERSb VIEWS ...........................................................................................29
6.1 NATIONALb CONSULTATIONS ..................................................................................29
2
,ECDbPolicy,bWhitebPaper Juneb2011
7 IMPLEMENTATIONb PLAN .........................................................................................30
7.1 INSTITUTIONALb FRAMEWORK ...............................................................................30
7.2 ROLESbANDb RESPONSIBILITIES ..............................................................................32
7.4. MONITORINGb ANDb EVALUATION ..........................................................................35
8. FINANCIALb IMPLICATIONS .....................................................................................36
8.1 Financialb Plan ...........................................................................................................36
8.2 Humanb andb Institutionalb Resourceb Developmentb Plan ........................................ 37
9. LEGALb IMPLICATIONS.................................................................................................37
10. IMPACTb ONb BUSINESS ................................................................................................38
11. IMPACTb ONb EQUALITY,b UNITYb ANDbRECONCILIATION ......................................39
12. CONCLUSION ..............................................................................................................40
ANNEXb I:b CoordinationbChartbforb Implementingb theb ECDb Policy ..............................41
ANNEXbIIb:b b BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................42
3
, ECDbPolicy,bWhitebPaper Juneb2011
FOREWORD
Eachbchildb developsbinbab holisticbmanner.b Heborbshebrequiresbnurturingbandb supportbfro
mb parents,b legalb guardiansb andb caregivers,b whob haveb ab dutyb tob providebopportunitiesb
forbandbaccessbtobstimulatingbplay,bearlyblearning,bgoodbhealthbcare,babnutritiousb balanced
b diet,b cleanb water,b ab hygienicb environment,b love,b safetyb andbsecurityb–
ballbofbthebelementsbrequiredbforbabchildbtobgrowbupbandbdevelopbintobsocial,bwell-
adapted,bemotionally-balancedbandbproductivebcitizens.
Servicesb forb infants,b youngb children,b parents,b legalb guardiansb andb otherb caregiversbm
ustbaddressbthebneedsbofbthebchildbinbabholisticbmanner.bItbisbnotbpossiblebforbanybonebsector
b workingb alonebtob meetb allbofb theb complexbrequirementsb andb needsbofbtheb young. bIt bisbes
sentialbthatballbsectorsbofbgovernmentbandbsocietybworkbtogetherbtobsupportbthebholisticbde
velopmentbofbyoungbchildren,bwhilebsupportingbtheirbparentsbandblegalbguardiansbinbtheirbr
olebofbprimarybcaregivers.bAbstrongbpublic-
privatebandbcivilbsocietybpartnershipbisbanbessentialbfactorbtobachievebthisbvitalbobjective.
InbRwanda,b asbinballbcountries,bchildrenbfrombzerobtob sixbyearsbofbagebrequirebspecificband
btargetedbinterventionsbandbservicesbtobprotectbthembfrombthebeffectsbofbpoverty,babuse,b H
IV/AIDSb andb otherb diseases.b Theybrequireb thebbestb ofbhealthbservicesb whichbcanb comb
atb theb prevalenceb ofb malnutritionb andb otherb debilitatingb conditions.b Inb orderbtob makeb t
heb mostb ofb theb opportunitiesb presentedb byb universalb accessb tob basicbeducation,bchildr
enbneedbtobbebreadybtoblearnbwhenbtheybenterbschool,bcognitivelybandbemotionally,b andb ea
rlyblearningb services,b particularlybforb childrenbbetweenbthebagesbofb3-
6barebessentialbinbthisbregard.bParentsbandbcaregiversbneedbtobbebempoweredbwithbthebkno
wledgeb andb skillsb tob supportb theb developmentb ofbtheb childrenbunderb theirb care.bWhenb
allbofbthesebconditionsbarebmet,bRwandabwillbbebwellbplacedbtobnurturebnewbgenerationsbof
bchildrenbwhobwillbmakebpossiblebthebachievementbofbRwanda’sbdevelopmentbgoals.
ThebEarlybChildhoodbDevelopmentbPolicybandbitsbStrategicbPlanbseekbtobprovidebabframe
workbtobensurebsuchbabholisticbandbintegratedbapproachbtobthebdevelopmentbofbyoungbchild
ren.bInternationalbresearchbhasbdemonstratedbthebhighbeconomicbreturnsbonbECDbinvestme
ntb andbitsb positiveb impactbonbhealthbandb educationboutcomesbasbwellbasbtheboverallbecono
micbdevelopmentbofbabnation.bThebimplementationbofbthebECDbPolicybwillbthusbprovidebR
wandabwithbthebbasisbforbachievingbthebobjectivesbandbgoalsbofbthebEDPRSbandbVisionb20
20.
Ministerbofb Education
4
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
b b
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT POLICY
b b b
‘‘Igiti kigororwa kikiri gito’’
b b b
‘‘The future development of the child depends upon good parenting durin
b b b b b b b b b b
g the first months of life’’
b b b b b
Kigali, 2011 b
,ECDbPolicy,bWhitebPaper Juneb2011
Contents
FOREWORD .........................................................................................................................4
ACRONYMSb ANDb ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................5
EXECUTIVEb SUMMARY...................................................................................................7
1. INTRODUCTIONb ANDb ISSUE ......................................................................................9
1.1 DEFININGb ECD ............................................................................................................ 9
1.2 IMPORTANCEb OFb THEb EARLYbYEARS ....................................................................10
1.3 ECDb PRINCIPLES .......................................................................................................10
2. CONTEXT:b ECDb ANDb INTERNATIONALb ANDb NATIONALb PRIORITIES .....13
2.1 REGIONALb ANDb INTERNATIONALb CONTEXTS .....................................................13
2.2 INTERNATIONALb FRAMEWORKSb FORb ECD ..........................................................14
2.3 ACHIEVINGb NATIONALb GOALSb THROUGHb ECD ....................................................15
2.4 KEYb SECTORb POLICIESbRELATEDb TOb ECD.............................................................17
3. ECDb VISIONb ANDb OBJECTIVES ...............................................................................18
3.1 VISION ........................................................................................................................18
3.2 GOALb ANDb OBJECTIVEb OFb ECDbPOLICY .................................................................18
3.3 SPECIFICb OBJECTIVES ..............................................................................................18
4. ANALYSIS.......................................................................................................................20
4.1 SOCIO-ECONOMICb ANDb SOCIO-POLITICALb CONTEXTS .......................................20
4.2 MATERNALb HEALTHb ANDb NUTRITION..................................................................20
4.3 CHILDb SURVIVAL,b HEALTHb ANDbNUTRITION .......................................................21
4.4 EARLYb CAREb ANDb EDUCATIONb SERVICES ............................................................23
4.5 WATER,b HYGIENEb ANDb SANITATION.....................................................................25
4.6 CHILDb RIGHTSbANDb PROTECTION..........................................................................25
4.7 SUMMARYb OFb ANAYSISbOFb ECDb SERVICES............................................................26
5. RECOMMENDEDb POLICYb ACTIONS .....................................................................27
5.1 GUIDINGb PRINCIPLES ...............................................................................................28
6. STAKEHOLDERSb VIEWS ...........................................................................................29
6.1 NATIONALb CONSULTATIONS ..................................................................................29
2
,ECDbPolicy,bWhitebPaper Juneb2011
7 IMPLEMENTATIONb PLAN .........................................................................................30
7.1 INSTITUTIONALb FRAMEWORK ...............................................................................30
7.2 ROLESbANDb RESPONSIBILITIES ..............................................................................32
7.4. MONITORINGb ANDb EVALUATION ..........................................................................35
8. FINANCIALb IMPLICATIONS .....................................................................................36
8.1 Financialb Plan ...........................................................................................................36
8.2 Humanb andb Institutionalb Resourceb Developmentb Plan ........................................ 37
9. LEGALb IMPLICATIONS.................................................................................................37
10. IMPACTb ONb BUSINESS ................................................................................................38
11. IMPACTb ONb EQUALITY,b UNITYb ANDbRECONCILIATION ......................................39
12. CONCLUSION ..............................................................................................................40
ANNEXb I:b CoordinationbChartbforb Implementingb theb ECDb Policy ..............................41
ANNEXbIIb:b b BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................42
3
, ECDbPolicy,bWhitebPaper Juneb2011
FOREWORD
Eachbchildb developsbinbab holisticbmanner.b Heborbshebrequiresbnurturingbandb supportbfro
mb parents,b legalb guardiansb andb caregivers,b whob haveb ab dutyb tob providebopportunitiesb
forbandbaccessbtobstimulatingbplay,bearlyblearning,bgoodbhealthbcare,babnutritiousb balanced
b diet,b cleanb water,b ab hygienicb environment,b love,b safetyb andbsecurityb–
ballbofbthebelementsbrequiredbforbabchildbtobgrowbupbandbdevelopbintobsocial,bwell-
adapted,bemotionally-balancedbandbproductivebcitizens.
Servicesb forb infants,b youngb children,b parents,b legalb guardiansb andb otherb caregiversbm
ustbaddressbthebneedsbofbthebchildbinbabholisticbmanner.bItbisbnotbpossiblebforbanybonebsector
b workingb alonebtob meetb allbofb theb complexbrequirementsb andb needsbofbtheb young. bIt bisbes
sentialbthatballbsectorsbofbgovernmentbandbsocietybworkbtogetherbtobsupportbthebholisticbde
velopmentbofbyoungbchildren,bwhilebsupportingbtheirbparentsbandblegalbguardiansbinbtheirbr
olebofbprimarybcaregivers.bAbstrongbpublic-
privatebandbcivilbsocietybpartnershipbisbanbessentialbfactorbtobachievebthisbvitalbobjective.
InbRwanda,b asbinballbcountries,bchildrenbfrombzerobtob sixbyearsbofbagebrequirebspecificband
btargetedbinterventionsbandbservicesbtobprotectbthembfrombthebeffectsbofbpoverty,babuse,b H
IV/AIDSb andb otherb diseases.b Theybrequireb thebbestb ofbhealthbservicesb whichbcanb comb
atb theb prevalenceb ofb malnutritionb andb otherb debilitatingb conditions.b Inb orderbtob makeb t
heb mostb ofb theb opportunitiesb presentedb byb universalb accessb tob basicbeducation,bchildr
enbneedbtobbebreadybtoblearnbwhenbtheybenterbschool,bcognitivelybandbemotionally,b andb ea
rlyblearningb services,b particularlybforb childrenbbetweenbthebagesbofb3-
6barebessentialbinbthisbregard.bParentsbandbcaregiversbneedbtobbebempoweredbwithbthebkno
wledgeb andb skillsb tob supportb theb developmentb ofbtheb childrenbunderb theirb care.bWhenb
allbofbthesebconditionsbarebmet,bRwandabwillbbebwellbplacedbtobnurturebnewbgenerationsbof
bchildrenbwhobwillbmakebpossiblebthebachievementbofbRwanda’sbdevelopmentbgoals.
ThebEarlybChildhoodbDevelopmentbPolicybandbitsbStrategicbPlanbseekbtobprovidebabframe
workbtobensurebsuchbabholisticbandbintegratedbapproachbtobthebdevelopmentbofbyoungbchild
ren.bInternationalbresearchbhasbdemonstratedbthebhighbeconomicbreturnsbonbECDbinvestme
ntb andbitsb positiveb impactbonbhealthbandb educationboutcomesbasbwellbasbtheboverallbecono
micbdevelopmentbofbabnation.bThebimplementationbofbthebECDbPolicybwillbthusbprovidebR
wandabwithbthebbasisbforbachievingbthebobjectivesbandbgoalsbofbthebEDPRSbandbVisionb20
20.
Ministerbofb Education
4
