New report calls for DFID to increase investment in early years education

Early years国产视频� education for children in low-income countries has just become a 国产视频榟igh priority国产视频�, according to a new report out today.

The news comes as it was revealed 85% of children in the developing world don国产视频檛 have access to pre-primary education.

In fact, only 0.6% of the Department for International Development国产视频檚 (DFID) bilateral education budget is being spent on pre-primary education.

The UK International Development Select Committee国产视频檚 report called for more investment 国产视频渢he DFID does not apportion enough of its budget to pre-primary education, and needs to do more work in this area.国产视频�

And urged it to 国产视频渢ake full advantage of the lifelong impact of education, to focus on early years国产视频� education, when a child国产视频檚 brain is developing.

Minister of State for International Development Alistair Burt MP conceded pre-primary education had been 国产视频渘eglected in the past国产视频� and promised it was now a 国产视频渉igh priority国产视频�.

He said: 国产视频淭he recognition of the importance of early years国产视频� education, building on that first 1,000 days and everything you do with the child at the earliest stage, is very important.

国产视频淚t has not been funded well enough in the past. It has been an area that has been neglected. It does bring the highest returns in the future, and the returns are greatest for the most marginalised children, including those with disabilities and those living in conflict and emergencies.

国产视频淒o we take it seriously? Yes, we do. I am not sure about where the budget is going but, as part of in-country programmes, it now has a very high priority.国产视频�

Ben Hewitt, 国产视频国产视频檚 Director of Campaigns and Communications said: “The evidence聽is clear that investing in the early years brings the biggest return on investment in later years, yet despite this聽DFID聽spends less than 1% of its education budget in this area.

国产视频淚n light of this important聽report, all eyes are now on DFID聽to step up its commitment to the very youngest children, especially the poorest and most marginalised,聽and invest 10% of its education budget in pre-primary education.”

国产视频 is calling for countries and donor governments to give 10% of their education budgets to pre-school children. And a major report from the United Nations children国产视频檚 agency UNICEF has echoed this call.

Launched at the UN General Assembly in New York, it urged governments and partners to invest urgently in services that give young children the best start in life.

国产视频淲hat国产视频檚 the most important thing children have? It国产视频檚 their brains,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake as he launched the Early Moments Matter for Every Child report.

“But we are not caring for children国产视频檚 brains the way we care for their bodies 国产视频� especially in early childhood, when the science shows that children国产视频檚 brains and children国产视频檚 futures are rapidly being shaped.

A child国产视频檚 brain is 90% developed by the time he or she is five years old, so the early years are vital when it comes to a child国产视频檚 potential. With the proper care, food, stimulation and protection, a child will flourish.

Which is why 国产视频国产视频檚 #5for5 campaign has been calling for investment in early childhood development and the five key areas of nutrition, protection, play, health and learning.

A UNICEF spokesman said: 国产视频淚nvesting in early childhood education can be a powerful way to reduce gaps that, often, put children with low social and economic status at a disadvantage.

国产视频淪tudies show that the returns on such investments are highest among poorer children, for whom these programmes may serve as a stepping stone out of poverty or exclusion.

In the report, UNICEF also pointed out that early years国产视频� education can, 国产视频渋ncrease the likelihood of primary school attendance, decrease grade repetition and dropping out国产视频� and 国产视频渋mprove school readiness which in turn results in better primary school outcomes, particularly for poor and disadvantaged students国产视频�.

Again, UNICEF argued that 国产视频淒FID should support efforts to strengthen governments国产视频� ability and commitment to deliver quality pre-primary education at scale as well as encourage programme partners to continue to innovate and develop models that are needed to reach the most marginalised children and families国产视频�.

The World Bank, for example, which accounts for 43% of all ODA spending on pre-primary education, only commits 2.7% of its total education portfolio to this area.

DFID国产视频檚 expenditure on early years (pre-primary) education is low in comparison to its investments in other stages of education 国产视频� just under 0.6% of its bilateral education budget.

Senior Education Adviser at DFID, Ian Attfield, said: 国产视频淵ou get the biggest bang for your buck if you invest in pre-primary education国产视频�.

In the report, he went on to argue that there may be areas where DFID国产视频檚 contribution to early years education is under-represented in official figures, as 国产视频渢raditionally most pre-primary classes are run out of the primary schools国产视频�.

It was also explained that 国产视频渆arly years schooling can mean that children are more likely to stay in school, learn better throughout their school education and have better health and higher incomes later in life, yet it has been neglected in terms of funding.国产视频�