Prospectus for an East Africa Early Learning Challenge
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PROSPECTUS FOR AN EAST AFRICA EARLY LEARNING CHALLENGE Volume 1: Main Report Draft | June 2012 Nicholas Burnett Lynette Okeng’o Arcard Rutajwaha Michelle Engmann Results for Development Institute (R4D) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to unlock solutions to tough development challenges that prevent people in low- and middle-income countries from realizing their full potential. Using multiple approaches in multiple sectors, including Global Education, Global Health, Governance and Market Dynamics, R4D supports the discovery and implementation of new ideas for reducing poverty and improving lives around the world. Results for Development Institute | 1100 15th Street, N.W., Suite #400 | Washington, DC 20005 Table of Contents Introduction and Summary .............................................................................................................................1 Section I: ELC Fund Structure and Governance Options...................................................................................4 1. “Bigger, Smarter Investment” ..........................................................................................................................4 2. Lessons Learned from Existing Schemes ..........................................................................................................5 2.1. Pooled or Aligned Funding ......................................................................................................................5 2.2. Management Structure ..........................................................................................................................6 2.3. Accountability Mechanism .....................................................................................................................7 2.4. Program Design ......................................................................................................................................8 2.5. Monitoring & Evaluation ..................................................................................................................... 11 2.6. Advocacy & Networking ...................................................................................................................... 12 3. Conclusions and Recommendations .............................................................................................................. 14 3.1. Lessons Learned for how to achieve the three ELC Goals .................................................................... 14 3.2. Recommendations for an ELC Fund Structure ..................................................................................... 15 Section II: Kenya Pipelines ........................................................................................................................... 16 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 16 1.1. Context of ECD Programming .............................................................................................................. 16 1.2. Situation of ECD Service Delivery ......................................................................................................... 20 1.3. ECD System .......................................................................................................................................... 23 2. Pipeline Development ................................................................................................................................... 26 2.1. Methodology ....................................................................................................................................... 26 3. Kenya ECD Project Summaries....................................................................................................................... 28 3.1. Large Scale Government Projects (See Volume 2, Annex II For Detailed Profiles) ............................... 28 3.2. Profiled Service Delivery Projects By Non-State Actors ....................................................................... 30 3.3. Profiled Software/Advocacy Projects By Non-State Actors ................................................................. 37 Section III: Tanzania Pipelines ....................................................................................................................... 40 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 40 1.1. Context of ECD Programing ................................................................................................................. 40 1.2. Situation of ECD Service Delivery ......................................................................................................... 43 1.3. ECD System .......................................................................................................................................... 46 1.4. Conclusion and Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 52 2. Tanzania Pipeline Development .................................................................................................................... 54 2.1. Methodology ....................................................................................................................................... 54 2.2. ECD Project Categories ........................................................................................................................ 55 3. Tanzania ECD Project Summaries (Detailed Profiles in Volume 2, Annex III) ................................................ 60 3.1. List of Projects Profiled (Government Institutions) .............................................................................. 60 3.2. List of Projects Profiled (Non-State Service Delivery) .......................................................................... 63 3.3. List of Projects Profiled (Software and Advocacy) ............................................................................... 68 Introduction and Summary Results for Development (R4D), supported by funding from the Bernard van Leer Foundation, has investigated two aspects of a possible Early Learning Challenge for East Africa, designed to get more and better utilized funding (“bigger, smarter investment”) into early learning programs: (a) possible governance and management structures; and (b) project pipelines for the two countries of Kenya and Tanzania. These aspects are the most critical for persuading future investors as they will want to know how decisions are being taken involving the use of their funds and also have a sense that there are good projects available for their funds to finance. While the initial effort is likely to be confined to the two countries, R4D has kept in mind throughout this work that any Challenge should also have the potential to expand later to encompass other countries in Africa and possibly also in other regions. Funding Mechanisms Fifteen examples of other actual or proposed funding mechanisms were reviewed to help develop thinking about possible governance and management structures. Some of these, like the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, are well-established; others are very new, like the DFID Girls Education Challenge; some have yet to be implemented like the Education Venture Fund. Lessons learned from the fifteen schemes reviewed provide a clear path to achievement of the three ELC Goals for “bigger, smarter investment”: . Goal 1: Critical to maximizing impact of current early learning funding through an ELC fund is the creation of a clear, concise mission that helps to target these funds effectively, and an advocacy strategy that generates excitement about and interest in supporting this mission. The fund will also need to solicit input and buy-in at the local level through a strong coordinating mechanism with stakeholders at the local level, to ensure that programs are being responsive to needs on the ground. The fund will need a management team that is able to build strong relationships with grantees or national governments, requiring a team that is both sufficiently staffed and has strong technical knowledge. Goal 2: Increasing the efficiency of current funding is dependent on the integration of technical assistance provision in parallel with a robust grantmaking program to ensure that grantees are efficiently managing the funding provided. In addition, the grantmaking program should offer multiple rounds and tiers of funding, to allow for an implementation learning curve and to encourage investment in higher-risk programs through a testing phase. Finally, a dual-track M&E program will allow the fund to monitor internally the efficient use of funding throughout the implementation phase, as well as to solicit external feedback on the fund’s processes and overall impact of the portfolio of grants. Goal 3: Attracting additional funders to an ELC fund, in particular those from the private sector, will depend on the ability of the fund to advocate and create a network of support for its mission. Additional funders will also be attracted by the flexibility of a fund to respond to potential investors’ particular program area interests, while remaining aligned with the overall mission. The fund can also solicit additional funding at the regional or country level, by integrating local buy-in and engaging local