Mapping out the next 5 years

Through our contribution to improving early learning regulations, frameworks for private-public partnerships, and unlocking public budgets (such as those for micro-enterprise support), we aim for an increase of registered ELP providers from the current 16,000 to 40,000, which should also result in 70,000 new job opportunities for semi-skilled women in the early learning sector. The increase in ELP providers’ registration will mean that the number of children in registered ELPs will increase by 50% to 1.2 mn from a base of 800,000.

We aim for our technical support to public financing and planning over the next five years to enable 20% of Public Employment Programme (PEP) funds to be directed to expanding women-led care economy by 2027, resulting in 64,500 women earning a PEP stipend for one-year over the five years.

Our work to support the government to unlock funding opportunities within the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) to improve the skills of ELP practitioners will enable 205,000 women to receive training and support during the five years. This will go some way towards improving the quality of early learning services offered to children, particularly if it is accompanied by the development of a national Quality Assurance and Support System (QASS) and a Human Resource Development Strategy for ECD, both of which we will support.

Meanwhile, expansion of ELPs will result in more childcare opportunities in communities, supporting 1.3 mn women primary caregivers to work, or seek work, because their children will be safely cared for during the day.

Finally, during the next five years, Ilifa’s evidence generation and support of the ECD ecosystem’s advocacy efforts will result in more direct support to caregivers. We plan to see 330,000 of the most vulnerable children receive home-visiting support from Community Health Workers (CHWs) in the Grow Great Champions programme during the first two years of their lives. These CHWs will be properly resourced, supported and supervised, and receive recognition for their important role in the well-being of young children and their caregivers. We will use this partnership with the Grow Great Campaign to build the evidence needed to advocate for better planning and resourcing in the CHW system. Meanwhile, 10 million caregivers will be reached each week by quality information through the Side-by-Side campaign, aiding them in giving the best care possible to their children and equipping them with the knowledge they need to advocate for their children’s right to quality ECD services.

All of this will be underpinned by a clear vision and programme of action for our young children as well as new institutional arrangements that promote the diverse and interdisciplinary nature of ECD.