90089 Federal Republic of Nigeria SABER Country Report EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT 2013 Policy Goals Status 1. Establishing an Enabling Environment The Government of Nigeria has established national laws and regulations to promote the provision of ECD services. The National Policy for Integrated Early Childhood Development (IECD) is a multi-sectoral policy that comprises the education, health, nutrition, and child protection sectors. This Policy aims to create a strong enabling environment by putting in place coordinating mechanisms across sectors and at decentralized levels (i.e. national, state, local government area and community levels) to integrate, expand and universalize ECD interventions in various sectors. Sustained financial resources are essential to ensure that all young children in the country benefit from adequate ECD interventions to develop fully. 2. Implementing Widely Nigeria has established state programs in most essential sectors of ECD addressing the needs of all target beneficiaries. Yet, coverage levels remain significantly inadequate in all areas of ECD interventions: education, health, nutrition, and child protection. A major barrier to increase access in ECD is the very low rate of birth registration in the country. High inequity in access by socioeconomic status and geographical (rural/urban) location persists. Targeted interventions are required to reach the most disadvantaged and underserved children. 3. Monitoring and Assuring Quality Strong survey data exist, but administrative data are not available consistently. Child development outcome indicators are not collected in relevant sectors. While quality standards and requirements are well established for ECD service provision, compliance mechanisms are not enforced. Developing a comprehensive child development tracking system across sectors could enable inclusive and responsive monitoring of children’s development. THE WORLD BANK FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Overview have access to any form of organized childcare program or preschool education. This report presents an analysis of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs and policies that affect young children in Nigeria and recommendations to SABER – Early Childhood Development move forward. This report is part of a series of reports SABER – ECD collects, analyzes and disseminates prepared by the World Bank using the SABER-ECD comprehensive information on ECD policies around the framework 1 and includes analysis of early learning, world. In each participating country, extensive health, nutrition and social and child protection policies multisectoral information is collected on ECD policies and interventions in Nigeria, along with regional and and programs through a desk review of available international comparisons. Data on ECD policies and government documents, data and literature, and programs were collected through the SABER-ECD interviews with a range of ECD stakeholders, including exercise in Bauchi, Ekiti, Kwara, and Oyo states. government officials, service providers, civil society, development partners and scholars. The SABER-ECD Nigeria and Early Childhood Development framework presents a holistic and integrated assessment of how the overall policy environment in a The Federal Republic of Nigeria is the most populous country affects young children’s development. This country in Africa. Nigeria has a population of 162.5 assessment can be used to identify how countries million inhabitants, of which almost 44 percent are address the same policy challenges related to ECD, with below 15 years of age. A lower-income country, Nigeria the ultimate goal of designing effective policies for has a gross national income of $1,230 per person, with young children and their families. 54.7 percent of the population living below the poverty line. It is ranked 156th in the UNDP Human Box 1 presents an abbreviated list of interventions and Development Index. Over the last decade, child policies that the SABER-ECD approach looks for in mortality has significantly declined in Nigeria from 213 countries when assessing the level of ECD policy per 1000 births in 1990 to 143 per 1000 births in 2010. development. This list is not exhaustive, but is meant to Yet, this rate remains remarkably high. Malnutrition is a provide an initial checklist for countries to consider the significant public health problem in Nigeria, particularly key policies and interventions needed across sectors. for young children; 41 percent of children below the age of 5 are stunted and 14 percent are underweight. Less than 20 percent of Nigerian children aged 0-5 years Snapshot of ECD Indicators in Nigeria with Regional Sierra Nigeria Guinea Liberia Mali Comparison Leone Infant Mortality (deaths per 1,000 live births) 88 81 74 99 114 Under-5 Mortality (deaths per 1,000 live births) 143 130 103 178 174 Births attended by a skilled attendant 39% 46% 4% 81% 51% Gross Preprimary Enrollment Rate (36-59 months, 14% 14% 47% 3% 14% 2010) Birth registration 2000-2010 30% 43% 4% 81% 51% Source: UNICEF Country Statistics, 2010; UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2010 1 SABER-ECD is one domain within the World Bank initiative, Systems Approach to Better Education Results (SABER) which is designed to provide comparable and comprehensive assessments of country policies. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 2 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Box 1: A checklist to consider how well ECD is promoted at the country level What should be in place at the country level to promote coordinated and integrated ECD interventions for young children and their families? Healthcare • Standard health screenings for pregnant women • Skilled attendants at delivery • Childhood immunizations • Well-child visits Nutrition • Breastfeeding promotion • Salt iodization • Iron fortification Early Learning • Parenting programs (during pregnancy, after delivery and throughout early childhood) • High quality childcare, especially for working parents • Free preprimary school (preferably at least two years with developmentally appropriate curriculum and classrooms, and quality assurance mechanisms) Social Protection • Services for orphans and vulnerable children • Policies to protect rights of children with special needs and promote their participation and access to ECD services • Financial transfer mechanisms or income supports to reach the most vulnerable families (could include cash transfers, social welfare, etc.) Child Protection • Mandated birth registration • Job protection and breastfeeding breaks for new mothers • Specific provisions in judicial system for young children • Guaranteed paid parental leave of least six months • Domestic violence laws and enforcement • Tracking of child abuse (especially for young children) • Training for law enforcement officers in regards to the particular needs of young children Three Key Policy Goals for Early Childhood Strengthening ECD policies can be viewed as a Development continuum; as described in Table 1, countries can range from a latent to advanced level of development within As presented in Figure 1, SABER-ECD presents three the different policy levers and goals. core policy goals that countries should address to ensure optimal ECD outcomes: Establishing an Enabling Environment, Implementing Widely and Monitoring and Assuring Quality. For each policy goal, a series of policy levers, upon which decision-makers can act in order to strengthen ECD are identified. 2 Improving ECD requires an integrated approach to address all three goals. 2 These policy goals were identified based on evidence from exercise of top-performing systems. For further information see impact evaluations, institutional analyses, and a benchmarking “Investing Early: What Policies Matter” (forthcoming). SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 3 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Figure 1: Three core ECD policy goals Table 1: ECD Policy Goals and Levels of Development Level of Development ECD Policy Goal Latent Emerging Established Advanced Minimal legal framework; Regulations in some Developed legal Non-existent legal Establishing some programs with sectors; functioning framework; robust framework; ad-hoc an Enabling sustained financing; some inter-sectoral inter-institutional financing; low inter- Environment inter-sectoral coordination; sustained coordination; sectoral coordination. coordination. financing. sustained financing. Coverage expanding but Near-universal coverage Universal coverage; Low coverage; pilot gaps remain; programs in some sectors; comprehensive strategies Implementing programs in some sectors; established in a few established programs in across sectors; integrated Widely high inequality in access sectors; inequality in most sectors; low services for all, some and outcomes. access and outcomes. inequality in access. tailored and targeted. Information on Information on outcomes outcomes at national, Information on outcomes Minimal survey data at national level; regional and local levels; from national to individual Monitoring available; limited standards for services standards for services levels; standards exist for and Assuring standards for provision of exist in some sectors; no exist for most sectors; all sectors; system in place Quality ECD services; no system to monitor system in place to to regularly monitor and enforcement. compliance. regularly monitor enforce compliance. compliance. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 4 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Policy Goal 1: Establishing an Enabling adequate complementary foods. The Policy also recognizes children with special needs and in different Environment circumstances and thereby promotes a range of specific  Policy Levers: Legal Framework • interventions to respond to the needs of: i) infants of HIV positive mothers, ii) sick infants, particularly with Intersectoral Coordination • Finance persistent diarrhea, iii) low birth weight infants, iv) An Enabling Environment is the foundation for the motherless or adopted infants, v) infants and young design and implementation of effective ECD policies. An children in emergency situations, and vi) infants of enabling environment consists of the following: the adolescent mothers. The Department of Family Health existence of an adequate legal and regulatory has further developed supplementary ‘Guidelines on framework to support ECD; coordination within sectors Infant and Young Child Feeding’ to ensure optimal and across institutions to deliver services effectively; feeding of infants and young children, as well as and, sufficient fiscal resources with transparent and prevention and reduction of Mother-to-Child- efficient allocation mechanisms. Transmission of HIV through breastfeeding. In addition, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Policy Lever 1.1: and Control ensures that the procurement and Legal Framework distribution of breast milk substitutes adhere to National laws and regulations promote appropriate international standards. Nigeria has adopted many dietary consumption for pregnant women and young provisions of the International Code of Marketing of children. Recognizing that iodine deficiency in pregnant Breast Milk Substitutes, a global health policy women or young children can lead to cognitive framework adopted by the WHO to serve as a minimum impairments, the National Policy on Food and Nutrition requirement to protect infants and young children. in Nigeria mandates the iodization of salt and iron fortification of food staples. The policy also promotes National laws and regulations mandate the provision control of micronutrient deficiencies, particularly Iodine of free healthcare for pregnant women and young Deficiency Disorder (IDD), Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD), children. Nigeria’s revised National Health Policy (2004) and Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA). In order to achieve mandates the provision of healthcare for young children the objectives set forth by the Policy, a National and pregnant women. The Federal Ministry of Health Committee on Food and Nutrition (NCFN) has been (FMoH) has further established specific health policies established. The NCFN is housed in the National affecting young children and expecting mothers Planning Commission and assists the Commission in including: the National Policy on HIV/AIDs; the National assessing and enhancing various policies, as well as Policy on Roll Back Malaria; the National Policy on planning national programmes on food and nutrition Reproductive Health; the National Policy on Adolescent matters. Focal points for the NCFN are appointed at the Health; the National Policy on Child Health; and the State and Local Government Area (LGA) levels to ensure National Policy on Food and Hygiene. proper implementation. The National Primary Healthcare Development Implementation of regulatory frameworks to encourage Authority (NPHCDA) guarantees the right of young breastfeeding can be an effective strategy to reduce children and expecting mothers to receive appropriate malnutrition rates and promote healthy child interventions to prevent and treat childhood illness. Key development. Malnutrition is widespread in Nigeria. In health services provided free of charge include: labor accordance with the 2010 WHO recommendations on and delivery; well-child visits; growth monitoring and HIV and Infant Feeding, the Department of Family promotion; antenatal checkups for pregnant women; Health of the Federal Ministry of Health established a diarrhea treatment; malaria treatment; treatment for National Policy on Infant and Young Child Feeding in upper respiratory tract infection; antibiotic treatment Nigeria (November 2010). The Policy promotes for pneumonia; treatment to prevent mother-to-child exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of the transmission of HIV/AIDS; anti-retroviral treatment for child’s life and timely introduction of appropriate and HIV/AIDS; and, tuberculosis treatment. The National Policy on Immunization mandates that all young SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 5 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Table 2: Regional comparison of maternity and paternity leave policies Nigeria Liberia Mali Sierra Leone 12 weeks paid maternity leave 90 days paid maternity leave 98 days paid maternity leave 84 days paid maternity leave at 50% salary for women at 100% salary for women; no at 100% salary for women; 3 at 100% salary for women; no working in the public sector; leave for fathers. days at 100% salary for leave for fathers. no leave for fathers. fathers. Source: ILO, 2012 children in Nigeria receive a complete course of of the public sector only. Given the high proportion of childhood immunizations. Young children are also people employed in the private and informal sectors in required to attend free periodic well-child visits and a Nigeria, the vast majority of parents do not, in reality, referral system is in place to ensure that children and benefit from paid parental leave. Box 2 provides insight their families can be directed to additional services. and relevant lessons from the Swedish example. Data collected through SABER-ECD indicate that healthcare for pregnant women is subsidized in Bauchi, National laws protect the rights of all children in Ekiti and Oyo states but not in Kwara. Pregnant women Nigeria. In March 1991, the Government of Nigeria are also required to have health screenings for sexually- (GoN) ratified the United Nations Convention on the transmitted diseases (except in Kwara state). Rights of the Child (UNCRC), protecting the rights of all children in Nigeria. In 1994, the GoN inaugurated the National laws and regulations promote early learning. National Child Rights Implementation Committee The Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act (2004) registers (NCRIC), with similar committees established at the early childhood care and education (ECCE) as the first State and Local Government Levels. Under the UNCRC, level of education and an integral part of basic every child is guaranteed proper identification. Policies education given to children 0-15. Preprimary education that mandate birth registration can be a critical first in Nigeria caters to children aged 1-5 years and is not step to reach children with the services they need and compulsory. Preschool establishments include daycare protect them against exploitation. The GoN mandates centers for children aged 0-3 years and preprimary or that all births be registered through the National nursery schools for children aged 3-5 years. The UBE Act Population Commission (NPC) in the Child Right’s Act has made provision for every existing public primary (2003). Yet, only 30 percent of births are registered in school to have a pre-primary school linkage to cater for Nigeria. children aged 3-5 years which, like primary school, children should be able to attend free of charge. The In line with the National Plan of Action (2006-2010) for act does not include provisions for ECCE for 0-3 year Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), the Federal olds. Federal and State Inspectorate Services, in Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Development collaboration with Universal Basic Education and Social Welfare established the National Guidelines Commission (UBEC) and State Universal Basic Education and Standards of Practice on OVC (2010). The guide Boards (SUBEB) have the legal mandate for the aims to provide comprehensive and effective care, provision of basic education which includes pre-primary support and protection of OVC in Nigeria including: (i) education. guidance for the development and implementation of OVC interventions; (ii) minimum quality standards for National laws and regulations promote, to some OVC services and interventions; and, (iii) clearly extent, opportunities for new parents to provide care articulated roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders to newborns. Although Nigeria’s Civil Service Law at the different levels. mandates the provision of parental leave, opportunities for mothers to provide care to their newborns and The GoN provides temporary housing, including infants are limited. Women are entitled to 12 weeks of alternative family care, for abandoned children. In maternity leave, while no provisions are made for Bauchi, the State Government runs the ‘Motherless paternity leave. This leave policy applies to employees Babies Home’ program where infants stay for a SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 6 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 for judges and law enforcement officers, and the Box 2: Relevant lessons from Sweden: protecting new creation specialized courts and specialized child parents with parental insurance advocates, in Bauchi State these interventions do not exist. The Swedish Parental Insurance Benefit is the international exemplar for parental leave policy. Policies do not sufficiently protect the rights of Parental Insurance in Sweden is designed to benefit children with disabilities. Although the National Policy both men and women. In total, the leave includes 480 for Integrated Early Childhood Development (IECD) days of paid leave, 60 days of which are earmarked for promotes the provision of inclusive education for the mother, 60 days for the father, and the remainder children with special needs, no policy exists to to be divided as the couple chooses. It commences up guarantee cross-sectoral services and targeted support to seven weeks prior to the expected birth, and also is for children with special needs. The GoN should give available for parents adopting a child. The particular attention to children with special needs and compensation rate can vary; as a minimum, however, develop strong regulations that provide targeted ECD 80 percent of the employee’s salary is provided during interventions in health, education, and child and social leave. In addition, each parent is legally entitled to protection services for children with special needs. Box take unpaid leave until a child is 18 months old. 3 provides a list of key laws and regulations governing Additional benefits include: temporary parental leave, ECD in Nigeria. which entitles a parent 120 days of parental leave annually to care for children below the age of 12 with Box 3: Key Laws and Regulations Governing ECD in illness or delay (child requires a doctor’s certificate); a Nigeria pregnancy benefit, payable for a maximum of 50 days • The Child’s Right Act (2003) to expectant mothers who are unable to work because • The United Nations (UN) Convention on the of the physically demanding nature of their jobs; and, Rights of the Child (1991) pension rights for childcare years, which partially • The UN Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children compensate the loss of future income during the and Child Prostitution and on Involvement of period when the parent is at home with the child. Children in Armed Conflict (2000) Key considerations for Nigeria: • The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of • Adequate, sustainable financial support for all the African Child (1990) families during the early stage of child’s life • Adopted National Laws and Policies including: • Additional benefits for families with children who the Universal Basic Education Act 2008; Nigeria’s have special needs Civil Service Law; the National Strategic Framework for Violence-Free Basic Education in minimum of one month before being sent to foster Nigeria; National Policy on Infant and Young families. In Kwara, the Child Reception Centre, Child Feeding; National Policy on Food and established in 1992, provides temporary free housing Nutrition; National Policy on Immunization; for abandoned children aged 0-16. In Ekiti, the State National Policy on HIV/AIDs; National Policy on Government established the ‘Children Home Services’ in Roll Back Malaria; National Policy on 2010 to provide temporary care for abandoned Reproductive Health; National Policy on children. Adolescent Health; National Policy on Child Health; National Policy on Food and Hygiene. National Judicial Systems should take into consideration the need for specialized courts to ensure the protection of young children. Judicial systems should promote the right to a fair trial, and require that personnel involved in the administration of juvenile justice receive appropriate training. In Nigeria, the judicial protection of young children varies across states. While in Ekiti, Kwara, and Oyo the judicial systems promote training SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 7 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 for ECD provision, provides learning materials, prepares Policy Lever 1.2: budgets for ECCE activities, and liaises with donors, Intersectoral Coordination NGOs, and CBOs on intervention activities. Though the anchor reports to sub-national authorities, the Development in early childhood is a multi-dimensional process. 3 In order to meet children’s diverse needs Consultative Committee does not meet on a regular during the early years, government coordination is basis. essential, both horizontally across different sectors as well as vertically from the local to national levels. In National, State, and Local Government IECD many countries, non-state actors (either domestic or consultative committees are established to coordinate international) participate in ECD service delivery; for this ECD across sectors. The IECD Policy clearly lays out reason, mechanisms to coordinate with non-state actors coordination mechanisms at the national, state, local are also essential. government area (LGA) and community levels to ensure effective delivery of ECD services. National, State and Nigeria has developed an explicitly stated Local Government IECD Consultative Committees are multisectoral ECD strategy and implementation plan. established to coordinate IECD implementation, and Nigeria has a multisectoral ECD Strategy, the National comprise representatives from the Ministries of Policy for Integrated Early Childhood Development Education, Health, Women Affairs, Agriculture, Water (IECD), which targets children aged 0-5 and includes the Resources, Justice, Social Welfare, Labor, and the sectors of education, health, nutrition, and child National Planning Commission and Information and protection. The Policy aims to integrate, expand and National Orientation Agency. Figure 2 displays the universalize ECD interventions in various sectors for composition of the National and State IECD committees, effective implementation and enhanced coordination. as well as their respective key institutional roles related In Bauchi, Ekiti, Kwara and Oyo states, IECD at each level. implementation plans are in place but are not yet costed. In addition to multisectoral coordination at the national and state levels, the IECD Policy encourages The Federal Ministry of Education serves as an coordination across sectors at the local level. To institutional anchor to coordinate ECD activities across complement the efforts of the National and State sectors. The MoE is the institutional anchor for ECD in committees, local governments are responsible for Nigeria, and coordinates the activities of the National taking action in accordance with the national IECD IECD Consultative Committee. The Consultative policy. Local IECD committees have been established Committee includes representatives from the State and comprise representatives from across sectors and Universal Primary Education Board (SUBEB), the Agency relevant leaders in local government. Figure 3 presents for Adult and Non-Formal Education (AANFE), the an example of the institutional composition of a local Ministry of Education (MoE), Science, and Technology government IECD committee as outlined in the national (MoEST), the Primary Health Care Development Agency IECD Policy. The activities for these committees vary (PHCDA), and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Social depending on priorities of the local government. Development, and Gender Empowerment (MoWASD&GE). As the institutional anchor, the MoE sets standards for ECCE providers, monitors access to ECCE services, coordinates across agencies responsible 3 Naudeau et al., 2011; UNESCO-OREALC, 2004; Neuman, 2007. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 8 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Figure 2: Institutional composition and responsibilities of National and State IECD Committees Figure 3: Institutional composition of a Local Government IECD Committee SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 9 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Table 3: Regional comparison of health expenditure indicators Nigeria Guinea Liberia Mali Sierra Leone Out-of-pocket expenditure as percentage 95% 99% 52% 99% 90% of all private health expenditure Out-of-pocket health expenditure as 59% 88% 35% 53% 79% percentage of total expenditure on health General government expenditure on 5% 5% 12% 5% 13% health as a percentage of GDP Percentage of routine EPI vaccines 71% 24% 6% 20% No data financed by government Source: WHO Global Health Expenditure Database, 2010; UNICEF Country Statistics, 2010 The burden of finance for ECD services remains a barrier to access. In the education sector, while preprimary school Policy Lever 1.3: Finance has officially been declared free as an integral part of the UBE Act, adequate resources are not made available to While legal frameworks and intersectoral coordination are schools to sufficiently expand coverage. In some schools, crucial to establishing an enabling environment for ECD, Nigerian parents with children in public Early Childhood adequate financial investment is key to ensure that Care and Education (ECCE) centers are required to pay resources are available to implement policies and achieve fees for uniforms, meals, transport costs, and parent- service provision goals. Investments in ECD can yield high teacher association fees. Data on the cost of these fees are public returns, but are often undersupplied without not available but it is reported that costs of services government support. Investments during the early years remain a barrier to access in ECCE in Nigeria. can yield greater returns than equivalent investments made later in a child’s life cycle and can lead to long- Table 3 compares several health expenditure indicators lasting intergenerational benefits. 4 Not only do in Nigeria with other countries in the region. Compared investments in ECD generate high and persistent returns, to other West African countries, out-of-pocket 5 they can also enhance the effectiveness of other social expenditures for healthcare account for a relatively high investments and help governments address multiple proportion of total health expenditures in Nigeria (59 priorities with single investments. percent). The GoN spends a similar proportion of its GDP on health as Guinea and Mali (5 percent) but a Public sector funding is allocated for ECD in Nigeria but smaller proportion than Liberia and Sierra Leone. The information on specific ECD spending levels is not GoN finances a greater proportion of routine vaccines available consistently. ECD budget planning is not a than any other country in the region presented here. In coordinated effort between the multiple government 2010, the GoN financed 71 percent of the cost of ministries in Nigeria. In the education sector, the providing routine EPI vaccines to all young children. Education for All Global Monitoring Report (2007) indicates that the GoN has allocated 5 percent of its UBE Further information is required, including the level of matching grant to the 36 States of the Federation and the government spending on ECD interventions in all Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the provision of essential sectors, in order to fully assess the public preprimary education for children aged 3-5 years. Yet, sector financial commitment to ECD as a whole. information systems do not allow identifying the level of ECD-specific spending and disaggregating and reporting 5 public ECD expenditures by sector in an accurate and Out of pocket expenditure is any direct outlay by comprehensive manner. There are no explicit criteria in households, including gratuities and in-kind payments, to health practitioners and suppliers of pharmaceuticals, place for determining the ECD budget in any sector. therapeutic appliances, and other goods and services whose primary intent is to contribute to the restoration or 4 Valerio & Garcia, 2012; WHO, 2005; Hanushek & Kimko, enhancement of the health status of individuals or population 2000; Hanushek & Luque, 2003. groups. These expenditures are not ECD-specific. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 10 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Policy Options to Strengthen the Enabling nutrition, care stimulation, and protection. While the IECD approach has been adopted and put in Environment for ECD in Nigeria place at the state levels, the implementation plans Legal framework: are not yet costed in many states. The IECD Policy lays out coordination mechanisms at the national,  Create innovative mechanisms to promote birth state, local government area (LGA) and community registration in the country. Policies that enforce levels to ensure effective delivery of ECD services. birth registration can be a critical first step to reach To ensure smooth and effective implementation of children with the services they need to fully develop the Policy, the relevant bodies will need to have and protect them against exploitation. A major access to adequate financial, political, and human obstacle to improving ECD provision for Nigerian resources. infants and children is the very poor state of birth  Establish a common plan of action for ECD service registration in the country. All births are not delivery at the state level. Given that essential ECD captured in formal records as not all births occur in services are provided across multiple sectors, it is formal health facilities. A policy that requires that important to establish a common plan of action for parents and families comply with birth registration effective service delivery. An important first step is regulations could better ensure effective planning to develop an agreed list of essential services that and implementation of basic ECD interventions. will translate into a common plan of action. Clear  Establish mechanisms to promote the provision of guidelines on leading role, joint planning, resource adequate free healthcare interventions to young mobilization, implementation and monitoring of children and expecting mothers. National laws and services are required by all intervening sectors. regulations promote a range of free healthcare Mechanisms to coordinate ECD service provision at services for young children and expecting mothers. the delivery level will be essential to guarantee that Yet, the general policies do not create mechanisms every child has access to all of the essential services. to ensure adequate access to healthcare for young children and expecting mothers. Universal provision Finance: of health services in early childhood can ensure the  Strengthen ECD budget coordination mechanisms prevention and treatment of leading causes of between the different sectors involved. Although infant and child mortality, including diarrhea and the multi-sectoral nature of ECD makes it difficult to pneumonia. Creating a policy that enforces that clearly disaggregate public financing of ECD, children attend regular well-child visits could better effective implementation of the IECD policy ensure that all children in Nigeria receive necessitates a jointly coordinated budget planning appropriate health and nutrition interventions in process across ministries. The development of a early childhood. common plan of action would lead towards more  Develop strategies to deliver age-appropriate ECCE coordination and adequate levels of financial services to young children aged 0-3. While the UBE support necessary to effectively and efficiently Act aims to cater educational services to children 0- implement the IECD policy. 15, no provisions have been made targeting the 0-3  Ensure that low-income and vulnerable children age cohort. Beyond private caregivers and have access to key health and nutrition communities, strategies should be put in place to interventions. Overall, out-of-pocket expenditure ensure the role of UBEC/UBEB and SUBEBs in as a percentage of total health expenditures is high assisting on issues relating to the 0-3 year olds. in Nigeria. For instance, there are out-of-pocket Inter-sectoral Coordination: payments (formal or informal) for hospital care, which also apply to ECD services. It should be a  Finalize a costed implementation plan for IECD priority for the government to provide sufficient Policy at the state level. Nigeria’s achievement in funding for the basic services, particularly targeting transforming the ECD system from a single sector to the poor and most vulnerable. a multi-sectoral approach is commendable, converging interventions in education, health, SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 11 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Ensure coordinated, sustainable, and adequate support to the preprimary education sector. The commitment to ECD spending. It will be important for National, State, and LGA IECD committees should public institutions, both at the national, state, and LGA consider working together to streamline Nigeria’s levels, to commit to sustained financial support of the financial system for sustained and coordinated ECD effective implementation of the IECD policy. Box 4 financing. This will require improved accountability provides an example from Australia, where all state and measures and clear and available expenditure data territorial governments have agreed to maintain financial across sectors. Box 4: Relevant lessons from Australia: sustainable financial investments 6 Example from Australia: The National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education Education is the responsibility of the State and Territory governments in Australia. In the 2007/2008 academic year, nearly 70 percent of eligible children attended preschool, and six out of the eight jurisdictions had enrolment rates above 85 percent. However, enrollment was low for specific sub-groups within the population, especially Aboriginal children. To address this issue and increase enrollment across the country, in 2008, all state and territory governments in Australia jointly agreed to implement the National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education. The National Partnership aims to provide all children with access to quality early childhood education programs by 2013 taught by university-trained ECCE teachers for 15 hours a week, 40 weeks a year, in the year before formal schooling. Prior to the introduction of the National Partnership, Australia ranked 30th out of 32 OECD countries based on an ECD investment rate of only 0.1 percent of GDP, well below the average of 0.45 percent of GDP. To achieve quality, universal coverage, all parties agreed to increase sustained financial investment and the Commonwealth of Australia provided $970 million (AUD) in additional funding for ECD over a five-year period. The Australian strategy calls for streamlined mechanism for management and finance at the national, state, and local levels. It requires effective accountability mechanisms, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities at each respective level. The Best Start Program in the State of Victoria is an example of a comprehensive ECD program with sustainable financing mechanisms. The program uses a decentralized approach and is co-financed by municipal and local governments, with contributions from regional stakeholders. The program’s multi-pronged funding approach is effective largely due to strategic mapping, constant monitoring, and extensive evaluation methods at the local level. Key lessons for Nigeria: • In order to expand coverage and effectively implement IECD, commitment from both the national and state levels to maintain financial support to ECD will be essential. • Like Australia, Nigeria’s decentralized system requires the development of a methodology to enforce efficient top-down expenditure allocation. In creating a sustainable system, it is essential to clearly articulate the roles and accountability measures for financing and allocating funding for ECD services between the national, State, and local government. • With improved availability of expenditure data and a unified information system to monitor IECD progress across ECD indicators, (further discussed under Policy Goal 3), Nigeria could increase and sustain adequate financing and monitor its investments in ECD. 6 For more information, see Australia’s National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Earlychildhood/Policy_Agenda/ECUA/Pages/EarlyChildhoodEducationNationalPartnership.aspx SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 12 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 their families via different sectors at different stages in a Policy Goal 2: Implementing Widely child’s life.  Policy Levers: Scope of Programs • Programs are established across all relevant sectors Coverage • Equity and cover a wide range of beneficiary groups. ECD Interventions exist in the education, health, nutrition, Implementing Widely refers to the scope of ECD and child protection sectors and target a range of programs available, the extent of coverage (as a share beneficiary groups in Nigeria. Figure 5 presents select of the eligible population) and the degree of equity ECD interventions that exist in all four states (Bauchi, within ECD service provision. By definition, a focus on Ekiti, Kwara and Oyo) for all target beneficiaries. The ECD involves (at a minimum) interventions in health, differentiated interventions in the states not only reach nutrition, education, and social and child protection, young children, but also pregnant women and parents; and should target pregnant women, young children and these programs are designed to meet the multisectoral their parents and caregivers. A robust ECD policy should needs of young children. include programs in all essential sectors; provide comparable coverage and equitable access across For each sector, a series of specific interventions are regions and socioeconomic status – especially reaching essential to support young children. While Figure 5 the most disadvantaged young children and their displays some of the major ECD programs in Nigeria, it families. does not portray the scale of programs. Table 4 shows that a range of ECD programs in Bauchi, Ekiti, Kwara and Policy Lever 2.1: Oyo states are established across sectors, including Scope of Programs education, health, nutrition, parenting and special Effective ECD systems have programs established in all needs. Many of these programs are provided by the essential sectors and ensure that every child and state governments. Table 4 also displays the scale of expecting mothers have guaranteed access to the coverage of selected ECD programs in these four states. essential services and interventions they need to live While mostly all local government areas (LGAs) in the healthfully. The scope of programs assesses the extent four states are covered, levels of access are generally to which ECD programs across key sectors reach all reported to be limited. Limited coverage is also beneficiaries. Figure 4 presents a summary of the key demonstrated by the insufficient data available. Levels interventions needed to support young children and of coverage will be further discussed in Section 2.2. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 13 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Figure 4: Essential interventions during different periods of a young child’s development Figure 5: Scope of selected ECD interventions in Nigeria (Bauchi, Ekiti, Kwara, and Oyo states) by major sector and target) SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 14 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Table 4: ECD Programs and Coverage in Nigeria (Bauchi, Ekiti, Kwara and Oyo States) Scale of coverage of ECD Interventions by State Bauchi Ekiti Kwara Oyo ECD Intervention (20 LGAs (16 LGAs (16 LGAs (33 LGAs in in total) in total) in total) total) EDUCATION (STIMULATION AND EARLY LEARNING) State-provided ECCE Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered 20 16 16 No data Approximate percentage of target population covered 4% No data 1% No data Community-based ECCE Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered No data No data 16 No data Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data 0.1% No data Non-state-provided ECCE Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered 15 16 No data 33 Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data No data No data Subsidized childcare for schooling parents Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered 3 No data No data No data Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data No data No data HEALTH Antenatal health care Antenatal care Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered 20 16 16 33 Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data 5% No data Comprehensive immunizations for infants Expanded Immunization Program Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered 20 16 16 33 Approximate percentage of target population covered No data 100% 4% No data Growth Monitoring and Promotion Programs Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered 4 No data 16 No data Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data 5% No data Mosquito bed net distribution programs for young children Long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered 20 16 16 33 Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data 0.5% No data Mosquito bed net distribution programs for pregnant women Long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered 20 16 No data 33 Approximate percentage of target population covered No data 40% No data No data SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 15 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Table 4: ECD Programs and Coverage in Nigeria (Bauchi, Ekiti, Kwara and Oyo States) (conclusion) NUTRITION Food supplements for children 0-71 months Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered No data No data No data No data Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data No data No data Micronutrient support for children 0-71 months Vitamin A supplementation Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered 20 16 16 No data Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data 38% No data Food supplements for expecting mothers Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered No data No data 16 33 Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data No data No data Breastfeeding promotion programs Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered 20 16 16 33 Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data 22% No data Feeding programs in preprimary schools No intervention PARENTING Parenting integrated into health/community programs Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered No data No data No data 33 Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data No data No data Home visiting programs to provide parenting messages No intervention SPECIAL NEEDS Programs for OVCs Argarar Yuguda OVC program Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered 20 16 16 33 Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data No data No data Interventions for children with special needs (physical) Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered 20 16 16 No data Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data 2% No data Interventions targeted at children affected by HIV/AIDS Number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) covered 20 16 No data No data Approximate percentage of target population covered No data No data No data No data Cash transfers conditional on ECD services or enrollment/ No intervention Integrated Program which provides intervention in variety of sectors- track individual children SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 16 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Policy Lever 2.2: number of children in the South are enrolled in preprimary school, the Northern region has significantly Coverage lower enrollment rates. Net enrollment rates vary from A robust ECD policy should establish programs in all 2 percent in Sokoto State to 84 percent in Abia State. essential sectors, ensure high degrees of coverage and reach the entire population equitably–especially the Nigeria provides limited coverage for essential child most disadvantaged young children–so that every protection interventions. As demonstrated in Table 6, child and expecting mother have guaranteed access to only 30 percent of births are registered in Nigeria. essential ECD services. Compared to some neighboring West African countries, Nigeria has the second lowest birth registration rate ECCE coverage in Nigeria is inadequate and access next to Liberia. As the largest populated country of the levels vary between states. Despite the inclusion of continent, with currently 162.5 million inhabitants, the ECCE in Nigeria’s UBE Act, which entitles all children to low birth registration rate in Nigeria indicates that a receive preprimary education, the level of access to very high number of births are not tracked in the preprimary education in Nigeria remains far beyond the system. Focused attention is required to establish an targeted goal. The MoE’s 4-year Strategic Plan for the effective child registration system that guarantees all Development of the Education Sector (2011-2015) children a legal identity. indicates that only 39 percent of primary schools have ECCE sections attached. Out of the expected enrollment Nigerian mothers have low access to most essential figure of 22 million in ECCE, only 2.02 are currently health interventions. Table 7 presents the level of enrolled, thus excluding a large number of Nigerian access to a selection of essential ECD health young children. Table 5 displays the actual number of interventions for pregnant women in Nigeria and select children reported to be enrolled in early child care neighboring West African countries. As displayed in centers (based on administrative data collected through Table 7, only 39 percent of births are attended by skilled the SABER-ECD exercise). These administrative data attendants, and 45 percent of pregnant women receive demonstrate the very low level of access to ECCE in all antenatal care (at least 4 visits). These rates are low by four states. international standards and underscore the necessity of enhanced coverage and targeting mechanisms to Figure 6 presents the gross and net enrollment levels by ensure that all pregnant women receive appropriate state based on household survey data, which generally maternal health services. reflect higher enrollment rates. Yet, large disparities exist between states and regions. While a larger Table 5: Number of children enrolled in ECCE centers in Nigeria in Selected States (36-59 months) Percentage of children Number of children total (36- State Number of children enrolled enrolled 59 months) Bauchi (2012) 8.3% 64,566 774,357 Ekiti 0.2% 29,200 14,823,619 Kwara Not available 88,119 Not available Oyo Not available 152,012 Not available Source: SABER-ECD Policy Instrument SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 17 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Figure 6: Preprimary enrollment rates by states (%) 140 140 120 104 105 106 108 101 95 96 94 97 100 89 92 91 80 79 80 71 69 67 58 55 60 48 49 51 39 40 22 31 27 26 31 20 2 6 7 8 10 7 8 10 10 - Niger Katsina Kaduna Rivers DELTA Edo Ekiti Osun FCT-Abuja Imo Enugu Zamfara Gombe Kwara Nasarawa Cross River Ondo Oyo Nigeria Sokoto Kano Bauchi Adamawa Borno Bayelsa LAGOS EbonyiI Kebbi Jigawa Yobe Taraba Abia Plateau Benue Akwa Ibom OGUN Kogi Anambra North West North East North Central South West South East South South Net Gross Source: Vy Nguyen's calculation using Nigeria Education Data Survey 2010 Table 6: Level of access to birth registration in Nigeria and select West African countries Nigeria Guinea Liberia Mali Sierra Leone Birth registration 30% 43% 4% 81% 51% Source: UNICEF Country Statistics, 2010 Table 7: Level of access to essential health services for pregnant women in select West African countries Nigeria Guinea Liberia Mali Sierra Leone Births attended by skilled attendants 39% 46% 46% 49% 42% Pregnant women receiving antenatal 45% 50% 66% 35% 56% care (at least four times) HIV+ pregnant women/exposed infants 30% 58% 38% 34% 62% receiving ARVs for PMTCT Source: UNICEF Country Statistics, 2010 and UNAIDS Database SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 18 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Table 8: Level of access to essential health services for young children in Nigeria and select West African countries Nigeria Guinea Liberia Mali Sierra Leone 1-year-old children immunized against DPT 69% 57% 64% 76% 90% (corresponding vaccines: DPT3ß) Children below 5 with diarrhea receive oral rehydration/ 25% 38% 47% 38% 57% continued feeding (2010) Children below 5 with suspected pneumonia receive 23% No data 62% 38% 27% antibiotics (2010) Children below 5 sleep under ITN 29% 5% 26% 70% 26% Children below 5 with fever receive anti-malarial 49% 74% 67% No data 30% Source: UNICEF Country Statistics, 2010 Young children have very low access to most essential child’s development is immense. The period between health interventions in Nigeria. Promoting healthy conception and the age of two is a window of development of young children requires that ECD health opportunity to address and prevent the damage caused services operate at scale. Table 8 compares coverage by malnutrition. If not addressed, a malnourished child levels for essential ECD health services for young will not fully develop physically, which in turn hinders children in Nigeria and select West African countries. linguistic, cognitive, and socio-emotional development. Currently, only 69 percent of 1-year-old children are In comparison with some neighboring West African immunized. Table 8 also reveals that children in Nigeria countries presented in Table 9, the prevalence of have low access to treatment for diarrhea and moderate and severe stunting is higher in Nigeria than pneumonia: only 25 percent of young children suffering in most countries. By international standards, the level from diarrhea receive oral rehydration and continued of moderate and severe stunting is extremely high in all feeding, 23 percent of children below the age of 5 five countries and indicates children are not receiving suspected to have pneumonia receive antibiotics. These the nutrients and balanced diet required for proper rates are lower than the select countries in the sub- growth and development. region presented here. Also, only 29 percent of children below 5 years of age sleep under an insecticide-treated Breast milk is considered to be the best method to feed bed net (ITN). These low coverage rates underline the an infant during the first six months of life, giving the need for improved efforts to ensure that young children child all the nutrients and calories needed. Nigeria has receive the appropriate services to develop healthfully. the lowest rate of exclusive breastfeeding, next to Particular attention should be given to expand Sierra Leone, with 13 percent of children being immunization coverage in Nigeria. exclusively breastfed until 6 months of age. As Table 9 shows, approximately 12 percent of infants are of low Access to essential nutrition interventions in Nigeria is birth weight, and 66 percent of pregnant women have inadequate. Table 9 illustrates the nutritional status of anemia. While there have been commendable young children and pregnant women in Nigeria and achievements in Vitamin A supplementation and some neighboring countries. The level of moderate and iodized salt consumption in Nigeria, with 91 percent severe stunting amongst children 5 years of age or and 97 percent levels of access respectively, increased younger is 41 percent. The impact of stunting on a access is required for overall nutrition of young children. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 19 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Table 9: Level of access to essential nutrition interventions for young children and pregnant women in Nigeria and select West African countries Sierra Nigeria Guinea Liberia Mali Leone Children below 5 with moderate/severe stunting 41% 40% 42% 38% 36% (2006-10) Vitamin A supplementation coverage (6-59 months) 91% 97% 53% 59% 100% Infants exclusively breastfed until 6 months of age 13% 48% 34% 38% 11% (2010) Infants with low birth weight 12% 12% 14% 19% 14% Prevalence of anemia in pregnant women (2010) 66% No data 62% 73% 60% Children below 5 with anemia 56% No data 88% 83% 83% Population that consumes iodized salt 97% 41% No data 79% 58% Source: UNICEF Country Statistics, WHO Global Database on Anemia Policy Lever 2.3: Equity quintile with the richest quintile, including birth registration rates, skilled attendants at birth, and the Based on the robust evidence of the positive effects ECD number of children below 5 years of age with diarrhea interventions can have for children from disadvantaged who receive oral rehydration and continued feeding. backgrounds, every government should pay special Significant disparities exist. Differences in access to attention to equitable provision of ECD services. One of skilled attendants at birth are particularly remarkable – the fundamental goals of any ECD policy should be to only 8 percent of poor mothers deliver their babies with provide equitable opportunities to all young children a skilled attendant present, whereas 86 percent of the and their families. wealthiest mothers benefit from a skilled attendant at birth. Disparities also exist in terms of children’s access ECD services are not equitably provided to rich and to adequate healthcare: 41 percent of rich children are poor families in Nigeria. Preliminary analysis of treated for diarrhea compared to 17 percent of poor information on access to a selection of ECD children. Moreover, while 62 percent of children from interventions shows that, overall, provision of ECD the richest quintile are registered at birth, only 9 services to young children and pregnant women is not percent of children from the poorest quintile have birth equitable in Nigeria. Using data from the UNICEF registration. Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), Figure 7 and Figure 8 illustrate the level of access to a selection of Access to essential ECD services is higher in urban ECD services based of socioeconomic status and areas than rural areas. Figure 8 presents the same geographical location, respectively. Figure 7 compares three indicators as in Figure 7as well as the percentage access to essential ECD interventions for the poorest of population using improved sanitation facilities to compare the level of equity by geographical location in Nigeria. As clearly illustrated, access to ECD services SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 20 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Figure 7: Access to ECD services and ECD outcomes for poor and rich in Nigeria Figure 8: Access to ECD services by rural/urban location in Nigeria varies significantly between urban and rural areas. in accessing essential ECD services required to ensure Children and families living in urban areas have better their well-being than the population in better equipped access to birth registration and selected health urban areas. interventions and hygiene facilities than those living in rural areas. The level of inequity is particularly stark in Policy Options to Implement ECD Widely in relation to the percentage of skilled attendants at birth – while 65 percent of mothers in urban areas benefit Nigeria from skilled attendant during delivery of their babies, Scope of Programs & Coverage only 20 percent of mothers in rural areas do. This highlights the fact that young children and pregnant  Ensure all essential ECD interventions are provided women living in rural areas face even greater challenges throughout the country through improved SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 21 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 coordination at the point of service delivery. A services as well as promote healthy practices at robust ECD policy should include all important home. Local government IECD committees and sectors and reach all critical stakeholders. In community representatives at the IECD steering Nigeria, ECD interventions are established in most committees have a crucial role to play in planning essential ECD sectors. Despite a wide range of effective outreach activities and monitoring the existing ECD interventions, the majority of them are status of young children in their respective not operating at scale. In Bauchi, Ekiti, Kwara, and communities. Providing promotional education Oyo states, while most national sectoral materials as well as training and support to local programmes are reported to cover all LGAs in the community workers could be a feasible approach respective states, coverage levels are very limited. for the GoN to ensure that poor and rural The GoN should consider developing mechanisms to populations are accessing essential health and ensure that all essential interventions are available nutrition interventions. throughout the country. A mapping exercise to develop a database of ECD related interventions Equity could be useful to foster in-country/in-state  Ensure that essential ECD interventions are collaboration and identify potential gaps and provided to poor children and to those who are possible synergies amongst the different hard to reach, mostly in the rural areas. Disparities stakeholders. The State and LGA IECD committees exist in access to select health and nutrition services have an active role to play in ensuring essential as well as access to preprimary education between interventions are available for children in the those in urban and rural areas, and between the respective regions. Coordination between the rich and poor. Box 5 discusses relevant lessons from education, health, nutrition, and child protection Senegal in improving access to nutrition sectors in local governments will be crucial. This interventions in hard-to-reach populations. The coordination could include sharing coverage data GoN should consider expanding access to essential and collaborating to identify differentiated needs of ECD services targeted towards low-income and young children and gaps in service delivery. vulnerable children as well as those in hard to reach  Support community-based health and nutrition areas. An effective strategy could be to enhance the education through training and promotional capacity of local authorities to identify existing gaps materials. Community-based nutrition promotion and address the needs of the disadvantaged has been identified as one of the most cost- population. As discussed above, coordinating effective investments for a country’s development. 7 interventions at the point of service delivery is an Outreach initiatives and information campaigns in effective strategy to track individual child’s needs local communities can promote positive parenting and to ensure that a comprehensive scope of behaviors that will ensure healthy and well- services is delivered. While national frameworks can nourished children. Through community-based promote increased coverage, efforts at the local education, parents will be more likely to access ECD and community levels are crucial. LGA authorities will need to take an active role in expanding ECD coverage in their respective areas. Box 6 provides a snapshot of how all institutions at different levels contributed to scaling up Cuba’s ECCE program. 7 Tinajero, A., 2010. Scaling-up Early Child Development in Cuba. Brookings Institution & Bernard van Leer Foundation. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 22 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Box 5: Relevant lessons from Senegal: Improving access to nutrition interventions in hard-to-reach populations Example from Senegal: Coordinating service delivery across sectors In 2002, the Nutrition Enhancement Program (NEP) was launched by the Government of Senegal to provide multisectoral support for nutrition and to enhance nutritional conditions for children below age 5 and pregnant and lactating women. It includes a community-based growth monitoring and promotion and community IMCI (Integrated Management of Childhood Illness) with maternal counseling, home visits, and cooking demonstrations. The project integrated nutrition interventions (i.e. growth monitoring and promotion) with existing health sector interventions (i.e. IMCI). The Ministry of Health and local development agencies already provided a relatively good scope of coverage of health interventions in local communities. Thus, the nutrition sector leveraged existing resources for delivering the NEP interventions. Due to the synergetic effect of bringing together the nutrition and health sectors, the NEP became a mechanism for delivering other essential health and nutrition services provided by existing programs (including insecticide-treated bed nets and Vitamin A supplements). By 2012, the Government of Senegal had expanded the community nutrition program to reach more than 60 percent of the target population. Key Lessons for Nigeria: • Given that the Nigerian MoH already provides access to key health services, these health sector programs could be expanded to include nutritional components. • Promoting feeding practices combined with the delivery of essential health services can be an effective strategy to promote the holistic development of children. Box 6: Relevant lessons from Cuba: Scaling up ECCE The Educate Your Child 8 (Educa a Tu Hijo) program, piloted in the 1980’s, is a multisector, community-based early childhood program for families and young children. The program targets children ages 2-6 years old and their parents. Teams of ECCE and health professionals and local coordinating groups are responsible for implementing the program. The Educate Your Child program was expanded nationally during the 1990’s. Cuba now provides universal coverage to preschool programs (including Educate Your Child and two other national programs). The Educate Your Child program was expanded through national, provincial, municipal, and local bodies, where program management and coordinating groups were created at each level. Groups from all levels received training on child development and essential services necessary for each stage of development. Preliminary training lasted approximately one year. The national level trained the provincial level, the provincial level trained the municipal level, and the municipal level trained the local level. The newly built capacity allowed coordinating groups to facilitate effective implementation at their respective levels. At the local level, coordinating groups were responsible for designing an awareness and promotion campaign, carrying out a census of all young children to establish a basic development profile, selecting and contracting service providers, and monitoring the program. Key Lessons for Nigeria: • Departmental and municipal technical ECD committees already exist in many regions in Nigeria and will play an integral role in implementing the IECD Policy. These technical committees should receive adequate training. • Local authorities should be trained to promote adequate delivery of all essential services at the local level. • In line with the Inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms (as discussed in Policy Lever 1.3), Nigeria could learn from the Cuban strategy on how to implement inter-level capacity building where each level of government is trained by a level above it in ECD management. 8 Tinajero, A., 2010. Scaling-up Early Child Development in Cuba. Brookings Institution & Bernard van Leer Foundation SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 23 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 The established Nigerian EMIS could be further Policy Goal 3: Monitoring and Assuring developed to integrate these parameters. Quality Nigeria’s Primary Healthcare Development Authority  Policy Levers: Data Availability • Quality requires regular data collection on access to ECD Standards • Compliance with Standards health services. The National Primary Healthcare Monitoring and Assuring Quality refers to the existence Development Authority (NPHCDA) requires that data of information systems to monitor access to ECD are regularly collected on usage of health facilities at services and outcomes across children, standards for the national, state and LGA levels. During the time this ECD services and systems to monitor and enforce report was prepared, data were not available on the compliance with those standards. Ensuring the quality actual number of children and pregnant women of ECD interventions is vital because evidence has receiving specific health interventions in all four states. shown that unless programs are of high quality, the Yet, according to policy, in Bauchi and Oyo states, the impact on children can be negligible, or even Department of Statistics of the Ministry of Health (MoH) detrimental. collects data on usage of ECD health centers on a monthly basis and differentiates usage by child age and geographical location (urban vs. rural). Policy Lever 3.1: Data Availability Child development outcome indicators are not Accurate, comprehensive and timely data collection can collected in all essential sectors. Measuring children’s promote more effective policy-making. Well-developed overall development including physical, cognitive, information systems can improve decision-making. In language and socio-emotional development is critical to particular, data can inform policy choices regarding the improve the provision of targeted and needs-based ECD volume and allocation of public financing, staff services. In all four states (Bauchi, Ekiti, Kwara and Oyo) recruitment and training, program quality, adherence to children’s development outcome indicators are not standards and efforts to target children most in need. collected. Given that comprehensive data collection can promote rational and effective policy making, Nigeria’s Education Management Information System establishing an individual child development tracking (EMIS) collects data on young children’s access to ECCE system across the different sectors could enable services. Nigeria’s EMIS collects data on ECCE comprehensive and responsive monitoring of children’s enrollment at the national, state and LGA levels through development. annual school censuses. In Bauchi, Ekiti, Kwara and Oyo states EMIS data from State Universal Basic Education Survey data are collected on access to health, Boards (SUBEB) track children’s access to ECCE only by nutrition, and child and social protection interventions age and gender. Only in Oyo state, do data collection in Nigeria. Table 10 displays a series of key indicators efforts collect information based on geographical that a country could track to monitor young children’s location (urban vs. rural) and socioeconomic development. These indicators are divided into both background of beneficiaries. Results generated by data administrative (census data) and survey data (based on collection systems are essential to effectively monitor sampling of a specific population group). It is important progress in ECD. Tracking a variety of basic indicators to note that sometimes indicators tracked for each child enrolled in ECCE programs also helps administratively are only partially available. Nigeria improve education services in the country. Yet, the participates in UNICEF’s Multiple Indicator Cluster current system does not collect data on access by socio- Survey (MICS-3). MICS collects and provides a range of economic background, special needs, mother tongue household data on access and outcomes related to and geographical location (urban/rural). Drawing interventions in health, nutrition, education, child comparisons in access for different levels of protection, and water and sanitation. MICS is the socioeconomic status and by geographical location primary source for the majority of the health and could better inform targeted service provision to nutrition indicators discussed under Policy Levers 2.2 disadvantaged or otherwise hard to reach populations. and 2.3. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 24 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Table 10: Availability of data to monitor ECD in Bauchi, Ekiti, Kwara and Oyo States, Nigeria Administrative Data: State Bauchi Ekiti Kwara Oyo Indicator Tracked Special needs children enrolled in ECCE (number of) X X X X Children attending well-child visits (number of)     Children benefitting from public nutrition interventions (number of)  N/A   Women receiving prenatal nutrition interventions (number of) X N/A   Children enrolled in ECCE by sub-national region (number of)    X Average per student-to-teacher ratio in public ECCE     Is ECCE spending in education sector differentiated within education budget?     Is ECD spending in health sector differentiated within health budget? X X X X Survey Data Indicator Tracked Population consuming iodized salt (%)  Vitamin A Supplementation rate for children 6 -59 months (%)  Anemia prevalence amongst pregnant women (%)  Children below the age of 5 registered at birth (%)  Children immunized against DPT3 at age 12 months (%)  Pregnant women who attend four antenatal visits (%)  Children enrolled in ECCE by socioeconomic status (%) X Policy Lever 3.2: Quality caregivers with appropriate education. In line with the Standards IECD policy, the Standards include sector-specific service delivery requirements for education, health, Ensuring quality ECD service provision is essential. A nutrition and child protection such as the provision of focus on access – without a commensurate focus on appropriate care, stimulation and early learning in ensuring quality – jeopardizes the very benefits that response to a child’s needs; usage of appropriate policymakers hope children will gain through ECD instructional materials; weekly health inspection of interventions. The quality of ECD programs is directly children (i.e. oral hygiene and physical inspection); related to better cognitive and social development in monthly growth monitoring; provision of approved children. feeding arrangements; provision of food compliments and micronutrients. Infrastructure and service delivery standards for ECCE are well established in Nigeria. In August 2004, the The Child Development Department of the Federal Nigerian Educational Research and Development Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development Council (NERDC), with support from the Ministry of (FMoWASD) has also introduced the ‘National Policy Education (MoE), Ministry of Health (MoH) and UNICEF and Guidelines for the Establishment, Management and Nigeria, established ‘The National Minimum Standards Monitoring of Child Care Centers in Nigeria’. This for Early Child Care Centers in Nigeria’. A range of document aims to: i) provide procedures, standards, detailed minimum requirements are established for and regulations for operating ECD centers; and ii) build setting up ECCE facilities to ensure that children learn in coordination and quality control mechanisms that safe and child-friendly environments. To list a few, the involve different stakeholders at the Federal, State and general minimum requirements include: a safe and Local Government levels and Non-Governmental secure environment; specific infrastructure standards; Organizations. It provides detailed roles and availability of appropriate space; availability of responsibilities for service providers, the Federal appropriate sanitation and hygiene facilities; teaching Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the methodical basis; and availability of teachers and SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 25 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 State Ministries of Women Affairs and the Local training for early childhood caregivers once every two Government Councils. years. In Oyo, a 21-hour in-service training is given to caregivers on an annual basis. The training covers Registration and licensure procedures exist for ECCE health, cognitive and social development; nutrition; centers. The FMoWADC mandates that all ECCE centers sanitation; the IECD Policy and the National Minimum must be registered and accredited. For the operation of Standards. Streamlining in-service training provision for child care centers in Nigeria, a registration certificate all ECCE providers could be further explored based on must be obtained from the State Ministry of Women an established and approved training plan. Affairs. A formal registration procedure is in place and includes several administrative processes starting with The average caregiver-child ratio in ECCE centers in an application followed by verification then interactive Nigeria varies across the states. In Nigeria, a significant inspection and finally licensure. Once a center has been disparity exists in ECCE service provision between urban registered, it can start preliminary operation pending and rural areas. As shown in Table 11, urban areas have licensure and once licensed, full operations are a higher child to caregiver ratio than rural areas. Among expected from the center. Centers that fail to meet the four states presented below, Bauchi and Kwara stated requirements during inspections can be de- States have the highest ratio with 88 and 80 children registered or de-licensed by the State and Federal per caregiver in urban areas, respectively, while Oyo Ministries of Women Affairs. State has a lower ratio with 30 children per caregiver. In Bauchi and Kara states, the child to caregiver ratio is Minimum requirements for ECCE service providers are higher in urban areas than in rural areas; no rural data established, yet the State Government does not are available for Ekiti or Oyo state to make a similar regulate in-service training program to improve quality comparison. of early learning services. The National Minimum Standards for ECCE centers include clear guidelines for Table 11: Child-caregiver ratio in ECCE centers in caregivers’ qualifications, experience, and child-to- Nigeria (2012) caregiver ratios. Caregivers for 0-3 year olds are only State Urban Rural required to be older than 21 years old and have basic Bauchi 88:1 50:1 literacy, while caregivers for 3-5 year olds are required Ekiti 50:1 No data to have at a minimum an upper secondary school Kwara 80:1 30:1 certificate, and proficiency certificate. Preferably these Oyo 30:1 No data caregivers have a Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) holders, or are retired nurses or school teachers. The Source: SABER-ECD Policy Instruments NERDC requires one caregiver and one ‘helper’ or assistant for 20-25 children below 3 years old, and one Early learning standards have been developed and caregiver for every 30-35 children between 3-5 year approved but are not yet disseminated for effective olds. According to the international standard for best usage at the service delivery level. The NERDC has practice, an optimal learning environment is achieved developed the National Early Childhood Curriculum for with an average caregiver-child ratio not exceeding 1:15 children aged 0-5. The document outlines in preschool education. Revision of the established developmental areas, including the following: cognitive minimum ratios could be further considered. The development, knowledge, skills and understanding; NERDC also requires that update and refresher in- physical development, health and safety; language, service courses for caregivers and helpers are organized communication and literacy; social and emotional from time to time, without any specific frequency development; and, approaches to learning. Although requirement. the National Curriculum has been approved by the Federal Government, it has not been widely In-service training provision varies from one state to disseminated to the State levels for implementation. another. In Bauchi and Ekiti States, in-service training is According to the revised National Policy on Education provided very irregularly. In Kwara State, the State (2004), mother-tongue instruction is mandated in College of Basic Education provides a 7-day in-service Nigeria. In addition, based on the identified SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 26 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 developmental needs of young children (i.e. cognitive, Policy Options to Monitor and Assure ECD motor, social, emotional, and linguistic development), the NERDC is in the process of developing a ‘Caregivers’ Quality in Nigeria Manual’ to guide the provision of ECCE services for Data availability children aged 0 to 5 years. A draft manual currently  Establish an improved monitoring and evaluation exists, and is awaiting finalization and approval by the system to ensure that all essential ECD relevant Government bodies. interventions are provided to the eligible beneficiaries. Comprehensive data collection can Infrastructure and service delivery standards for health promote effective policy-making, allowing for facilities are established in Nigeria. The improved decision-making. The GoN could consider NPHCDC/SPHCDC has established standards to govern the establishment of an improved Monitoring and the provision of ECD health services to young children. Evaluation system that would help guarantee that Healthcare providers are required to complete training eligible beneficiaries receive the appropriate in early childhood service delivery. State ministries of services. health are in charge of ensuring that health facilities-  Establish mechanisms to collect and maintain data health posts, centers, and hospitals- comply with on child development outcomes. In addition to construction standards. tracking access to services, an expanded tracking system could monitor child development outcomes Policy Lever 3.3: which are essential in the policy-making and Compliance with Standards decision-making process. In Nigeria, child outcome indicators are not collected in any relevant sector Establishing standards is essential to providing quality involved in ECD service provision. It is highly ECD services and to promoting the healthy development recommended that child outcome indicators are of children. Once standards have been established, it is collected in all essential ECD sectors to better critical that mechanisms are put in place to ensure inform comprehensive ECD implementation moving compliance with standards. forward. Measuring cognitive, linguistic, physical, and socio-emotional development can help Compliance with ECCE service provision standards is policymakers evaluate the impact of existing not well monitored. Despite established clear standards interventions and decide which interventions are for ECCE service provision, the level of compliance with most effective. During a child’s early years, new these standards is rarely monitored. Most centers are capacities emerge continuously and sequentially – never or irregularly inspected for compliance with development in one domain often affects registration standards. Data are not available on the development in another. For example, children who number of centers that meet requirements and or on are slow in one domain (i.e. language development) the qualifications of ECCE service providers, thus it is may have limited capacity to show the skills that difficult to reflect the existing situation at the point of they possess in other domains (i.e. for instance service delivery. Moreover, evaluations do not cognitive tasks that require language skills). comprehensively monitor all established quality Therefore, development in young children should standards. ECCE centers are not visited and evaluated be assessed as comprehensively as possible. When based on an array of service delivery indicators derived measuring a child’s development, it is also from specific standards. No mechanisms exist to important to look closely at which indicators are enforce registration and accreditation requirements. expected to change as a result of a specific intervention. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 27 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013  Enhance coordination of sectors involved in data identified developmental needs of young children collection for ECD services. Given the highly (i.e. cognitive, motor, social, emotional, and decentralized institutional arrangement in Nigeria linguistic development), the NERDC has taken the and recognizing that essential ECD data come from lead in developing a ‘Caregivers’ Manual’ to guide a variety of sources, mechanisms to connect this the provision of ECCE services for children aged 0 to information are essential. Ensuring coordination 5 years, which is currently in draft form awaiting and consistency of data from all sectors is crucial if finalization and approval by the relevant the GoN is to measure the impact of its investments Government bodies. It would be essential to finalize and guarantee that all children are provided with this Manual and make it available to service the essential and/or targeted services they need. providers through well implemented dissemination. Box 7 provides an example from Chile, where a  Strengthen quality assurance mechanisms. While comprehensive information system has already minimum standards and requirements for quality proven effective. assurance in health and education sectors are well developed in Nigeria, it is highly recommended that Quality Standards & Compliance with monitoring and compliance mechanisms be Standards strengthened. Box 8 presents an example from Jamaica, where the Government has adopted Finalize and disseminate the ‘Caregivers Manual’ innovative mechanisms to guarantee that ECCE which is currently in draft form. Based on the centers meet the required minimum standards. Box 7: Example from Chile: Online Registration, Monitoring, and Referral System The “Chile Grows with You” initiative-CCC-(Chile Crece Contigo) is a comprehensive child protection system to prove intersectoral support to children from age 0 to 4 years. One innovative component of CCC is an online monitoring system that follows each child through the CCC system. The system tracks a child’s eligibility for and receipt of services, as well as his or her developmental outcomes. It allows service providers and policymakers to monitor the delivery of benefits as well as evaluate program impact. Key Lessons for Nigeria:  Quality assurance systems could support better monitoring of compliance with standards, tracking which children receive specific benefits and services.  A tracking system is particularly beneficial for improved intersectoral coordination at the point of delivery, as it provides an accessible platform for health, education, and child protection service providers to be on the same page about child’s needs and receipt of services.  An improved online system could improve targeting of at-risk children and promote early intervention. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 28 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Box 8: Example from Jamaica: Ensuring Quality in ECCE provision The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) was established by an Act of Parliament, the Early Childhood Commission Act, in 2003. The Commission has the responsibility to ensure the integrated and coordinated delivery of early childhood programmes and services. Through its varying activities, the ECC guides the holistic development of children, including physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. The Commission has a range of legislated functions, one of which indicates direct responsibility to supervise and regulate early childhood institutions (ECI). Standards for the operation, management and administration of ECIs: In Jamaican law, there are two types of Standards; those transmitted by an Act or Regulations, which therefore carry legal consequences, and those that serve to improve practice voluntarily and are not legally binding. For practical purposes, quality standards for ECIs include both sets of standards, with clear indications of those standards that are legally binding. Standard statements for ECI: To improve the quality of services provided by ECIs, the ECC has developed a range of robust operational quality standards for ECIs. The Act and Regulations, which together comprise the legal requirements, specify the minimum levels of practice below which institutions will not be registered or allowed to operate. The standards that are not legally binding define best practices for early childhood institutions and serve to encourage institutions to raise their level of practice above minimum requirements. While ECIs are encouraged to achieve the highest possible standards to ensure the best outcomes for children, the legally binding standards guarantee that minimum standards are met. Inspection and registration: Inspection of ECIs is the procedure designated under the Early Childhood Act for ensuring that operators comply with the minimum acceptable standards of practice. The ECC is required to inspect each ECI twice annually. It is a requirement of registration that the registered operator co-operates with the ECC’s inspection process. The “registered operator” is defined as the person required to apply for registration of an ECI and may be an individual or a group. In deciding on the suitability of an ECI for registration under the Early Childhood Act, the ECC will, based on information obtained at inspection visits, determine whether or not an ECI meets and complies with the Act and Regulations. Where existing provision falls short of the legal requirements, and the shortfall does not present a real and present danger to children, a permit to operate until full requirements are met will be granted, with time scales for institutions to meet requirements. The ECC encourages the promotion of the highest standards of practice by monitoring not only the minimum requirements at inspection visits, but also by monitoring those standards that are not legally binding. Key Lessons for Nigeria: • Consider establishing legally binding requirements for ECCE service provision to guarantee that acceptable minimum standards are met. • Consider assigning a special entity with a delineated role to monitor and regulate ECCE service providers. An improved quality monitoring system will ensure that best outcomes are achieved. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 29 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Comparing Official Policies with Outcomes Preliminary Benchmarking and The existence of laws and policies alone does not International Comparison of ECD in Nigeria always guarantee a correlation with desired ECD Table 13 presents the classification of ECD policy in outcomes. In many countries, policies on paper and the Nigeria within each of the nine policy levers and three reality of access and service delivery on the ground are policy goals. The SABER-ECD classification system does not aligned. Table 12 shows the status of these not rank countries according to any overall scoring; comparisons in a selection of ECD activities. In the case rather, it is intended to share information on how of Nigeria, a strong correlation between different ECD systems address the same policy policies/national programs and implementation is challenges. As discussed throughout this report, the reflected in the comparison of policy mandating legal framework to promote ECD is “established” in iodization of salt and the percentage of households Nigeria, but in most of the other areas reviewed in the consuming iodized salt. Despite policies and programs SABER-ECD rubric, there is room for improvement, to promote exclusive breastfeeding for a child’s first six particularly in terms of finance for ECD, coverage, data months, just 13 percent of all children are exclusively availability and compliance with standards, all of which breastfed for their first six months. Despite the are rated as “latent.” recognition and desire to increase access to preprimary education in various policies, the outcome remains limited with a national preschool enrollment rate of just 14 percent. Table 12: Comparing ECD policies with outcomes in Nigeria. ECD Policies Outcomes Nutrition  Nigeria’s policies comply with the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes Rate of exclusive breastfeeding until the age of six months: 13 percent Health  Young children are required to receive a Children immunized with DPT complete course of childhood immunizations (1 year old): 69 percent  National policy mandates the iodization of salt for Percentage of households human consumption consuming iodized salt: 97 percent Child Protection  National policy mandates the registration of children Birth registration rate: 30 percent at birth Education  Preschool/kindergarten is not mandatory for any Gross preschool enrollment Rate (children child age aged 36-69 months): 14 percent SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 30 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 Table 13: Benchmarking Early Childhood Development policy in Nigeria Table 14 presents the status of ECD policy development achieves a benchmarking of “Advanced” in all nine in Nigeria alongside a selection of OECD countries. policy levers. Colombia presents an example of a Sweden is home to one of the world’s most country that has made strides in the last few decades to comprehensive and developed ECD policies and improve ECD policies and programs. Table 14: International classification and comparison of ECD systems SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 31 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 examined in detail and some policy options are Conclusion identified to strengthen ECD services that are offered. The SABER-ECD initiative is designed to enable ECD Table 15 summarizes the key policy options identified to policy makers and development partners to identify inform policy dialogue and improve the provision of opportunities for further development of effective ECD essential ECD services in Nigeria to ensure that all young systems. This Country Report presents a framework to children have a strong start in life and the opportunity compare Nigeria’s ECD system with other countries in to reach their full potential. goals and corresponding nine policy levers are Table 15: Summary of policy options to improve ECD in Nigeria Policy Policy Options and Recommendations Dimension • Create innovative mechanisms to promote birth registration in the country. • Establish mechanisms to promote the provision of adequate free healthcare interventions to young children and expecting mothers. • Develop strategies to deliver age-appropriate ECCE services to young children Establishing an aged 0-3. Enabling • Finalize a costed implementation plan for IECD Policy at the state level. Environment • Establish a common plan of action for ECD service delivery at the state level. • Strengthen ECD budget coordination mechanisms between the different sectors involved. • Ensure coordinated, sustainable, and adequate commitment to ECD finance. • Improve coordination at the point of service delivery for essential ECD interventions. Implementing • Support community-based health and nutrition education through training and Widely promotional materials. • Ensure that essential ECD interventions are provided to poor children and to those hard to reach in the rural areas. • Establish an improved monitoring and evaluation system to ensure that all essential ECD interventions are provided to the eligible beneficiaries. • Establish mechanisms to collect and maintain data on child development Monitoring and outcomes. Assuring Quality • Enhance coordination of sectors involved in data collection for ECD services. • Finalize and disseminate the ‘Caregivers Manual’ which is currently in draft form. • Strengthen quality assurance mechanisms for ECCE centers and service delivery personnel. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 32 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2013 www.worldbank.org/education/saber The Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) initiative collects data on the policies and institutions of education systems around the world and benchmarks them against practices associated with student learning. SABER aims to give all parties with a stake in educational results—from students, administrators, teachers, and parents to policymakers and business people—an accessible, detailed, objective snapshot of how well the policies of their country's education system are oriented toward ensuring that all children and youth learn. This report focuses specifically on policies in the area of early childhood development. This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. THE WORLD BANK SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 33