100061 The Democratic Republic of Congo SABER Country Report EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT 2014 Policy Goals Status 1. Establishing an Enabling Environment The 2012 National Policy on the Integrated Development of the Young Child and the inclusion of ECCE in the recently revised National Education Law of 2014 are important achievements toward the construction of a strong ECD system. However, these frameworks lack government endorsement and costed implementation plans. Tracking and allocating a clear budget toward ECD could also improve effectiveness of delivery. 2. Implementing Widely The Democratic Republic of Congo has some of the highest under-five mortality rates in the region and one of the lowest enrollment rates for preprimary education. The devastation of the five-year conflict (1998 to 2003) made it difficult to provide comprehensive ECD services to children in their early years. Despite established health, nutrition, and education services in all provinces, few are mandatory and most have fees, making access difficult for most of the population. 3. Monitoring and Assuring Quality Data to monitor standards and ensure quality are not available. Standards for learning environments such as infrastructure exist but are not enforced, and although there are no standards for number of students per teachers, the national average is above international standards, with overpopulated classrooms that make it difficult for educators to teach. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Overview This report presents an analysis of the Early Childhood The devastation of the five-year conflict made it difficult to Development (ECD) programs and policies that affect provide comprehensive and key ECD services to children in young children in the Democratic Republic of Congo and their early years. As a result, the Democratic Republic of recommendations to move forward. This report is part of Congo has some of the highest under-five mortality rates a series of reports prepared by the World Bank using the in the region, as shown in table 1. Enrollment rates for SABER-ECD framework 1 and includes analysis of early preprimary education are also unsatisfactory with just 4 learning, health, nutrition, and social and child protection percent of children enrolled, well below the regional policies and interventions in Democratic Republic of average of 20 percent. Congo, along with regional and international comparisons. However, the country has taken steps to include ECD within its national education policy. In 2012 a multisectoral ECD strategy was endorsed by nine relevant government The Democratic Republic of Congo and sectors. Also in 2012, the Ministry of Education formalized Early Childhood Development an institutional anchor to coordinate ECD across sectors that had started in 2006 as a working group. And in 2014, Situated in central Africa, the Democratic Republic of the country’s revised national education law, Cadre de Congo is the second largest country in Africa by area and l’enseignement National 2014, included guaranteeing the eleventh largest in the world. The mainly francophone children ages three through five preschool education country of 75 million people is recovering from Africa's (although the law does not make it mandatory or free). ''world war'' in which millions died between 1998 and The Democratic Republic of Congo has much to do to 2003. Nearly half of the victims were children under five ensure the necessary services for children to reach their years of age who died from malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, full potential, but building blocks are established. and malnutrition. Eastern regions continue to be unstable despite the 2013 peace agreement. Table 1: Snapshot of ECD Indicators in the Democratic Republic of Congo with Regional Comparison Congo, Angola Nigeria Burundi Cameroon Zambia Dem. Rep. Infant mortality (deaths per 1,000 live births, 2012) 100 100 78 67 61 56 Under-5 mortality (deaths per 1,000 live births, 2012) 146 164 124 104 95 89 Moderate and severe stunting (under 5, 2008–12) 43.4% 29% 35.8% 57.7% 32.5% 45.4% Attendance in early childhood education (2005–12) 4.9 N/A 42.6 4.7 N/A N/A Birth registration (2005–12) 27.8% 36% 41.5% 75.2% 61.4% 14% 1SABER-ECD is one domain within the World Bank initiative, Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER), which is designed to provide comparable and comprehensive assessments of countries’ policies. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 2 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Systems Approach for Better Education Box 1: A Checklist to Consider How Well ECD Is Promoted at the Country Level Results–Early Childhood Development What should be in place at the country level to promote (SABER-ECD) coordinated and integrated ECD interventions for young SABER-ECD collects, analyzes, and disseminates children and their families? comprehensive information on ECD policies around the Health care world. In each participating country, extensive x Standard health screenings for pregnant women multisectoral information is collected on ECD policies x Skilled attendants at delivery x Childhood immunizations and programs through a desk review of available x Well-child visits government documents, data and literature, and Nutrition interviews with a range of ECD stakeholders, including x Breastfeeding promotion government officials, service providers, civil society, x Salt iodization development partners, and scholars. The SABER-ECD x Iron fortification framework presents a holistic and integrated assessment Early Learning of how the overall policy environment in a country x Parenting programs (during pregnancy, after delivery, affects young children’s development. This assessment and throughout early childhood) can be used to identify how countries address the same x High-quality child care for working parents policy challenges related to ECD, with the ultimate goal x Free preprimary school (preferably at least two years of designing effective policies for young children and with developmentally appropriate curriculum and their families. classrooms and quality assurance mechanisms) Social Protection Box 1 presents an abbreviated list of interventions and x Services for orphans and vulnerable children policies that the SABER-ECD approach looks for in x Policies to protect rights of children with special needs countries when assessing the level of ECD policy and promote their participation/access to ECD services development. This list is not exhaustive but is meant to x Financial transfer mechanisms or income supports to reach the most vulnerable families (could include cash provide an initial checklist for countries to consider the transfers, social welfare, etc.) key policies and interventions needed across sectors. Child Protection Three Key Policy Goals for Early Childhood x Mandated birth registration Development x Job protection and breastfeeding breaks for new mothers SABER-ECD identifies three core policy goals that x Specific provisions in judicial system for young children countries should address to ensure optimal ECD x Guaranteed paid parental leave of least six months outcomes: Establishing an Enabling Environment, x Domestic violence laws and enforcement Implementing Widely, and Monitoring and Assuring x Tracking of child abuse (especially for young children) Quality. Improving ECD requires an integrated approach x Training for law enforcement officers in regard to the to address all three goals. As described in Figure 1, for particular needs of young children each policy goal, a series of policy levers are identified through which decision makers can strengthen ECD. Figure 1: Three Core ECD Policy Goals Strengthening ECD policies can be viewed as a continuum; as described in Table 2, countries can range from a latent to advanced level of development within the different policy levers and goals. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 3 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Table 2: ECD Policy Goals and Levels of Development Level of Development ECD Policy Goal Minimal legal Nonexistent legal Regulations in some Developed legal framework; some Establishing framework; ad hoc sectors; functioning framework; robust programs with sustained an Enabling financing; low intersectoral interinstitutional financing; some Environment intersectoral coordination; sustained coordination; sustained intersectoral coordination financing financing coordination Universal coverage; Coverage expanding but Near-universal coverage Low coverage; pilot comprehensive gaps remain; programs in some sectors; Implementing programs in some strategies across sectors; established in a few established programs in Widely sectors; high inequality integrated services for sectors; inequality in most sectors; low in access and outcomes all, some tailored and access and outcomes inequality in access targeted Information on Information on Information on outcomes at national, Minimal survey data outcomes from national outcomes at national regional and local levels; Monitoring available; limited to individual levels; level; standards for standards for services and Assuring standards for provision standards exist for all services exist in some exist for most sectors; Quality of ECD services; no sectors; system in place sectors; no system to system in place to enforcement to regularly monitor and monitor compliance regularly monitor enforce compliance compliance National laws and regulations promote appropriate Policy Goal 1: Establishing an Enabling health care for pregnant women and young children, Environment but at a cost. The Democratic Republic of Congo does not provide free antenatal visits or skilled attendants. The ¾Policy Levers: Legal Framework • Health Ministry, in its 2011 Standards and Guidelines for Intersectoral Coordination • Finance Maternal, Newborn, and Child Integrated Interventions, An Enabling Environment is the foundation for the design recommends four prenatal consultations, but they are and implementation of effective ECD policies. 2 An not free. The country does provide, however, standard enabling environment consists of the following: the health screenings for HIV and STDs for pregnant women, existence of an adequate legal and regulatory framework with follow-up procedures and referral services. As to support ECD, coordination within sectors and across stated in the National Vaccination Program, young institutions to deliver services effectively, and sufficient children are required to receive a complete course of fiscal resources with transparent and efficient allocation childhood immunizations and well-child visits on a mechanisms. regular basis. Policy Lever 1.1: National laws and regulations promote appropriate Legal Framework dietary consumption by pregnant women and young The legal framework comprises all of the laws and children. Box 2 includes the most relevant laws regulations that can affect the development of young governing early childhood in the country. Per the children in a country. The laws and regulations that impact National Nutrition Policy, salt iodization is encouraged by ECD are diverse because of the array of sectors that national policy, but it is not mandatory, as is the influence ECD and because of the different constituencies fortification of cereals/staples with iron. In addition, the that ECD policy can and should target, including pregnant country has taken measures to legislate some aspects of women, young children, parents, and caregivers. the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes—an international health policy framework 2 Britto, Yoshikawa, and Boller 2011; Vargas-Barón 2005. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 4 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 for breastfeeding promotion adopted by the World Policies provide suitable opportunities for parents and Health Organization. caregivers to provide care to newborns and infants in their first year of life. Upon pregnancy, women have the Box 2: Key Laws and Regulations Governing ECD in the right to suspend their work for 14 consecutive weeks, a Democratic Republic of Congo maximum of eight weeks postpregnancy and six before childbirth. During this period, whether the child lives or - Framework for the National Education Law not, the employee is entitled to two-thirds of her salary (2014) and continuation of the contractual benefits. Article 30 - National Policy on the Integrated Development of the Young Child (2012) of the Labor Code also states that pregnancy should not - Standards and guidelines on integrated be considered a cause for termination. Table 3 provides interventions for maternal, newborn, and a regional comparison of maternity and paternity policies children’s health in the Democratic Republic of for the country. The Democratic Republic of Congo Congo (2011) follows some guidelines in accordance with the ILO Maternity Protection Convention, such as women are Other Laws and Policies Protecting Women guaranteed breastfeeding breaks and protection from and Children employment discrimination, but it does not guarantee - National Action Plan to Support Orphans and breastfeeding facilities. However, because of the high Vulnerable Children (2010) - National Nutrition Policy (2013) extent of the informal economy, many women do not - Child Protection Act (2009) benefit from maternity policies. - National Action Plan for the Prevention and Fight against Violence against Children in the The education law does not mandate the provision of Democratic Republic of Congo (2009) free preprimary education before primary school entry. - Labor Code (2002) The country’s most recent national education law, the - National Program for Reproductive Health Framework for the National Education Law (Cadre de (2001) l’Enseignement National), 2014, guarantees children - Family Code (2002) ages three through five preschool education but does not address its free provision. Most of the preprimary education is administered and provided by the private sector. Child protection policies and services have been established, but little is done to promote the reduction of family violence. A policy mandates the registration of children at birth within the 2002 Family Code. Table 3: Regional Comparison of Maternity and Paternity Leave Policies Congo, Dem. Rep. Cameroon Burundi Nigeria 98 days mandatory minimum 98 days mandatory minimum 84 days mandatory minimum 84 days mandatory minimum paid maternity leave; fathers paid maternity leave; fathers paid maternity leave; fathers paid maternity leave; fathers have a right to paternity leave have a right to paternity leave have a right to paternity leave do not have a right to with a minimum of 2 days of with a minimum of 3 days with a minimum of 4 days paternity leave mandatory paid paternity mandatory minimum paid mandatory minimum paid leave paternity leave paternity leave Source: World Bank Women, Business, and the Law Database 2014. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 5 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 The national judicial system also provides the following ministerial decree in 2012. Although the working group specific protections to young children: specialized is composed of focal points, staff is not officially training for judges, lawyers, and law enforcement appointed. The decree establishes for the working group officers and establishment of specialized courts and a to meet once a month to discuss upcoming activities and child advocacy body. However, the government does evaluate what has been done in terms of ECD in the little to promote the reduction of family violence and country, but this is not enforced. acts only if a complaint is filed or reported to the police. No training to prevent violence is provided to ECCE No coordinated interventions ensure that children teachers, health workers, or family members, and no receive integrated services. The multisectorial working system is in place to report or track child abuse. group was commissioned in 2012 by ministerial decree to be in charge of intensive work to elaborate a Social protection policies and ECD services do not reach comprehensive national policy for the ECD in the vulnerable children. The country has a policy to provide Democratic Republic of Congo. A document was orphans and vulnerable children with ECD services—the developed, called the National Policy on the National Action Plan to Support Orphans and Vulnerable Development of the Young Child, but lacks an Children—but this policy has not been implemented. No implementation plan and has not been endorsed by the laws are in place to protect the rights of children with government yet. Currently only a couple of programs disabilities and promote their participation and access to involve more than one ministry, shown in table 4. ECD services. Table 4: Multisectorial Programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo Policy Lever 1.2: Multisectoral Ministries Involved Intersectoral Coordination Programs Development in early childhood is a multidimensional process. 3 To meet children’s diverse needs during the Parenting x Ministy of Primary, Secondary, and early years, government coordination is essential, both Education Program Professional Education horizontally across different sectors as well as vertically x Ministry of Health and Nutrition x Ministry of Social Affairs from the local to national levels. In many countries, nonstate actors (either domestic or international) National School x Ministy of Primary, Secondary, and participate in ECD service delivery; for this reason, Health Program Professional Education mechanisms to coordinate with nonstate actors are also x Ministry of Health and Nutrition essential. There is an explicitly stated multisectoral ECD strategy. This strategy—Politique Nationale du Developpement Also, no mechanisms are in place for collaboration Integré du Jeune Enfant (National Policy on the between government and nonstate stakeholders. Integrated Development of the Young Child)—was UNICEF is the government’s main partner for integrated established in 2006 but is not implemented. The strategy ECD services. is endorsed by eight relevant sectors, which include the Ministry of Primary, Secondary, and Professional Policy Lever 1.3: Education, Ministry of Tertiary and University Education, Finance Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Although legal frameworks and intersectoral Public Health, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Budget, coordination are crucial to establishing an enabling Ministry of Communication Media and New Citizen, as environment for ECD, adequate financial investment is well as UNICEF, but lacks a costed implementation plan key to ensuring that resources are available to implement validated by the government. policies and achieve service provision goals. Investments in ECD can yield high public returns but are often A working group has been established to coordinate undersupplied without government support. ECD across sectors but is not active. The working group Investments during the early years can yield greater was established in 2006 and was formalized by returns than equivalent investments made later in a 3 Naudeau et al. 2011; Neuman 2007; UNESCO-OREALC 2004. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 6 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 child’s life cycle and can lead to long-lasting Data from the government are not available for health intergenerational benefits.4 Not only do investments in and nutrition expenditures. Data from the World Health ECD generate high and persistent returns, they can also Organizations report that in 2012 the amount spent on enhance the effectiveness of other social investments health care per capita was $15, 32 percent of which was and help governments address multiple priorities with from households’ out-of-pocket (around $6). Out-of- single investments. pocket expenditure as a percentage of all private health expenditure is 66.8 percent—the lowest compared with The country does not have a transparent budget the five comparison countries: Angola, Burundi, process for ECD spending. No explicit criteria are Cameroon, Nigeria, and Zambia (see table 6). Substantial established to decide ECD spending at the national or investment in health and nutrition comes from subnational level. The country does not allocate specific international donors, such as USAID, UNICEF, the budget for ECCE: Expenditures for ECCE are incorporated governments of Belgium and the European Union, and with that of primary education (Table 5). No reports are nongovernmental organizations such as the Global issued on the amount spent for ECD within the health, Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation. nutrition, and social protection sectors. The country does, however, report on funds given toward these Table 6: Regional Comparison of Select Health Expenditure sectors from external sources. Indicators5 Congo, Table 5: ECD Budget across Sectors in the Democratic Dem. Cameroon Zambia Burundi Angola Nigeria Republic of Congo for 2011 and 2012 Rep. 2011 2012 Out-of- Education (primary and pocket $493,398,873 $470,447,130 expenditure preprimary education) as a 66.8% 94.2% 66.7% 69.7% 70.5% 95.7% Health Not available Not available percentage of private Nutrition Not available Not available expenditure on health Private Protection Not available Not available expenditure Source: Ministry of Budget estimates. of health as a percentage 48.7% 66.5% 35.9% 40.5% 37.8% 68.9% of total National laws and regulations promote appropriate expenditure on health health care and nutrition for pregnant women and General young children, but almost all services require government user fees. Among these fees are treatments for expenditure 3% 2% 4% 5% 2% 2% on health as a infectious diseases, medical consultations, and children’s percentage of emergency services, as well as school fees such as GDP uniforms, mandatory exams, contributions for teacher Routine EPI vaccines salaries, and transportation fees. Costs are not uniform financed by 10.6% 13.1% No 6.7% 100% No data data and depend on the community. Antiretroviral treatment government, of HIV/AIDS and Prevention of Mother to Child 2012 Transmission of HIV/AIDS is free, but parents still have to Sources: WHO Global Health Expenditure Database 2012; UNICEF MICS Country Statistics. pay fees for the consultation and doctor’s appointment. Vaccine coverage (diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus [DPT]) is also free, but parents have to pay for the vaccination carnet. Parents and the community also pay the salaries of community-based child care center professionals and health service professionals. Depending on the community, parents’ school fees per child can range from $5 to 55 a month. 4 Hanushek and Kimko 2000; Hanushek 2003; Valerio and Garcia 2012; WHO pharmaceuticals, therapeutic appliances, and other goods and services 2005. whose primary intent is to contribute to the restoration or enhancement of 5 Out-of-pocket expenditure is any direct outlay by households, including the health status of individuals or population groups. gratuities and in-kind payments, to health practitioners and suppliers of SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 7 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Policy Options to Strengthen the Enabling Policy Goal 2: Implementing Widely Environment for ECD in the Democratic ¾ Policy Levers: Scope of Programs • Republic of Congo Coverage •Equity Implementing Widely refers to the scope of ECD Legal Framework programs available, the extent of coverage (as a share of the eligible population), and the degree of equity within ¾ Develop frameworks for children to age three. In a ECD service provision. By definition, a focus on ECD country where close to 80 percent of people cannot involves (at a minimum) interventions in health, afford the most basic nutritional needs, few families can nutrition, education, and social and child protection, and afford access to health and nutrition interventions for should target pregnant women, young children, and their their child’s early years. It is important that the parents and caregivers. A robust ECD policy should government consider making nutritional and health include programs in all essential sectors and provide programs mandatory and more easily accessible to all. comparable coverage and equitable access across regions and socioeconomic status—especially reaching Intersectoral Coordination the most disadvantaged young children and their families. ¾ The government could consider endorsing an ECD national strategy. The country has taken important steps to bring together focal points from different sectors to Policy Lever 2.1: draft an ECD strategy, but unless is it endorsed by the Scope of Programs government and includes a costed implementation plan, there will be insufficient commitment from the most Effective ECD systems have programs established in all important actors to implement it. essential sectors and ensure that every child and expectant mothers have guaranteed access to the ¾ Include nongovernment actors in the conversation. essential services and interventions they need to live The private sector makes up more than half of the ECD healthfully. The scope of programs assesses the extent to service provision in the country. Including this sector in which ECD programs across key sectors reach all the conversation will be vital to find cost-effective ways beneficiaries. Figure 2 presents a summary of the key to provide ECD services to all children. interventions needed to support young children and their families via different sectors at different stages in a ¾ Develop action plans for the National ECD Strategy child’s life. on federal and provincial levels. The current National Policy on the Integrated Development of the Young Child ECD interventions are mostly stablished in the health lacks a costed implementation plan. Additionally, despite and nutrition sector, with a few programs focused on the decentralization process that the country is going education and social protection. Figure 3 shows a through, it does not mention the role of the provincial selection of programs in the education, health, nutrition, governments in reaching the set goals. and child and social protection sectors that target a range of beneficiaries in the Democratic Republic of Finance Congo. The National Program for the Fight against ¾ Establish a system to track investment in ECD. The Malaria and the National Program for Reproductive government of the Democratic Republic of Congo could Health have a list of essential health interventions that consider adopting a methodology to track expenditure are provided to all 11 provinces. Among these on programs involving children to age six. Each ministry interventions are distribution of bed nets for pregnant could disaggregate program spending by ECD age group. women and children, prenatal health care, full The government could also continue to track investment immunizations for children, well-child visits and growth on ECD from external sources and could include the monitoring of young children, parental training on child private sector to have a full spectrum of ECD investment development in health or community centers, and home in the country. This type of financial information would visiting programs to promote health within parents— help policy makers know where to best and more cost- although not all interventions are free. However, health effectively allocate resources. workers are not required to complete training in delivering messages on early childhood development. In SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 8 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 terms of ECD programs in the nutrition sector, three programs exist to target pregnant women and children: programs that promote breastfeeding, micronutrient support/food supplementation for pregnant women, and complementary feeding for children. A health program that covers children ages three to seven is the National School Health Program, which works to manage the health of students and prevent health problems in public and private schools; health monitoring includes hygiene, vaccinations, and disease detection. The few ECD education interventions implemented and administered by the government are provided to all 11 provinces, but they are neither universal, mandatory, nor free. These public preschool programs are the Programme National d’Enseignment Maternel (National Preschool Program) and the Espace Commnunitaire d’Eveil (ECE; Community Space Awakening), both targeting children ages three to five. Although the government finances the National Preschool Program paying for teacher salaries, the ECE program is mostly funded by UNICEF and/or the community. A parental education program—Encadrement Parentale—targets mothers and fathers and covers education, health, and nutrition aspects of children in all 11 provinces. Social protection programs are few—a couple programs exist for children in streets but lack funding and organization. Figure 2: Essential Interventions during Different Periods of Young Children’s Development SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 9 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Figure 3: Scope of ECD Interventions in the Democratic Republic of Congo by Target Population and Sector Table 7: ECD Programs and Coverage in the Democratic Republic of Congo Scale ECD Intervention Pilot Number of Universal Programs Regions Covered Coverage Education State-provided preprimary/kindergarten education (faith schools) All provinces State-sponsored ECCE - - - Community-based ECCE X Privately provided ECCE All provinces Health Antenatal and newborn care All provinces Integrated management of childhood illnesses and care for development All provinces Childhood wellness and growth monitoring - - - National immunization program All provinces Nutrition Micronutrient support for pregnant women All provinces Food supplements for pregnant women All provinces Micronutrient support for young children All provinces Food supplements for young children All provinces Food fortification All provinces Breastfeeding promotion programs All provinces Anti-obesity programs encouraging healthy eating/exercise - - - Feeding programs in preprimary/kindergarten schools - - - Parenting Parenting integrated into health/community programs All provinces Home visiting programs to provide parenting messages - - - Special Needs Programs for OVCs (boarding schools and children’s homes) 1 province X (Kinshasa) Interventions for children with special (emotional and physical) needs - - - Antipoverty Cash transfers conditional on ECD services or enrollment - - - Comprehensive A comprehensive system that tracks individual children’s needs - - - SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 10 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Table 7 displays the scale and range of ECD programs in Table 8: Regional Comparison of Level of Access to Essential the country that are established in the education, health, Health Services for Young Children and Pregnant Women nutrition, and social protection sectors. Although most of Congo, Dem. Angola Burundi Cameroon Nigeria these programs cover all 11 provinces, they do not have Rep. universal coverage. 1-year-old children immunized against DPT 72% 91% 96% 85% 41% (corresponding Policy Lever 2.2: vaccines: DPT3ß) Coverage Children below 5 with diarrhea receive oral 26.6% N/A 37.8% 17.2% 26% A robust ECD policy should establish programs in all rehydration/ continued feeding (2008–12) essential sectors, ensure high degrees of coverage, and Children below 5 with reach the entire population equitably—especially the suspected pneumonia 40.3% N/A 42.6% 29.9% 39.7% most disadvantaged young children—so that every child taken to health care provider (2008–12) and expectant mother have guaranteed access to Pregnant women essential ECD services. receiving antenatal 44.7% N/A 33.4% 62.2% 56.6% care (at least four times; 2008–12) The level of access to essential ECD health and nutrition Source: UNICEF Country Statistics 2010. interventions for pregnant women is low. Fewer than 50 percent of pregnant women benefit from at least four Table 9: Regional Comparison of Level of Access to Essential antenatal visits. The available information from UNAIDS, Nutrition Services for Young Children and Pregnant Women the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS that Congo, leads the world in achieving universal access to HIV care, Dem. Angola Burundi Cameroon Nigeria reports that only 13 percent of HIV+ pregnant women Rep. Children below 5 with and exposed infants receive antiretrovirals for moderate/severe 43.4% 29% 57.7% 32.5% 35.8% preventing mother-to-child transmission. Additionally, stunting (2008–12) Infants exclusively WHO reports that more than 40 percent of pregnant breastfed until 6 women have anemia in the country. However, the 37% 11% 69.3% 20% 15.1% months of age (2008– country does have a moderate rate of births attended by 12) skilled attendants (80.4 percent), which is similar to Infants with low birth 9.5% 12% 13% 11% 15.2% weight (2008–12) countries in the region, as shown in table 8. Prevalence of anemia in pregnant women 49% 47% 31% 50% 58% The level of access to essential ECD health interventions (2011) for young children is also low. Only 26.6 percent of Prevalence of anemia in preschool-aged children below five years of age with diarrhea receive 70% N/A 56% N/A N/A children (most recent oral rehydration and continued feeding, placing the year) Democratic Republic of Congo in the average for its Sources: UNICEF Country Statistics 2010; WHO Global Database on comparison countries (table 9). For children below five Anemia. years of age with suspected pneumonia, only 40 percent receive antibiotics. And only 38 percent of children Overview of Early Childhood Education in the below five sleep under an ITN in at risk areas. For a Democratic Republic of Congo. The country’s most country that, together with Nigeria, makes up 32 percent recent national education law, Cadre de l’Enseignement of the world’s malaria cases and 40 percent of global National 2014, guarantees children ages three to five malaria deaths, the lack of ITN coverage is concerning. preschool education—maternel—in a cycle of three years but does not address its free provision and does The level of access to essential ECD nutrition not make its provision mandatory. The education sector interventions for young children is fairly robust. Eighty- has historically been administered at the central level; four percent of children between six and 59 months currently this and other sectors are moving toward a receive Vitamin A supplementation, and 58 percent of decentralized government, but it is unclear how this will the population consumes iodized salt. The rates for affect preschool. Most of the preschool education is breastfeeding, however, are lower. Only 37 percent of provided by the for-profit sector (51 percent), followed children are exclusively breastfed under the age of six by state-provided preschools, which are more commonly months (table 10). SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 11 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 known as subsidized denominational preschools or faith- Table 11: Regional Comparison of Gross Enrollment based preschools (48 percent) (see table 10). A small Ratio for preprimary Education percentage of preschools are community based (1 Congo, Dem. Angola Burundi Cameroon Nigeria percent). None of these preschools are free, and all have Rep. costs to the parents that range between $5 and $55 a Gross month depending on the community. enrollment ratio 4.3% 86.55% 8.16% 29.79% 13.39% for preprimary State-provided preschools (where 48 percent of children education are enrolled per government data) are categorized as Source: UNESCO Institute of Statistics 2010–13. “public” because they are administered by the government, but most of these schools are of faith-based and are mostly financed by parents and the community. The government pays for the teachers’ salaries, but Policy Lever 2.3: additional fees are funded by the children’s parents. Equity Table 10 also shows six major religious preschool Based on the robust evidence of the positive effects ECD teaching denominations. UNESCO’s data on state and interventions can have for children from disadvantaged nonstate enrollment rates for ECCE vary from those of backgrounds, every government should pay special the government, showing that 83 percent of children attention to equitable provision of ECD services.6 One of enrolled in preschool are in nonstate schools, while 8 the fundamental goals of any ECD policy should be to percent are enrolled in state schools. provide equitable opportunities to all young children and their families. Table 10 : Preschool Enrollment by Nonstate and State, 2012 Nonstate State There is inequity in access to ECCE services at the UNESCO data 83% 8% subnational level. Including both private and public preschool enrollment rates for all 11 provinces, the ratio Government data 52% 48% between the provinces with the highest (Kinshasa, 28.1 percent) and lowest (Maniem, 1.3 percent) enrollment State (faith-based schools) 48% rates is 21.3. Children from disadvantaged social status ENC (Non-conventional teaching) 12% and rural areas do not have access to preprimary ECC (Conventional teaching Catholic) 15% education mainly because of the high cost of private ECP (Conventional Teaching Protestant) 16% services and lack of nearby schools. ECK (Conventional teaching Kimbanguiste) 2% ECI (Conventional teaching Islamic) 1% Access to ECD services is mildly inequitable between ECF (Conventional teaching Brotherhood) 1% urban and rural areas and between poorest and richest. Other 2% As figures 4 and 5 show, a significant difference exists of Source: Ministy of Primary, Secondary, and Professional Education. underweight children among the richest and poorest as well as urban and rural, with the poorest 20 percent being 2.3 times more likely than the richest 20 percent to The most recent data from UNESCO’s Institute for have underweight prevalence in children. The difference Statistics report the country’s preschool gross in access to skilled attendants at birth is also high: enrollment rate at 4.3 percent, well below neighboring Children in urban areas are 1.5 more likely to have a countries (see table 11) and the regional average of 20 skilled attendant at birth than those in rural areas. percent. However, outcomes for diarrhea treatment and birth registration for urban/rural and poorest/richest are mildly similar, despite parents paying a fee if they do not comply with birth registration in the first six months. 6 Engle et al. 2011; Naudeau et al. 2011. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 12 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Figure 4: Equity in Access to ECD Services in the Democratic Policy Options to Implement ECD Widely in Republic of Congo the Democratic Republic of Congo 100 Scope of Programs 80 ¾ Consider implementing social protection and welfare programs for orphans or vulnerable children. 60 Only one program targets vulnerable children—those living on the streets—and it lacks financing, coverage, 40 and organization. Children that are orphans or vulnerable only have the option to attend an orphanage 20 or live on the streets. Despite almost 300 orphanages in the country, they are not regulated or nationally 0 Diarrhoea coordinated. Since no completely free health, nutrition, Underweight treatment Birth Skilled prevalence with oral or education programs exist for children to age six in the Registration attendant at in children rehydration country, children from low-income families who do not (%) 2005- birth (%) under 5 (%) salts (ORS) 2012 2008-2012 2008-2012 (%) 2008- have the monetary means to cover their children’s needs 2012 will not reach their potential. Having social protection or Poorest 20% 24.8 68.7 28.8 28.1 welfare programs in place could greatly improve health, Richest 20% 27.3 98.7 12.3 26.2 nutrition, and education outcomes Source: UNICEF MICS Country Data. Coverage Girls and boys have equitable access to ECCE services. Although disparities exist among socioeconomic levels, ¾ Create campaigns to disseminate the importance of gender parity is seen for preprimary enrollment rates. In ECD interventions. The level of access to ECD 2012 the government reported a total of 289,882 girls interventions for mothers and young children is low. enrolled in preschool and 277,510 boys. Despite a number of health and nutrition programs, health and nutrition outcomes for mothers and their Figure 5: Equity in Access to Health and Child Protection children are low compared with neighboring countries Services and Outcomes by Rural/Urban Location and international standards. Health workers could 100 inform families of the range of services that the government offers to improve their children’s health and 80 nutrition levels. Birth registration could also be 60 promoted, and penalizing parents for registering their 40 children after the first six months could be eliminated to encourage parents to register their children regardless of 20 age. 0 Equity Diarrhoea Underweigh treatment Use of Birth Skilled t prevalence with oral improved Registration attendant at (%) 2005- birth (%) in children rehydration sanitation ¾ Provide cost-effective community-based preschools under 5 (%) salts (ORS) facilities (%) 2012 2008-2012 2008-2012 (%) 2008- 2010 in harder-to-reach areas. The absence of day care and 2012 kindergarten facilities in rural areas and their high costs Urban 23.9 96.3 16.8 25.7 29.2 prevent families from using the services. Exploring Rural 29.2 75 26.8 26.9 31.5 informal or lower-cost ECD programs would increase Source: UNICEF MICS Country Data. access to these services. Including the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and provincial governments in the discussion of experimental and pilot programs would increase the chances of implementing ECD interventions that target marginalized communities. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 13 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 ¾ Target rural and poor communities with health Table 12: Availability of Data to Monitor ECD in the interventions. Great disparity is found between Democratic Republic of Congo underweight children in rural and urban areas and poor Administrative Data and rich sectors of the population. Working with Indicator Tracked provincial governments and communities to reach the ECCE enrollment rates by region 9 most marginalized children will help decrease health disparities. Special needs children enrolled in ECCE X (number of) Children attending well-child visits (number of) X Policy Goal 3: Monitoring and Assuring Children benefiting from public nutrition Quality X interventions (number of) ¾ Policy Levers: Data Availability • Quality Women receiving prenatal nutrition X Standards • Compliance with Standards interventions (number of) Children enrolled in ECCE by subnational Monitoring and Assuring Quality refers to the existence 9 region (number of) of information systems to monitor access to ECD services Average per student-to-teacher ratio in public and outcomes across children, standards for ECD 9 ECCE services, and systems to monitor and enforce compliance Is ECCE spending in education sector with those standards. Ensuring the quality of ECD X differentiated within education budget? interventions is vital because evidence has shown that Is ECD spending in health sector differentiated X unless programs are high quality, the impact on children within health budget? can be negligible or even detrimental. Survey Data Indicator Tracked Policy Lever 3.1: Data Availability Population consuming iodized salt (%) 9 Accurate, comprehensive, and timely data collection can Vitamin A Supplementation rate for children 6 9 promote more effective policy making. Well-developed –59 months (%) information systems can improve decision making. In Anemia prevalence among pregnant women X particular, data can inform policy choices regarding the (%) Children below the age of 5 years registered at volume and allocation of public financing, staff 9 birth (%) recruitment and training, program quality, adherence to Children immunized against DPT3 at age 12 standards, and efforts to target children most in need. 9 months (%) Relevant administrative and survey data are collected Pregnant women who attend four antenatal 9 on access to ECD for some interventions. Table 12 visits (%) presents select indicators for administrative and survey Children enrolled in ECCE by socioeconomic X data and whether they are collected or not. Survey data status (%) are more complete than administrative. Policy Lever 3.2: Data on ECCE access for special groups are limited. The Quality Standards only data collected on ECCE for special groups are those Ensuring quality ECD service provision is essential. A focus to differentiate gender. No data are collected from the on access—without a commensurate focus on ensuring government on access or outcomes for rural/urban, quality—jeopardizes the very benefits that policy makers mother tongue, socioeconomic status, or special needs. hope children will gain through ECD interventions. The No system tracks or keeps data on four interrelated quality of ECD programs is directly related to better domains of child development: cognitive, linguistic, cognitive and social development in children.7 physical, and socioemotional. Clear learning standards are established for ECCE. The Ministry of Primary, Secondary, and Vocational 7Bryce et al. 2003; Naudeau et al. 2011; Taylor and Bennett 2006; Victoria et al. 2008. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 14 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Education established learning standards in 1981 for teacher are found between the state-faith and the children ages three to four as well as standards for private preschools. For instance, table 13 shows that children ages five to six. The existing preschool programs Kinshasa has the lowest pupil/teacher ratio for state- are based on pedagogical games and theories that were faith schools with nine students per teacher, while developed in 1996 during the “General State of Bandundu has 70. These ratios also vary within provinces Education” in Kinshasa. The curricula are given in the based on state-faith/private schools. Private schools in form of activities, which included 11 basic skills in 1996 Maniema have 10 children per teacher, while state-faith and increased to 14 in 2009. The preprimary curricula schools have 61. The national average of 29:1 is high by are coherent and continuous with the curriculum for international standards and exceeds best practice, which primary education. The essential content of what is states that to achieve the optimal learning environment covered in the third and last year of preprimary the ratio of students to teachers should not exceed 15:1. education is revised during the first year of primary education, as mentioned in the Programme National de Table 13: Student-Teacher Ratio l’Enseignement Maternel and in the Programme Nonstate State National de l’Enseignement Primaire. Total Schools Schools Sud Kivu 40 20 59 Requirements for early childhood education Kasai Oriental 37 8 66 professionals are robust. A high school diploma is Bandundu 35 1 70 needed to become a preprimary teacher, as well as Maniema 35 10 61 specialized ECD training and adequate performance in a Equateur 34 7 62 supervised internship. Regular in-service training is National 29 18 40 mandatory, is available once a year, and lasts for six days Katanga 27 38 17 for five hours a day. The Ministry of Primary, Secondary, Orientale 25 18 33 and Professional Education is the public authority in Bas Congo 23 29 17 charge of regulating preservice training for ECCE professionals. Teachers are required to pursue a Kasai Occidental 23 21 24 preservice practicum or fieldwork, but at their own Nord Kivu 22 20 24 Kinshasa 20 30 9 expense, as is the case for in-service training. Health workers are not required to receive training to deliver ECD messages, such as developmental milestones, Registration and accreditation procedures for ECCE and childcare, parenting, or early stimulation. health facilities exist. ECCE facility requirements exist for Infrastructure standards for ECCE facilities are more both public and private preschools. They are made established than those of service delivery, but both are available semiannually but are not announced. As for limited. Infrastructure standards include all elements health facilities, construction standards exist and are (roof, floor, windows, structural soundness, building required for hospitals, health centers, and health posts. materials, and connection to electricity) as well as access to potable water and functional hygienic facilities. Policy Lever 3.3: Standards also specify minimum hours of preprimary Compliance with Standards education per week for facilities, these being 3.5 hours, Establishing standards is essential to providing quality five times a week for children two to four years old, and ECD services and to promoting the healthy development five hours for five to six days for children ages five and of children. Once standards have been established, it is six. All preschools, regardless of category, use this same critical that mechanisms are put in place to ensure standard. compliance with standards. Although there are no requirements for child-to- The number of teachers who comply with professional teacher ratios, the average ratio for preprimary requirements is high within registered schools. Nearly education is high. The national average number of all ECCE teachers for both private and public preschools children per teacher is nearly 30:1 and ranges at a have the minimum qualifications (i.e., have teaching provincial level from 20 to 40 children per teacher. The degrees and high school diplomas) (table 14). However, greatest disparities among number of students per the quality of the training is unknown. It is notable to SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 15 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 mention that salaries of preprimary teachers are in parity To reach this goal, it will be necessary to include special with those of primary education teachers. needs children in the data collection. Table 14: Teacher Qualifications, All Preprimary Schools Quality Standards Teachin g Degree ¾ Explore covering the (partial) costs of preservice and — <4 Technic in-service training for teachers. Although more than 90 Year 4 Year 6 Year al percent of teachers in registered private and public Teachi Teachi Teachi 6 Year State Gradua Specializati ng ng ng Degree/Oth te on in schools have teaching qualifications, teachers are Degree Degree Degree er Sectors Degree Preprimary required to cover their preservice and in-service training. G3 – Othe 6 months): of Breast Milk Substitutes 37% Dem. Rep. Congo has national Household iodized salt policy to encourage the consumption iodization of salt 58.6% Preprimary school is neither free Preprimary school nor compulsory in Dem. Rep. enrollment: Congo 4.3% Young children are required to Children with DPT (12– receive a complete course of 23 months): childhood immunizations 72% Policy mandates the registration Completeness of birth of children at birth in Dem. Rep. registration: Congo 27.8% Preliminary Benchmarking and International Comparison of ECD in the Democratic Republic of Congo Table 16 presents the classification of ECD policy in the Democratic Republic of Congo within each of the nine policy levers and three policy goals. The SABER-ECD classification system does not rank countries according to any overall scoring; rather, it is intended to share information on how different ECD systems address the same policy challenges. Table 17 presents the status of ECD policy development in the Democratic Republic of Congo alongside a selection of countries in East and West Africa. The level of development in the Democratic Republic of Congo can be compared to that of Uganda and Nigeria, while Kenya has achieved slightly higher levels of development. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 17 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Table 16: Benchmarking Early Childhood Development Policy in the Democratic Republic of Congo Level of Level of ECD Policy Goal Policy Lever Development Development Legal Framework  Establishing an Enabling Environment  Intersectoral Coordination  Finance Scope of Programs  Implementing Widely  Coverage Equity  Data Availability  Monitoring and Assuring Quality  Quality Standards  Compliance with Standards  Latent Emerging Established Advanced Legend: Table 17: International Classification and Comparison of ECD Systems Level of Development ECD Policy Goal Policy Lever Congo, Ethiopia Kenya Nigeria Uganda Dem. Rep. Legal Framework      Establishing an Enabling Coordination      Environment Finance  N/A    Scope of Programs      Implementing Coverage  Widely     Equity N/A N/A   Data Availability      Monitoring and Quality Standards  Assuring Quality     Compliance with  Standards     Latent Emerging Established Advanced Legend: SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 18 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 Conclusion national ECD strategy that, despite lacking a costed implementation plan and funding, includes standards, The SABER-ECD initiative is designed to enable ECD policy goals, and next steps to advance ECD in the country. The makers and development partners to identify strategy already has the support of many government opportunities for further development of effective ECD sectors, suggesting a certain consensus from the various systems. This Country Report presents a framework to ministries involving the needs of young children. compare the Democratic Republic of Congo’s ECD system Additionally, a ministerial decree has established an ECD with other countries in the region and internationally. Working Group, and even though the group does not convene in practice, the building blocks have been Each of the nine policy levers are examined in detail and established. some policy options are identified to strengthen ECD are offered. This is not to say that there are no challenges to improve the ECD system in the country. Table 18 summarizes the Despite recovering from an extended period of conflict, key policy options identified to inform policy dialogue the country has many advances on ECD that could be and improve the provision of essential ECD services in capitalized on. Various stakeholders have produced a the Democratic Republic of Congo. Table 18: Summary of Policy Options to Improve ECD in the Democratic Republic of Congo Policy Policy Options and Recommendations Dimension x Develop frameworks for children to age three. It is important that the government make vaccinations, nutritional and health programs mandatory and more easily accessible to children in their first three years. Establishing an x Have the government endorse a national strategy for ECD and include a costed Enabling implementation plan and an action plan at the provincial and federal levels Environment x Include nongovernment actors in the conversation to make ECD accessible to all x Establish a system to track investment in ECD. The government could also continue to track investment on ECD from external sources and could include the private sector to have a full spectrum of ECD investment in the country. x Implement public social protection and welfare programs for orphans or vulnerable children x Create campaigns to disseminate the importance of ECD interventions. Health workers could inform families of the range of services that the government offers. Birth registration could also be promoted, and penalizing parents for registering their children after the first six months could be eliminated. Implementing Widely x Provide cost-effective community-based preschools in harder-to-reach areas. Include the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and provincial governments in the discussion of experimental and pilot programs to increase the chances of implementing ECD interventions that target marginalized communities. x Target rural and poor communities with health interventions. Working with provincial governments to reach the most marginalized children could decrease health disparities. x Create a system to track ECD-related program data x Track outcomes on children with special needs and special groups Monitoring and Assuring Quality x Cover the costs of preservice and in-service training for teachers x Evaluate teacher certification x Track compliance with infrastructure standards SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 19 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 References Acknowledgments Britto, P., H. Yoshikawa, and K. Boller. 2011. “Quality of Early This Country Report was prepared by the SABER-ECD Childhood Development Programs: Rationale for team at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, Investment, Conceptual Framework and Implications DC. The report presents country data collected using the for Equity.” Social Policy Report 25 (2): 1–31. SABER-ECD policy and program data collection Bryce, J., S. el Arifeen, G. Pariyo, C. F. Lanata, D. Gwatkin, J.-P. Habicht, and the Multi-Country Evaluation of Imci instruments and data from external sources. The report Study Group. 2003. “Reducing Child Mortality: Can was prepared in consultation with the World Bank Public Health Deliver?” The Lancet 362: 159–64. Human Development Africa team and the government of Engle, P. L., L. C. H. Fernald, H. Alderman, J. Behrman, C. the Democratic Republic of Congo. For technical O’Gara, A. Yousafzai, M. Cabral de Mello, M. Hidrobo, questions or comments about this report, please contact N. Ulkuer, and the Global Child Development Steer the SABER-ECD team (helpdeskecd@worldbank.org). Group. 2011. “Strategies for Reducing Inequalities and Improving Developmental Outcomes for Young Acronyms Children in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries.” The Lancet 378 (9799): 1339–53. ECCE Early Childhood Care and Education Hanushek, E. 2003. "The Failure of Input-Based Schooling ECD Early Childhood Development Policies." Economic Journal 113: 64–98. ECE Espace Commnunitaire d’Eveil (Community Space Hanushek, E. A., and D. D. Kimko. 2000. “Schooling, Labor- Awakening) Force Quality, and the Growth of Nations." American EPI Extended Program on Immunization Economic Review 90 (5): 1184–1208. ILO International Labour Organization Naudeau, S, N. Kataoka, A. Valerio, M. J. Neuman, and L. K. ITN Insecticide-Treated Net Elder. 2011. Investing in Young Children: An Early Childhood Development Guide for Policy Dialogue and Project Preparation. Washington, DC: World Bank. Neuman, M. J. 2007. “Good Governance of Early Childhood Care and Education: Lessons from the 2007 Education for All Global Monitoring Report.” UNESCO Policy Briefs on Early Childhood. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, New York. Tayler, C., and J. Bennett. 2006. Starting Strong II: Early Childhood Education and Care . Paris: Education Directorate of the Organization for Economic Co- operation and Development. UNESCO-OREALC. 2004. “Intersectoral Co-ordination in Early Childhood Policies and Programmes: A Synthesis of Experiences in Latin America.” Regional Bureau of Education for Latin America and the Caribbean, United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Santiago, Chile. Vargas-Barón, E. 2005. Planning Policies for Early Childhood Development: Guidelines for Action. Paris: UNESCO/ADEA/UNICEF (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization/Association for the Development of Education in Africa/United Nations Children’s Fund). Victoria, B. H., L. Adair, C. Fall, P. C. Hallal, R. Martorell, L. Richter, and H. S. Sachdev. 2008. “Maternal and Child Undernutrition: Consequences for Adult Health and Human Capital. “ The Lancet 371 (9609): 340–57. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 20 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ǀ EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014 www.worldbank.org/education/saber The Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) initiative produces comparative data and knowledge on education policies and institutions, with the aim of helping countries systematically strengthen their education systems. SABER evaluates the quality of education policies against evidence-based global standards, using new diagnostic tools and detailed policy data. The SABER country reports give all parties with a stake in educational results—from administrators, teachers, and parents to policy makers and business people—an accessible, objective snapshot showing 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. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 21