2017 National Policy for Early Childhood Development (NPECD)

1.2 Current Status in ECD .................................................................................................... 10

1.3 Linkages with other relevant policies/legislation .............................................................. 11

1.4 Linkages with International Commitments....................................................................... 13

1.5 Problem Statement ......................................................................................................... 15

1.6 Purpose of the National Policy on ECD .......................................................................... 17

2.0 BROAD POLICY DIRECTIONS ........................................................................................................ 17

2.2 Policy Goal ..................................................................................................................... 17

2.3 Policy Outcome .............................................................................................................. 17

2.4 Policy Objectives ............................................................................................................ 17

3.0 PRIORITY AREAS OF THE NATIONALPOLICY ON ECD .......................................................... 18

3.1 Priority Area 1: Child Care, Survival, Growth and Stimulation ......................................... 18

3.2 Priority Area 2: Parenting Education and Support ........................................................... 20

3.3 Priority Area 3: ECD Centre Based Services .................................................................. 22

3.4 Priority Area 4: ECD Transition Services ........................................................................ 25

3.5 Priority Area 5: Child Rights Protection Services ........................................................ 26 4.0ECD POLICY IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENT ................................................................... 29

4.1 Institutional Arrangements .............................................................................................. 29

4.2 Implementation Plan ....................................................................................................... 37

4.4 Monitoring and Evaluation .............................................................................................. 37 Annex 1: ECD POLICY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN .............................................................. 39 Annex II: MONITORING AND EVALUATION PLAN ............................................................. 45 7 Introduction 1.1Background The National Policy on Early Childhood Development (NPECD) provides Government’s intention and direction in Early Childhood Development (ECD) implementation. The Government recognizes that research in child development; child psychology, child sociology, biology, and brain neural science have shown that it is during the early years of life that the development of intelligence, affectivity and social relations occur very rapidly. Therefore, any irregularity in a child’s development at this stage substantially reduces future potential of the child (Malawi ECD SABER Country Report, 2014). Thus, proper attention to a child’s development in the early years helps to increase the child’s survival, optimum growth, stimulation and development which are the foundation for all the developments and capabilities for human development. ECD services are important to the individual, family and national development. ECD services empower communities to collectively deal with children’s problems and issues, promote community ownership of child development initiatives, are cost effective as communities mobilize resources locally for the child, bring in development opportunities to the community, are converging point for community development initiatives and they contribute to national development through services and goods that are involved in the implementation. The National Policy on ECD is developed and concretized based on the six principles for investing and implementing ECD that are also core values for the National Policy on ECD. The six principles are: Human Rights: ECD helps attainment of human rights as well as children‘s rights; Social Equity: ECD helps to easily reach and target the underprivileged and excluded children; Social Mobilization: ECD is the most effective strategy for mobilizing parents and communities for socio-economic development; International Goals: ECD is a very effective and efficient strategy for achieving household, community, national, regional and global goals; Scientific Rationale: ECD is the core period for human brain development as it is rapid and profound in the first years of life; and Economic Benefits: investment in the first eight years last for life and break intergeneration cycle of poverty of a family unit and the whole nation. The Guiding Principles and Values for ECD in the country are based on the social, cultural, physical and intellectual wellbeing of the citizens. They represent a general value on which the ECD system is built. The provision of a stimulating and safe environment for quality ECD is the prerequisite to achieve further successful survival and development of all children. The Human Values that ECD seeks to promote in children and all citizens are resilience, assertiveness, discipline, educability, responsibility, development-conscious, patriotism, self-confidence, food consciousness, nutritional wellbeing, respect, god-fearing, environmental conscious, morally upright, creativity, commitment, hardworking, health and safety, honesty, trustworthy, independence, cooperative, resourcefulness, gender sensitivity, tolerance, equity and cultural sensitivity. The Child Development Guiding principles that the National Policy on ECD is based on are: ▪ The family is the primary institution for supporting the growth and development of children. ▪ Children’s rights will be respected at all times in order to uphold human dignity, enabling optimal child development and participation. 8 ▪ No child shall be discriminated against or abused on the basis of age, sex, race, tribe, health status, economic status, religious or political affiliation. ▪ Every child has the right to develop to his or her full potential. ▪ Early childhood care, survival, growth and development is the basis for human life. ▪ Community-based management of ECD services is the most effective approach for sustainable child development and facilitates ownership and accountability. ▪ The early years of a child’s life, 0-3 years, are critical for mental development, which is a basis for further human and social development. ▪ Investment in children from birth to eight years is the best guarantee of equitable and sustainable development. ▪ Every child progresses at a unique rate, has an individual learning style and possesses diverse abilities. ▪ Young children learn through active exploration of their environments where there is a balance between self-discovery and adult initiated/selected activities. ▪ Children’s learning is based on prior knowledge and experiences that are constructed through play, social interactions with other children and consistent experiences guided by nurturing adults. ▪ Optimal learning occurs in environments where the adult is respectful of the child, the family, the language, the culture, and the community. ▪ Children’s progress is best understood through observable behavioural change using ongoing observation, anecdotal recordkeeping, and collection of children’s work. ▪ Children develop a sense of empowerment by having many opportunities to make choices within their daily routines. ▪ Children learn best when their health and nutritional needs are met. ▪ Young children are capable and competent regardless of their backgrounds, their experiences and their varying abilities. ▪ Child development provides a foundation for teaching that recognizes that learning is sequential, dependent upon experience, and based upon knowledge of the child, including the child’s culture and individual differences. (Early Childhood Counts by Dr. Judith Evans, 2000) 9

1.2 Current Status in ECD The Ministry responsible for Gender, Children, Disability & Social Welfare (MoGCDSW) has been coordinating implementation of the ECD policy ever since the programme started being implemented in Malawi in the 1950s. The first National ECD Policy was approved in 2003 and revised in 2006. The major revision was done in 2015 which culminated into the 2017 National ECD Policy. The National ECD Policy provides guidelines and coordination mechanisms of ECD programmes, guidelines, curriculum, instructional materials and activities for the enhancement, support and investment to ECD programming. The 2006 ECD policy objectives were achieved at 78 percent. For example, guidelines and coordination system have been put in place. There has been an increase in the number of children accessing centre based services from 2.63% in 2000 to 45.43% in 20171. A study on Impact Evaluation for Protecting ECD (2011 – 2015) revealed that 39.2% of children aged 36-59 months attended early childhood education nationally in 2014 with the central region registering 33.9% and the northern and southern regions 42.3% and 42.6% respectively. The increase also resulted in better education, improved child care services, child protection and health care outcomes. 89.1% of the children aged two to five years were developmentally on track in physical, 71.4% on social emotional and 79.9% on early learning dimensions. 17.2% did not fare well on literacy and numeracy. Thus, the Early Child Development Index (ECDI) score was at 59.8% in 2014 indicating that 60% of Malawian children are developmentally on track with ECDI for girls higher at 64% than boys at 56%. There is still a need to increase our efforts to make all children developmentally on track. Thus the policy seeks to help all children to be on track developmentally. There have also been significant achievements in terms of development of advocacy and communication strategies. Quite a number of conferences and lobbying meetings have been carried out with results showing increased number of partners implementing ECD activities country wide. Other notable achievements in leadership, management and coordination of ECD services include the holding of technical working group meetings, ECD network meetings, coordinating capacity building activities, ECD conferences, steering the development of Early Learning Development Standards, ECD curriculum materials and guidelines, coordinating ECD national events, monitoring and assessing progress that has so far been made in ECD programming. Another progress is in ECD research. There have been a number of researches conducted over the past years, especially commissioned research by implementing partners and tertiary education students. Despite these remarkable achievements, the sub-sector still faces a number of challenges which include unavailability of a research agenda, most research findings are not disseminated and uncoordinated. Inadequate ECD centers, insufficient qualified and motivated care givers, limited play and learning materials, weak organizational structure to enforce the implementation of activities, and insufficient funding are other challenges. 1 2017 IECD Annual Work Plan by Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare 10

1.3 Linkages with other relevant policies/legislation The National ECD Policy is anchored on the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi, Chapter 4, sections 23 and 42(2)(g) which stresses on the protection of all children without discrimination. The policy draws its strength from Malawi’s Vision 2020 which recognizes the pivotal role of all children in the “pro-poor category”. The National ECD Policy advocates for efficient energy supplies as a key pre-requisite for achieving economic development and middle-income status. The Vision 2020 states, “by the year 2020 Malawi as a God fearing nation, will be secure, democratically mature, environmentally sustainable, self-reliant with equal opportunities for and active participation by all, having social services, vibrant cultural and religious values and a technologically driven middle-income economy”. In this perspective, children are seen as not only beneficiaries but the means to national development. The policy is also aligned to the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) which recognizes child development as one of the key priority areas for the socio-economic growth and development of the country. The National Policy on ECD draws its strong mandate through the linkages it has with other policies. Some of the key policies that are linked and intertwined with National ECD Policy are: a) National Policy on Gender: emphasizes the need to bring up children in a gender balanced way and implementation of ECD services need to be gender sensitive. Gender perspectives can best be achieved in early childhood years. b) National Policies on Nutrition and Food Security: nutritional care and education is one of the major components for ECD for child survival, growth and development. The Nutrition Policy emphasizes nutrition care for all children, pregnant and lactating mothers. c) National Policies on Education, Science and Technology: the thematic areas of the National Education Policy emphasize on expanding equitable access to education for all children, improving quality and relevance of education, improving governance and management of the education system. The National Education Sector Plan (NESP) presents Basic Education as one of the key education programmes which includes ECD, Out of School Children and Youth, Adult Literacy and Primary Education. Basic Education has a big role in the provision of education services for children aged six to eight who are an ECD age group. Education also augments the development of curriculum and implementation of ECD standards. d) National Policies on Health, Population, HIV and AIDS, Accelerated Child Survival and Development: Integrated ECD Programme for Malawi emphasizes on the care for survival, growth, development and protection for all children which draws its basis and standards from the National Policies on Health, Population, HIV and AIDS, Accelerated Child Survival and Development. e) National Policies on Agriculture, Water, Sanitation, Irrigation and Food Security: The goal of the policies facilitate the improvement of food security and balanced nutritional status of all, with emphasis on children, pregnant and lactating women, people living with HIV, people in emergency situations and other vulnerable groups. The attainment of acceptable or adequate levels of nutrition for women and children will improve child survival, growth and development 11 as well as human capital development, which are fundamental prerequisites for economic growth and national development. f) National Policies on Finance, Economic Planning and International Corporation: Malawi Economic Growth and Development is one of the key principals for ECD and is the basis for breaking intergeneration cycle of poverty at household, community, institutional and national levels. ECD calls for increased investment to ensure more economic returns to the country. g) National Policies on Youth, Sports, Labour and Culture: they provide support to ECD through youth participation and empowerment; physical, cultural and moral development of children. They also provide labour guidelines for people involved in the implementation of ECD programme. As children grow and develop, they need to be involved in sporting and cultural activities to achieve holistic development. Children with disabilities are best assisted in their early years of life. This why Olympic activities need to start from early childhood services. h) National Policies on Decentralization, Local Government and District Administration: they provide an operation platform of ECD services by ensuring that there are clear implementation structures; financial, material and human resources that are adequately leveraged and linked to the development structure and leadership, the local government and district administration. ECD services in the country are community focal points for development initiatives that are started, owned and managed by the community who are strongly linked to the development structures and leadership. i) National Policies on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, Special Needs Education and Inclusion: they outline the importance of early care, stimulation, protection and development of children with special needs or disabilities as well as children that are excluded from other ECD programmes at household, community, center, school and institution levels. ECD programme emphasizes on the inclusion of special needs children. j) All Other Existent and Emerging Children’s Policies: all other children related policies are supporting the holistic care and development of children as their needs are multidimensional, multisectoral and diverse. Therefore, all other children’s policy are supporting the provision of integrated ECD services. 12

1.4 Linkages with International Commitments The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SGD) prioritize ECD in the Education Goal4.2 which states that “by 2030 all boys and girls have access to quality ECD care and preprimary education so that they are ready for primary education” (SDG Universality Report. 2015). Recognizing that the Government of Malawi is a signatory to many UN conventions that protect the Rights of Children, the ECD Policy puts into perspective and focus the implementation of the United Nations conventions and other international instruments. This is why the ECD policy is aligned to a number of policies and conventions that aim at promoting the Rights of the Child. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC): Malawi signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The CRC is the single most important instrument for protecting the rights of children which recognizes a child as an individual with needs for survival, growth, development, protection and participation that evolve with age and maturity. It defines children’s rights to achieve and what the people and governments responsible for them have to do to ensure the rights are attained. Children are not only rights holders but also must participate in ensuring their rights are met through safe play, honesty, tell adults what is important to them and try their best to protect their rights. Although the CRC gives individual rights to children, a child’s wellbeing and enjoyment of rights is dependent upon his or her family and community. The CRC Guiding Principle is outlined in Article 3 which states “all actions concerning the child should take into full account of his or her best interests”. CRC Article 6: Survival and Development - 1: State parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life. State parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible for the survival and development of the child. CRC Article 19: Protection from Abuse and Neglect: The States obligation to protect all children from all forms of maltreatment perpetrated by parents or others responsible for their care, and to undertake preventative and treatment programmes in this regard. CRC Article 20: Protection of Children without families: The state’s obligation to provide special protection for children deprived of their family environment and to ensure that the appropriate alternative family care or institutional placement is made available to them, taking into account the child’s cultural background. CRC Article 27: Standard of living - 1: State Parties recognize the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development. The parent(s) or others responsible for the child have the primary responsibility to secure, within their abilities and financial capacities, the conditions necessary for the child’s development… CRC Article 29: Aims of Education -1: State parties agree that the education of the child shall be directed to: (a) the development of the child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential… 13 CRC Article 31: Leisure, Recreation and Cultural Activities: States parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts. African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) Malawi also ratified the ACRWC which was drawn by the African Heads of States, taking into perspective issues of children’s wellbeing, rights and responsibilities: ACRWC Article XII - (1) Leisure, Recreation and cultural activities: The state parties recognize the rights of the child to rest, leisure, engage in play and recreational activities ACRWC Article XII - (2) Cultural and Artistic Life: the article respects the promotion of the cultural and artistic life of the child. ACRWC Article 31: The child, subject to his or her age and ability shall have the duty to: a) Work for the cohesion of the family, respect parents, supervisors and elders b) Serve the national community by utilizing his or her physical and intellectual abilities c) Preserve and strengthen social and national solidarity. d) Preserve and Strengthen African cultural values and unity, national independence, integrity. 14

1.5 Problem Statement Much of the foundation for the development and prosperity of the nation is still facing numerous challenges despite a lot of efforts by the Government, development partners, the private sector, communities and individuals. The challenges are inhibiting ECD services that provide the best start in life for every child. Some of the major ECD challenges are: 1) Low Economic Situation: Malawi has a gross national income per capita of USD290.3. An estimated 85 per cent of the population relies on subsistence farming for their livelihoods, with 39 per cent living on less than one US dollar a day. Approximately 15 per cent of Malawians are extremely poor, living on less than USD0.33 per day. The situation makes it difficult for most of the individuals, families and communities to provide accessible and quality ECD services for all the children. 2) Limited equitable access to ECD services: The provision of ECD is an important pillar to Education for All. In 2016, there were 11,600 ECD centers known as Community Based Childcare (CBCCs) centers and preschools in Malawi. Only 45.36 percent of targeted ECD children attend ECD centers. This leaves 55.64 percent of the targeted ECD children, mostly in rural and urban areas, with no access to ECD services. 3) Access and equity to ECD services: they are critical factors in measuring the effectiveness of an ECD programme in Malawi and elsewhere. There is a huge gap in terms of access as 55.64 percent of the eligible children still do not access ECD services. The ECD access situation is worse for children with special needs such as children with albinism, children on the street and other vulnerable children. The issues of HIV and AIDS and orphanhood are also negatively impacting on the issue of equity. Additionally, most ECD centers lack adequate facilities, including children with special needs. ECD infrastructure is generally poor and inappropriate for young and vulnerable children. The limited access to ECD leads into parents sending under aged children into Standard 1who increase the repetition and dropout rates. 4) Visibility of ECD services: Visibility of ECD services is very low as few people appreciate the importance of ECD in the country’s development, which translates to low levels of support for this important development intervention. Overall, the ECD sector is severely underfunded and needs support from government, stakeholders and development partners. 5) HIV and AIDS prevalence: among adults aged 15 to 49 is 10.6 per cent. This translates into one in ten people living with HIV, with women aged 15-49 at 13 percent, while among men in the same age band at 8 percent prevalence. One inevitable by-product of deaths from HIV infection in adults is an increased number of vulnerable children. Caregivers and parents have little knowledge on how to handle children affected with HIV and AIDS. 6) Child Rights Protection: Most children in Malawi live under very difficult circumstances which facilitate the violation of their rights and impede their good start in life. A big number of children are growing up in violent homes, witnessing domestic violence and experiencing its negative effects. 15 7) Accessibility to Health Facilities and Services: this is a very big problem for most of the children in Malawi. Children are prevented to live to their highest health standards as mortality and morbidity rates are very high in Sub-Saharan Africa 8) Food Security and Nutrition is a problem, especially at household level. There is generally low food productivity, low income, low micro-nutrient feeding content and lack of food diversification. Thus, most children are affected by malnutrition due to food insecurity in terms of access, availability and utilization at household level. The causes of child malnutrition include suboptimal child feeding practices, inadequate diet, frequent incidence of disease among young children, the low socioeconomic status and poor nutritional condition of many mothers. The 2010 Country Report on Nutrition reports that droughts, floods, inflation and lack of diversified farming have exposed a large part of the population to food insecurity. Nearly half the children suffer from chronic malnutrition (stunting) and micronutrient deficiencies, including in iron and vitamin A. ECD services are characterized by nutrition insecurity, as 37 percent of children under age 5 are stunted (MDHS 2015-16). 9) Access to Early Stimulation and Learning Opportunities: Despite having more ECD centers in rural areas, the majority of children in the rural areas do not have access to these facilities. As a result, very few children below the age of 5 have the opportunity to attend formal ECD services before joining formal primary education. There is a big problem of caregiver turnover amidst the trained caregivers and there are more untrained caregivers working in ECD canters with no salary/honoraria by the end of the month. 10) Coordination, Leadership and Governance: currently the Ministry responsible for Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare is coordinating implementation of the ECD Policy. The government officers who are coordinating and leading in ECD services have no established posts on the pay roll. There are no relevant posts for ECD in the Ministry responsible for Child Development at all levels to ease the coordination process. 11) Children in Emergencies and Disaster Situation: There are many forms of disasters ranging from floods, droughts, scarcity of food, earthquakes to mention a few. Children lack protection and basic needs, as a result they suffer from psychological trauma. This prevents the provision of psychosocial support to children affected by disasters. 12) Limited Access to Parenting Education and Support: There is very little access to positive parenting services and support services. Most of the parents are adolescents who become parents without prior counseling and training in parenting education. The situation is worsened by the weakening of traditional parenting education systems in rural and urban areas. 16

1.6 Purpose of the National Policy on ECD The purpose of the National Policy on ECD is to provide and enhance a coordinated and comprehensive approach in the implementation of accessible, quality and equitable ECD services. The National Policy on ECD facilitates efficient and effective implementation of ECD services. A comprehensive and integrated approach by the line ministries, departments, agencies, and organizations, institutions, communities and households, in collaboration with other stakeholders, will be pursued in order to ensure adequate provision of high quality ECD services to all children from conception to eight years. The National Policy on ECD provides the basis for harmonized service delivery for all ECD stakeholders from the grassroots to the area, district and national levels. It provides Government’s leadership and positioning in the implementation of multi-facetted and multisectoral ECD services. Albeit ECD is mostly community based, Government has a pivotal role to establish a strong and sustainable system and strategies for enhanced quality and comprehensive implementation of ECD services. Ultimately, the National Policy on ECD is an expression of commitment of the Government towards implementation of accessible, equitable and quality ECD services for all children, including children with special needs such as children with albinism, children in refugee situations, children that are traumatized and other vulnerable children. 2.0BROAD POLICY DIRECTIONS The National Policy on ECD provides measures to be taken to ensure that all children are provided with accessible, standard, adequate, quality and equitable ECD services from conception to eight years of age.

2.1 Policy Vision All children developed holistically.

2.2 Policy Goal To promote a comprehensive approach to programs and services for all children from conception to eight years of age, including the vulnerable children.

2.3 Policy Outcome Accessible, high quality, equitable, integrated and comprehensive ECD services that guarantee children’s rights and optimum development for all children from conception to eight years of age. 2.4Policy Objectives The objectives of the National ECD Policy are to: a) enhance provision of quality child care, survival, growth, stimulation and early learning services; b) strengthen leadership, management, coordination and capacity building for ECD workers; c) promote child rights; 17 d) provide parenting education and support; e) strengthen research, monitoring and evaluation; and f) enhance resource mobilization and leveraging.

3.0 PRIORITY AREASOF THE NATIONALPOLICY ON ECD The National Policy on ECD focuses on the following priority areas: child care, survival, growth and stimulation; parenting education and support; center based services; transitional services and child rights protection services. The policy priority areas for ECD are outlined as follows: 3.1Priority Area 1: Child Care, Survival, Growth and Stimulation Children require special early care, survival, growth and stimulation for them to reach their optimum potential in life. The provision of adequate and constant care and stimulation does not only ensure that children survive, but are also assisted to cope with life and develop optimally at home, in the community, at the ECD centre, school and other settings. Providing children with quality care, stimulation and early learning opportunities has many benefits, including enhancing school readiness and related educational outcomes. Child survival and stimulation is a very big problem in Malawi. Sixty four (64%) of all children are dying before they reach the age of five (MDHS 2015/16). Accessibility to survival and stimulation facilities and services for most of the children in Malawi is very limited. Most of the child mortality and morbidity is caused by malnutrition and other preventable diseases. Most children are affected by malnutrition due to food insecurity in terms of access, availability and utilization at household level. Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) and micronutrient deficiencies of vitamin A, iron and iodine are a major health concern among children. Most of acute malnutrition is associated with HIV. According to the 2010 Malawi Country Nutrition report, droughts, floods, inflation and lack of diversified farming have exposed a large part of the population to food insecurity. Most of the parents are youth who have no idea on how to take care and stimulate their children. Furthermore, the lack of child caring and stimulation knowledge and skills by parents impact badly on child survival, growth and development. Policy Statements The policy will ensure that: 1) Care for survival, growth and development for all children is provided, including those in difficult situations. Strategies a) Promote the key child care and stimulation practices for child survival, growth and development. b) Build capacity of caregivers, mentors, helpers, parents and teachers in homes, centers, ECD centers, health facilities and early primary schools for child survival, growth and development. 18 c) Strengthen coordination between the Ministry responsible for ECD and the Ministries responsible for Health, Nutrition, Food Security, HIV and AIDS. 2) Children are provided with nutritious food, safe water, sanitation facilities, immunization, growth monitoring services, and adequate play and stimulation materials. Strategies a) Build capacity of the community, parents and guardians to produce, prepare and preserve nutritious food, safe water, sanitary facilities, care and stimulation materials, and assess and monitor child growth. a) Scale up sanitation activities and the school feeding component in all ECD centers. b) Strengthen the capacity of ECD centers to scale up food production and child feeding activities in all ECD centers. 3) Children with special needs are identified early, assessed, supported and referred for professional treatment. Strategies a) Strengthen linkages with referral institutions and ECD services provision for all children, especially children with disabilities, excluded children, disaster and abuse affected children. b) Conduct awareness campaign on child rights protection for all children, especially children with disabilities, excluded children, disaster and abuse affected children. c) Build capacity of the community structures, the CBO, justice structure and law enforcement machinery on child rights of children with special needs, birth registration, probation services, Journey of Life, psychosocial support and children corners. 4) A functional ECD legal and institutional framework developed for effective and efficient implementation, coordination and monitoring of ECD activities. Strategies: a) Develop a bill to be enacted into a new ECD legislation. b) Disseminate the new ECD Act using the low literacy materials to ECD stakeholders. c) Implement capacity building strategy for parents, community leaders, ECD workers, institutions, helpers, caregivers, mentors, supervisors, stakeholders, ECD desk officers and managers in ECD and the harmonized ECD monitoring and evaluation system and database. d) Conduct exchange visits to countries with successful ECD programmes. e) Develop national ECD indicators for the national survey, for production of statistical bulletin and inclusion of ECD indicator in the ministry’s MIS. 5) ECD research, monitoring and resource mobilization enhanced for quality and equitable ECD services. Strategies: a) Develop strategies and research agenda to regulate and coordinate research and resource mobilization activities. b) Mobilize adequate resources for ECD implementation, research, monitoring, evaluation and dissemination activities. 19 c) Coordinate effectively the leveraging of the available resources for ECD services d) Raise profile of ECD services by advocacy and communication. e) Develop research agenda for IECD 3.2Priority Area 2: Parenting Education and Support Parenting education and support is the provision of parenting and caregiving knowledge, skills, the right motivation and capacity to adequately support the survival, thriving, development and protection of all children. It also promotes the parent-child bonding through increased interaction time and emotional support by giving children praise, empathy, comfort and motivation. Parenting education and support is a targeted programme aimed at strengthening the skills of parents and caregivers in caring for their children. Parenting skills and attitudes foster pro-social behavior and encourages adherence to values and attitudes in disciplining children while eliminating harsh and ineffective discipline-control strategies. However, there is inadequate parenting education support and unsystematic programming. Less than five percent of parents have access to systematic parenting education and support in Malawi. The low literacy level of most parents has an impact on child upbringing. The positive indigenous child care practices that used to shield children are no more used due to modernization and cross-cultural contexts. The institutions that are supposed to educate parents are not readily available. Therefore, the policy outlines the materials, resources, structures, systems, capacities and processes to unlock the great human potential that comes out of optimum development. Policy Statements The policy will ensure that: 1) The family is strengthened to effectively provide holistic growth and development services for survival, growth and development for all children. Strategies a) Build capacity of the parents, groups, marriage councilors and organizations to support families on matrimonial services. b) Scale up the matrimonial groups and services in all the communities and institutions through community awareness meetings. c) Develop guidelines, standards, indicators and parenting educators’ pack for home visits (picture flip books, Bicycles, branded bags, t-shirts, chitenje, hard cover, pen) for supporting families. 2) Early childhood care and stimulation for learning and development programmes for children from conception to two years are promoted through parenting education and support. Strategies: a) Develop capacity of parents, caregivers, mentors, helpers, teachers, supervisors, parenting education and Child Care for Development (CCD) groups, parenting educators, researchers, regional trainers and managers to promote care for child development and stimulation. 20 b) Set up structures and Parenting Education groups for promoting and strengthening families and matrimonial services. c) Conduct joint quarterly monitoring and supervision visits to parenting education groups and sites. d) Conduct parenting education and CCD activities at community, ECD center, school, health facilities, and on open days. e) Procure and develop parenting educators’ pack for conducting home visits (Picture flip books, Bicycles, branded bags/t-shirts/ chitenje, hard cover, pen) and guides. f) Remove and resettle children and parents from hazardous environments (bars, bottle- stores, streets, etc.) g) Conduct exchange study visits on ECD, parenting education, CCD and Transition services. h) Encourage institutions of higher learning to prioritize and develop programmes for child development and stimulation in the different care and development contexts including the homes, hospitals, ECD centers and early primary schools. 3) Positive cultural practices and indigenous child care practices are identified and promoted. Strategies: a) Identify positive cultural and indigenous practices that promote lives of children for promotion in all districts. b) Develop laws that promote positive cultural and indigenous practices of children. c) Promote by laws that discourage cultural practices that endanger lives of children. d) Development of memorandum of understanding with organizations that promote cultural practices for ECD. 21 3.3Priority Area 3: ECD Centre Based Services ECD center based services are child development services that are offered in organized settings. The settings are in forms of crèches, playgroups, religious centers, kindergartens, nursery schools, day care centers, community based childcare centers, preschools, nutrition rehabilitation units, children’s/ pediatric wards; child rehabilitation units, children’s corners and primary schools for children aged six to eight. ECD centers are positioned within children’s reach at a village, location, market place, estates, offices, hotels, banking halls, shopping malls, military and police communities, refugee camps and many other places where children survive, live and thrive. ECD centers offer opportunities for protection, stimulation, development, participation, socialization and a sense of belonging of all children, including vulnerable ones. Children may be excluded from ECD services due to unfriendly situations and are reached with inclusive ECD services at the household, community, center and institution levels. The main challenges associated with the ECD center based services include over reliance on volunteer caregivers since most trained caregivers are working as volunteers, low quality development outcomes and inappropriate infrastructure and facilities. Most ECD centers are not child and disability friendly. They do not have adequate material resources, regulated child development practitioners, strong and effective monitoring and supervisory system. Access to ECD services is at 45.36 percent. There is still a huge gap in terms of access as 54.64% of all eligible children still do not access ECD center services. There are inadequate ECD services for children with special needs. Most of the stakeholders pay much attention to older children in terms of special needs. The ECD center low access is worse for children with special needs, children on the street and other vulnerable children. Most ECD infrastructure is generally poor and is inappropriate for young children. Policy Statements The policy will ensure that: 1) All children access quality and regulated center-based services with trained, committed, certified, remunerated workers and with ECD professional development system. Strategies: a) Strengthen the establishment, registration and licensing of ECD centers. b) Assess for up grading some of the ECD centers. c) Maintain and updating records of ECD centers. d) Map all private and public ECD center based services. 2) All center-based services have quality and appropriate, child and disability friendly infrastructure and facilities. Strategies: a) Mobilize communities for community development activities of ECD infrastructure and facilities. b) Mobilize financial and material resources to support ECD infrastructure and facilities. c) Establish ECD centre based services in the community, institutions and organizations. 22 d) Upgrade ECD centre based structures through construction and renovations. e) Undertake design studies for child friendly ECD infrastructure, materials and facilities. 3) All center-based services have adequate care, play, stimulation and learning materials. Strategies: a) Procure and distribute standard ECD center kits. b) Promote production of care, play and stimulation materials using locally available resources. c) Produce ECD standard ECD center guides. d) Hold open days to display locally available materials. e) Promote the best buy Malawi principle in ECD materials provision. 4) All ECD centers have safe and portable water and sanitary facilities. Strategies: a) Provide safe water and sanitary facilities to all ECD center based services. b) Encourage water institutions and development partners to provide water and sanitary facilities to ECD centers. c) Train ECD center committees and parents on the management of water and sanitary facilities. 5) All ECD center based services are serviced by trained, licensed and certified ECD practitioners. Strategies: a) Implement the ECD capacity building strategy. b) Train, recruit and deploy caregivers, helpers, mentors, managers, researchers and supervisors on ECD services. c) Lobby for increased allocation of financial, human and material recourses for ECD services. d) Put in place remuneration package for ECD workers to improve their terms and condition of work 6) ECD centers based services are standardized Strategies: a) Standardize all ECD center based services using the ECD standard operation and accreditation guidelines. b) Disseminate the National ECD Standard operational and accreditation guidelines. c) Grade ECD centers to determine their requirements. d) Engage the department of Human Resources and Ministry of Finance on remuneration ECD workers and funding of ECD services. 7) Effective monitoring and supervisory system for all ECD centre services is established. 23 Strategies: a) Conduct regular ECD monitoring and supervisory visits. b) Train officers and stakeholders in the new monitoring & evaluation system. c) Disseminate for utilization of ECD monitoring tools. d) Develop national ECD database system. e) Strengthen district and community networks on ECD. 8) Leadership role for coordinating ECD policy activities is strengthened Strategies: a) Strengthen capacity building for ministry staff members, stakeholders and training institutions on ECD, management, research, resourcing and coordination. b) Create established posts for ECD in the line Ministries and organizations. c) Hold coordination meetings at national, district and community levels. d) Strengthen the role of ECD desk officer in the line ministries. e) Hold ECD meetings for the ECD steering committee biannually, ECD Network quarterly, ECD committees and joint ECD stakeholders quarterly for review and planning. f) Monitoring the implementation of ECD activities by all stakeholders. 9) Quality improvement and accreditation system for ECD developed, scaled up and strengthened. Strategies: a) Develop quality improvement and accreditation system for ECD services. b) Scale up quality improvement and accreditation system for ECD services. c) Support Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) programme to enhance Quality improvement and accreditation system for ECD services. 24

3.4 Priority Area 4: ECD Transition Services The ECD Transition service is a process in which a child moves from home to ECD centre and ECD centre to school. It is a period of change that can be both challenging and exciting. Starting school is a process whereby children and families adjust to new roles, identify expectations, new interactions and relationships. It is not a point-in-time event, but rather an experience that starts well before and extends far beyond in life. The transition from home to ECD centers and from ECD centers to lower primary schools is a challenge for children to adjust to the new environment. Some children start school after attending a form of a pre-school service, while a larger proportion may not have attended any formal prior-to-school service. In order to help bridge some gaps and support children to manage this change very well, both ECD services and primary schools need to offer transition support from ECD centers to primary school programs. The major challenges in transition are long distances from home to the nearest ECD center and to primary school. The situation is worsened by inadequate services to help children adjust and adapt to the new learning environments, great disparities in infrastructure and facilities, inadequate materials and resources and inappropriate linkage between ECD center and primary school curricula. The challenges result into social adjustment problems, high school dropout and repetitions. When children start primary school, they experience environments that can be quite different from home and community child care centers. Not only can the physical environment be different, but the social nature of primary school, learning and stimulating experiences, and expectations differ enormously. The approach to learning, stimulation and teaching may also be different between ECD services and primary schools. Currently, there is a disconnect between standard one and ECD centers. Policy Statements The policy will ensure that: 1) All ECD centers, infrastructure and facilities are standardized, documented and clustered around primary schools and ECD data system put in place to ease transitioning. Strategies: a) Establish junior primary school within children’s walking distance. b) Strengthen capacity development of key transitional facilitators; namely parents, caregivers, helpers, mentors, supervisors and teachers to adequately support transitioning children. c) Standardize services to ease the transitioning of children from home to ECD centers and from ECD centers to the primary schools d) Reduce disparities on infrastructure, facilities and resources between ECD centers and Primary Schools. e) Cluster ECD centers, parenting education and care for child development groups to feeder primary schools, health centers and other service centers. 2) All eligible children are enrolled in centre-based services and primary schools, and child assessment and tracking system to facilitate transitioning are in place. Strategies: 25 a) Conduct awareness with communities, parents, caregivers and teachers and implementing partners on ECD transition. b) Develop, print and distribute low literacy ECD transition guides for parents, caregivers, mentors, helpers, teachers and communities. c) Set up tracking system for all children who have transitioned to primary schools. 3) The capacity of the transitional facilitators is improved to adequately support transitioning. Strategies: a) Facilitate the introduction of ECD module in primary TTCs b) Develop transitional Guides for parents, caregivers and teachers to adequately support transitioning children. c) Support transition facilitators with capacity building, equipment, guides and other support services. 4) Disparities in form of infrastructure, facilities and resources between ECD centers and Primary Schools are reduced Strategies: a) Lobby for increased resources for standardized infrastructure. b) Develop infrastructure for both ECD centers and Primary Schools. c) Print and distribute standard operational and accreditation guidelines for ECD. d) Lobby for district and constituency development funds to prioritize ECD centers and primary schools. 5) Parenting Education, ECD center, Pre-primary and Primary School curricula are harmonized Strategies: a) Review parenting education, ECD centers and school infant class curricula. b) Facilitate periodic review of ECD and school infant classes’ curricula to ensure relevance. c) Train primary school teachers in ECD pedagogy and approach for systematic transition activities.

3.5 Priority Area 5: Child Rights Protection Services A Child rights protection service is the creation of an environment conducive for children to enjoy their rights. In addition, Malawi is party to the international and regional instruments for the protection of children such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC). The Government set up the department for Children Affairs and established the Malawi Human Rights Commission that has a Child Rights Unit to facilitate the implementation of the instruments. The domestication of the CRC and enactment of the Child Care, Protection and Justice Act (CCPJA) of 2010 resulted in raising public awareness on the protection of children’s rights and elimination of all forms of abuse. 26 Despite the existing progressive legal framework there are still challenges of its enforcement, child rights abuse, neglect, exploitation and inadequate strategies for reporting and handling of child abuse cases. The general observation is that many children in Malawi live under very difficult circumstances, which infringe on the enjoyment of their rights. Worse still some children are found in hazardous places including bars, bottle-stores, taverns, rest-houses and streets.There is inadequate data on all children who are in need of care and protection. The major factors that put children in difficult circumstances and subject them to abusive situations are poverty, HIV and AIDS, harmful cultural practices and disasters. These situations increase the vulnerability of children resulting in the violation of their basic human rights. While efforts are being made to the care and protection of children, many children placed within the available care systems rarely get the required attention or are let down by the inadequacy of the programmes offered. Policy Statements The policy will ensure that: 1) Children are protected from all forms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Strategies: a) Hold sensitization meetings on the Child Care Protection and Justice Act (CCJPA) and other child related laws at community, school and ECD center levels. b) Disseminate CCJPA low literacy materials in vernacular languages. c) Develop ECD play and stimulation materials on the CCJPA. . 2) Parents, caregivers and service providers adhere to the relevant laws that protect children, report and support cases of child abuse. Strategies: a) Establish functional child protection and inclusive system. b) Scale up the district child protection model and child wellbeing rehabilitation centers. c) Build child protection and inclusive systems. d) Create linkages with victim support units. e) Create database for child rights protection and rehabilitation. f) Mobilize and leverage resources for child protection and rehabilitation. 3) Adequate professional personnel, financial and materials resources are deployed in the field Strategies: a) Recruit and deploy child protection workers at Traditional Authority levels. b) Appoint and gazette probation officers for child rights protection. c) Build capacity of academic and professional child rights protection officers and probation officers 4) Lobby for more funds allocated for ECD activities in the national budgets, by development partners and the private sector to ensure adequate implementation of children’s rights. 27 Strategies: a) Conduct Evidence based advocacy meetings in forms of breakfast/ cocktail/ lunch with donors, private sectors, policy makers. b) Popularize ECD M’mera Mpoyamba using the National Advocacy and Communication Strategy. c) Develop private partnership system in the implementation of ECD services to benefit the private sector and the vulnerable members of the society especially children. d) Hold periodic fact based media advocacy campaigns and orientations for resources on ECD. 28

4.0 ECD POLICY IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENT The implementation of the ECD policy will be the responsibility of all stakeholders involved in ECD under the leadership of the ministry responsible for child development affairs The coordination mechanisms and implementation structures put in place by government will guide its implementation through the Child Development Technical Working Group (CD-TWG) and its subsequent Sector Working Group (SWG). The implementation of the ECD policy will also involve development partners, private sector, NGOs, community and family members. 4.1Institutional Arrangements The ministry responsible for child development affairs shall institutionalize the legal framework and an appropriate structure for the implementation of ECD activities. Key ECD stakeholders that shall implement the policy based on the activities provided in this policy document include the following:

4.1.1 Ministry responsible for Child Development Affairs Shall be responsible for: a) regulating, assessing, accrediting and registering all ECD organizations and providers; b) providing harmonized policy direction, guidance, oversight and leadership in the implementation and networking with ECD stakeholders and service providers; c) developing, reviewing and interpreting ECD Policy, guidelines, curricula, instructional materials, strategies, legislations, policy statements, plans, monitoring and evaluation indicators; d) facilitating the implementation and supervision of ECD services; e) facilitating and supporting ECD research and its agenda; f) lobbying for increased financial resources for ECD programmes; g) ensuring prudent utilization of resources by organizations and providers at all levels; h) advocating for inclusive ECD for children with disabilities and the excluded children; i) mobilizing and leveraging resources for child care, stimulation and protection; j) promoting public private partnership in the provision of ECD services for all children; k) facilitating implementation of capacity building strategy for all providers and institutions; l) providing periodical reports to stakeholders and ECD thematic working group members; m) facilitating provision of age specific population, sexuality education, community nutrition, and HIV and AIDS services; n) clustering ECD centers and parenting education services around education and health facilities; o) encouraging the private sector to provide ECD services to vulnerable children; and p) coordinating ECD service provision by community based organizations.

4.1.2 Ministry responsible for Health, Nutrition, HIV and AIDS. Shall be responsible for: a) promoting integrated management of child illness and accelerated child survival development ; b) screening and treating minor illnesses for parents, children and caregivers; c) monitoring growth trends in children; d) integrating community based child health programmes in ECD services; e) undertake vigorous child and maternal immunization campaigns; f) provision of antenatal care and counseling services for expectant mothers; 29 g) promotion of exclusive breast-feeding by lactating mothers; h) provision of information on nutrition, PMTCT, VCT, STIs, HIV and AIDS; i) provision of deworming and immunization services to children in ECD centers; j) positioning ECD focal point officers to manage ECD activities in the ministry; and k) planning and budgeting for ECD related activities within the Ministry;

4.1.3 Ministry responsible for Education, Science and Technology Shall be responsible for: a) creating environment conducive for child transiting from ECD centers to school; b) developing learning, stimulation and teaching materials for the infant classes; c) production of ECD pedagogy and materials for teacher training programmes; d) conducting research on innovative ECD practices; e) planning, budgeting and allocating resources for ECD programmes; f) ensuring inclusion of ECD in district education plans; g) collaborating with the ministry responsible for child affairs on transition services; and h) positioning ECD focal point officers to manage ECD activities within the ministry; and i) clustering ECD centers and parenting education services around primary schools.

4.1.4 Ministry responsible for Local Government, District Administration and Rural Development Shall be responsible for: a) enhancing coordination, supervision and monitoring of ECD activities at national, district, area and village levels; b) facilitating the establishment and functioning of technical working groups and sub-committees within the district and town councils; c) formulating by-laws to regulate ECD activities as per ECD guidelines provided; d) mobilizing, leveraging and channeling resources for ECD services in all the district and town councils; e) developing plans, implementing and monitoring activities that promote quality, equitable and accessible ECD programmes; f) providing implementation frameworks and district structures for implementing quality and accessible ECD services; g) recognizing and supporting ECD personnel at the district and community levels; h) raising community awareness on the importance of ECD; i) supporting ECD activities with resources that are requested by the community for child responsive projects; j) facilitating identification and accreditation of child friendly districts that have demonstrated commitment to provision of accessible and quality child development services; k) ensuring that District Councils have ECD plans in the district development plans, health plans, education plans and t agriculture plans; l) positioning ECD focal point officers to manage ECD activities within the ministry; and m) planning and budgeting for ECD related activities within the Ministry.

4.1.5 Ministry responsible for Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development 30 Shall be responsible for: a) provision of agriculture extension services and training of caregivers, ECD workers and households on food security; b) efficient crop production methods at ECD center, primary school and household levels; c) promoting animal husbandry at household, ECD center, community and institutional levels. d) promotion of food diversification at all levels. e) promotion of food conservation methods at all levels. f) promotion of food processing at all levels. g) Provision of agricultural, irrigation and water services to ECD service centers. h) Positioning ECD focal point officers to manage ECD activities within the ministry. i) planning and budgeting for ECD related activities within the Ministry.

4.1.6 Ministry responsible for Finance, Economic Planning and Development Shall be responsible for: a) mobilizing resources for implementing ECD policy and implementation strategy; b) allocation of adequate funding resources for ECD program and related services; c) lobbying development partners for funding ECD programs; d) supporting the ministry in tracking overall annual investments into the ECD sector; e) developing proposals and budget requirement for integrated ECD services for funding support from Government and Development partners; f) setting ECD as a the key priority area in national development in donor funding requests. g) facilitating active and full participation in ECD networking and working groups; and h) positioning ECD focal point officers to manage ECD activities within the ministry.

4.1.7 Ministry responsible for Justice; Human Rights Institutions; Law Commission and Legal Service Providers Shall be responsible for: a) promoting children’s rights in line with the United Nations, African Union and Regional Socio- Economic Development Groupings conventions and principles; b) protection of child rights. c) advising and interpretation of the laws, by-laws and conventions in relation to ECD. d) educating ECD workers and stakeholders on child and human rights. e) represent children and ECD workers in litigation. f) drafting ECD legislations and by-laws. g) positioning ECD focal point officers to manage ECD activities within the ministry. h) planning and budgeting for ECD related activities within the Ministry.

4.1.8 Ministry responsible for Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Shall be responsible for: a) Promotion of ECD services in the work place; 31 b) encouraging youth groups to open and manage quality and accessible ECD services; c) developing innovative ideas and crafts for standard ECD materials; d) promoting and protecting the labour rights for ECD workers; e) bargaining for the right remuneration packages for ECD workers and caregivers; f) advising and interpreting labour laws and by-laws for ECD workers; g) encouraging and promoting ECD workers, youth and stakeholders to include ECD activities in their plans; and h) representing ECD workers in labour disputes and litigation.

4.1.9 The National Assembly Shall be responsible for: a) advocating for implementation of accessible, equitable and quality ECD services for all children, caregivers and parents in their constituencies; b) passing legislations that promote accessible, equitable and quality ECD services; c) advocating for increased resources allocation for ECD services at national assembly and district council levels; d) initiating and setting up ECD service centers at constituency level; e) monitoring and supervision of ECD projects at national, district, constituency and ward levels; f) mobilizing and leveraging resources for implementing accessible, equitable and quality ECD services at constituency and ward levels; g) promoting comprehensive ECD implementation at other legislative bodies and groups at national, regional and global fora.

4.1.10 The Ward Councilor Shall be responsible for: h) advocating for implementation of accessible, equitable and quality ECD services for all children, caregiver and parents in their wards; i) passing by-laws that promote accessible, equitable and quality ECD services; j) advocating for increased resources allocation for ECD services at district council and wards; k) initiating and setting up ECD service projects at ward level; l) monitoring and supervision of ECD projects at district, constituency, ward levels, village and family levels; m) mobilizing and leveraging resources for implementing accessible, equitable and quality ECD services at district and ward levels; n) promoting comprehensive ECD implementation at other legislative bodies and groups at national, regional and global fora.

4.1.11 Religious Institutions and Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) Shall be responsible for: 32 a) championing ECD activities in their catchment areas in harmony with communities and other organizations; b) promotion of spiritual and moral development of all children without discrimination; c) setting up programmes that promote quality and accessible ECD services; d) development of related curriculum at service point levels in liaison with the ministry; e) promotion of family unity and stability by settling matrimonial issues, developing and implementing matrimonial friendly programmes; f) establishing ECD programmes at household, community, center and institutional levels; g) raising awareness on the appropriate childcare, protection, stimulation and development programmes. h) mobilizing resources for childcare, protection, stimulation and development programmes. i) providing ECD services especially for vulnerable children in the communities.

4.1.12 Association of ECD in Malawi (AECDM) and all ECD Coalitions/ Groups In close liaison with the Ministry responsible for Child Development Affairs, ECD groups will be responsible for: a) registering and certifying ECD providers as its members in forms of organizations, individuals, communities, families and centers; b) supporting professional capacity development and training for ECD providers such as ECD caregivers, mentors, helpers, parenting educators and facilitators, supervisors and managers; c) monitoring and supervision of ECD services at household, center, community and institutional levels; d) producing and providing standard play, care, stimulation and learning materials; e) providing ECD resource centers at national and regional levels to promote quality, equitable and accessible ECD services; f) providing ECD model service centers for compliance by all ECD providers; g) lobbying for increased ECD resource allocation by Government, Development partners, District Councils, NGOs and the private sector; h) construction and resourcing of standard ECD service centers; and i) networking and coordinating with line ministries, organizations and sectors in the provision of integrated ECD services at all levels.

4.1.13 Organizations promoting and working with Children with Special Needs/ Disabilities a) setting up and strengthen district structures for disability forums which plans and promote child rights through ECD activities; b) developing advocacy strategy on inclusion of children with disabilities in ECD services. c) supporting policy statements, information, education and communication materials and key messages on inclusion of children with disabilities in ECD services; d) conducting awareness raising meetings using CRC and Convention on the Rights People with Disabilities (CRPD) on the rights of children with disabilities in liaison with implementing partners; e) developing standards and programmes for children with disabilities in ECD services in collaboration with the line ministries and INGOs; 33 f) building partnerships with the line ministries, ECD Networks at national and district levels, local NGOs, Associations, INGOs, Civil Society Organisations and private sector on support for ECD for Children with disabilities; g) sharing information and learning generated by research on children with disabilities; and h) monitoring progress of implementation of ECD activities in relation to children with disabilities.

4.1.13 Cooperating and Development Partners Shall be responsible for: a) allocating adequate resources and providing technical support for implementing quality and accessible ECD services; b) supporting the efforts of the government sectors in implementing ECD programs and activities; c) championing advocacy and implementation of rights of the children and human rights in line with Convention on the Rights of the Child and United Nations Articles; d) developing and strengthening the capacity of the government sectors to efficiently and effectively coordinate implementation of ECD policy and strategy; e) supporting child friendly innovations and research in the implementation of ECD programme at all levels of the society; f) collaborating with the responsible ministry for ECD and other sectors to avoid duplication overlap and wastage of efforts; g) augmenting the efforts of both national and international partners implementing ECD activities; h) developing capacity of ECD providers for implementing quality, equitable and accessible ECD services, more especially vulnerable children and communities.

4.1.14 Training Institutions and Colleges Shall be responsible for: a) ensuring comprehensive and multi-sectoral provision of ECD services at all levels for vulnerable children and communities; b) developing and supporting child responsive ECD tertiary programmes; c) developing and offering courses and programs in ECD to meet the human capacity demands for all the levels of ECD practitioners; d) training ECD workers at graduate and post graduate levels; e) developing and implementing the National ECD Research Agenda, in collaboration with the ministry responsible for child development affairs, National Council for Higher Education and other stakeholders; f) developing and sharing with ministry responsible for child development affairs and stakeholders academic research findings for ECD research documentation; g) modeling ECD service centers for child development academic excellence and quality services; h) mobilizing and leveraging resources for ECD implementation; i) assisting and recommending students for internship at ECD service centers, community and institutional levels; and j) undertaking efficient and effective consultancies for ECD programmes. 34

4.1.15 The Private Sector The Private Sector shall be responsible for: a) promoting and strengthening privatization of ECD services at household, community, center and institutional levels; b) providing quality, equitable and accessible ECD services to all children, with special focus on vulnerable children; c) producing quality, equitable and accessible standard ECD care, stimulation, development and protection materials; d) making ECD services available to working parents in public and private institutions; e) developing and providing quality child responsive programmes for economic benefits, as well as benefitting the vulnerable children in society; f) developing capacity of the private sector to provide quality and accessible ECD services; g) supporting economic contribution and growth of ECD services to the national socio-economic development agenda; h) adopting ECD centers to promote equitable access to ECD services; and i) promoting the thriving of the private sector in ECD services in the country. j) initiating business ventures that are ECD related and ensure needy but assistance deserving children are supported to benefit from such initiatives. k) designing products, materials and services that are ECD related using locally available resources. a) developing business policies that promote early childhood care for survival, growth, development and protection for children of employees, customers and the needy children.

4.1.16 Communities, families, parents and guardians Shall be responsible for: a) provision of basic child care services and general management of ECD services, b) mobilizing resources and providing children with all their immediate needs and wants; c) providing adequate care for pregnant and lactating women; d) providing adequate breastfeeding and complementary feeding; e) preparing and storing food for active feeding; f) ensuring hygienic and sanitary environment conducive for child survival, growth, stimulation and development; g) recognizing and undertaking the required home health practices to managed child illnesses and utilizing health facilities and advices; h) providing psychosocial care to promote physical and health, cognitive and mental, emotional and social development; i) providing affection to children, to encourage autonomy and stimulate exploration in the child and to protect children against any forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation; j) mobilizing resources at all levels for childcare, protection and development; k) supporting the establishment and management of ECD centers; l) developing and providing quality care, stimulation, learning and teaching materials using locally available resources; 35 m) initiating and supporting early child development curriculum and pedagogy development at household, center and community levels; and n) seeking and receiving parenting education and support initiatives and services at household, community and organizational levels. 36

4.2 Implementation Plan The National Policy on ECD will be implemented according to the implementation plan as presented in annex 1. The ministry responsible for child development affairs will lead and coordinate the implementation of the policy and development of the strategic plan. The National Steering Committee of Principal Secretaries (PS) from key ministries and donor partners shall oversee and give policy guidance to the implementation of the policy in line with the Gender, Children, Youth and Sports Joint Sector Strategic Plan (JSSP) for a coherent, systematic and integrated approach. The ECD joint annual implementation work plan will be developed by the Child Development Technical Working Group through Joint Annual Review meetings. The ministry shall coordinate the development of a five year ECD implementation strategic plan and annual joint plans with stakeholders based on the strategies of the National ECD Policy. The implementation plan shall also take into consideration prevailing indicators and plans of children in Malawi. Researches and periodic reports shall also inform the annual, quarterly, monthly and weekly ECD implementation plans. Implementation of any policy largely depends on the availability of resources. Over the past years resources allocated to ECD services have not been satisfactory. This greatly affected the implementation of ECD policy activities. Most of the activities stipulated in the previous policy like construction and rehabilitation of ECD centers, establishment of resource centers, training of caregivers, were not fully carried out as expected due to insufficient financial resources. There is need to ensure that there is proper coordination, leveraging and alignment of implementation of ECD activities by all key ministries and the stakeholders.

4.4 Monitoring and Evaluation The policy will be monitored and evaluated as presented in annex 2.The responsible ministry will take a key leading role in monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the policy. The key stakeholders will be responsible for monitoring their own ECD activities whilst the ministry will coordinate the overall monitoring and evaluation of all the activities. The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework in the Joint Sector Strategic Plan and ECD Strategic Plan will guide the monitoring process. The ministry responsible for child development affairs shall receive monitoring and evaluation reports through the Child development Technical Working Group that will be reporting to the Sector Working Group. Issues around ECD have evolved and need further understanding through research. In spite of a number of commissioned research studies being carried out by higher education institutions, NGO and Donor partners, basic research has been lacking to specifically deal with issues of concern. Besides, dissemination of results for research studies has been limited to inform policy and practice in the field. For example, violence against children has been a critical issue over the years, yet very few studies have been conducted to examine deep rooted systemic causes and develop effective strategies for addressing them. It is against this background that the policy intends to enhance research activities in the next years. Furthermore, systems for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of ECD activities, especially at the national level have been generally weak, it is critical that a viable functional, up-to-date, 37 informative, interactive database and website specifically for the ECD sector should be established in order to strengthen and consolidate the national monitoring and evaluation system and processes. The National ECD Policy shall ensure that a national research agenda is established; comprehensive studies are carried out to address critical areas in ECD; a national ECD research database is created; a viable national ECD website is created and updated; all ECD research done in the country are effectively documented and disseminated; ECD monitoring and evaluation system is strengthened and adequate funds are allocated for research monitoring and evaluation activities. The Monitoring and Evaluation Section of the Planning Directorate in the ministry responsible for child development affairs shall take the full responsibility of leading the monitoring and evaluation of the policy in collaboration with relevant stakeholders at all levels. Joint Sector Reviews (JSR) will be conducted to evaluate annual performance and results will be made public. After 5 years of implementing the policy, an evaluation will be carried out to assess its impact. 38

Annex 1: ECD POLICY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN POLICY PRIORITY AREA 1: CHILD CARE, SURVIVAL AND STIMULATION Policy Statement 1.1: Care for survival, growth and development for all children is carried out at all times. Objectives outcome Strategies Responsibility Time Frame in Years (Y) Y Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 1 1) All children, a) Promote the 17 key child care and stimulation practices for MoGCDSW, X X X X X more especially child survival, growth and development. MoH, MoAIWD, those in difficult b) Build capacity of caregivers, mentors, helpers, parents and MoEST X X X X X situations receiving teachers in homes, centers, ECD centers, health facilities and care for survival, early primary schools for child survival, growth and growth and development. development. c) Strengthen coordination between the Ministry responsible for X X X X X ECD and the Ministry responsible for Health, Nutrition, Food Security, HIV and AIDS. 2) children b) Build capacity of the community, parents and guardians to MoGCDSW, X X X X X receiving nutritious produce, prepare and preserve nutritious food, safe water, MoH, MoEST, food, safe water, sanitation facilities, care and stimulation materials, assess and MoAIWD, sanitation services, monitor child growth. LOCAL immunization, c) Scale up the sanitation activities and the school feeding COUNCILS X X X X X growth monitoring, component to ECD centers in all districts. play & stimulation d) Strengthen the capacity of ECD centers to scale up food X X X X X materials production and child feeding activities in all ECD centers. 3) Children with d) Conduct awareness campaign on child rights protection for all MoGCDSW, X X X X X special needs are children and ECD centers especially children with disabilities, MoH, Police, identified early, excluded children, disaster and abuse affected children MoAIWD, assessed, supported e) Build capacity of the community structures, the CBO, justice MoJCA, NGOS, X X X X X and referred for structure and law enforcement machinery on child rights for FBOs, MoEST, professional children with special needs, birth registration, probation Victim Support treatment. services, Journey of Life, psychosocial support and children Units corners facilitators a) Strengthen linkages with referral institutions and ECD services X X X X X provision for all children, especially children with disabilities, the excluded, disaster affected and the traumatized children. 4) A functional, f) Implement capacity building strategy for parents, community MoGCDSW, X X X X X ECD legal and leaders, ECD workers and institutions: helpers, caregivers, MoH, MoEST, institutional mentors, supervisors, managers, stakeholders, ECD desk MoAIWD, Law framework officers and managers. Commission developed for g) Strengthen the role of ECD desk officers in the line ministries MoGCDSW, X X X X X effective and and organizations. MoJCA, , efficient h) Conduct exchange visits to countries with successful ECD LOCAL X X X X X implementation, programme. COUNCILS, coordination and i) Develop a bill to be enacted into a new ECD legislation. MoFEPD, X X X X X monitoring of ECD j) Disseminate the new ECD Act to ECD stakeholders using low Colleges X X X X X activities literacy copy. k) Capacity building on the installed and harmonized ECD M and X X X X X E system and database. l) Develop national ECD indicators for use in the national survey, X X X X X for production of statistical bulletin and inclusion of ECD indicator in Child Protection MIS. m) Encourage institutions of higher learning to prioritize and X X X X X develop programmes for ECD, care for child development. 39 5) ECD research, a) Develop strategies and research agenda to regulate and MoGCDSW, X X X X X monitoring , coordinate research and resource mobilization activities. MoEST, MoH, resource b) Mobilize adequate resources for ECD implementation, research, MoFEPD, X X X X X mobilization and monitoring, evaluation and dissemination activities, LOCAL leveraging c) Leverage the available resources for ECD services. COUNCILS X X X X X enhanced for d) Raise ECD profile for the visibility by advocacy, Students, X X X X X quality and communication and assess activities. UNIVERSITIES equitable ECD e) Developing research agenda for Integrated ECD. services. PRIORITY AREA 2: PARENTING EDUCATION SUPPORT AND CHILD CARE FOR DEVELOPMENT Policy Statement 2.1: The family remains the primary institution for supporting holistic survival, growth, stimulation, development and protection of children. Objective Time Frame in Years (Y) outcome Strategies Responsibility Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y 5 The family is a) Build capacity of the parents, groups, marriage MoGCDSW, X X X X X strengthened to councillors and organizations to support families on MoJCA, MoH, effectively matrimonial services. Police, NGOS, provide holistic a) Scale up Parenting Education and Care for Child Development FBOs, MoEST X X X X X survival, growth in all the communities and institutions through community Family Council and development awareness meetings and Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI). of Malawi, WVI, services for b) Develop guidelines, standards, indicators and parenting Religious X X children. educators’ pack for home visits (picture flip books, Bicycles, Organisations, branded bags, t-shirts, chitenje, hard cover, pen) for supporting LOCAL families. COUNCILS Policy Statement 2.2: Child Care for Development (CCD) promoted for early learning and stimulation programmes for young children from birth to two years are promoted through parenting education Early learning i) Development capacity of parents, parenting education groups, MoGCDSW, X X X X X and stimulation parenting educators, caregivers, mentors, helpers, teachers, MoH, LOCAL programmes of supervisors, researchers, regional trainers and managers to COUNCILS and children from promote care for child development and stimulation. targeted NGOs. conception to two j) Conduct joint quarterly monitoring and supervision visits to X X X X X years promoted parenting education groups and sites. through k) Set up structures and Parenting Education and CCD groups for X X X X X parenting promoting and strengthening families and matrimonial services. education and l) Conduct CCD and parenting education activities at community, X X X X X child care for ECD center, school and health facilities, etc. development. m) Procure parenting educators’ pack for conducting home visits X X X X X (Picture flip books, Bicycles, branded bags/t-shirts/chitenje, hard cover, pen) and guides. n) Remove for resettlement of children and parents from hazardous X X X X X environments (bars, bottle-stores, streets, etc.) o) Conduct exchange study visits on parenting education and CCD. X X X X X p) Hold open days for best practices on parenting education and X X X X X care for child development. Policy Statement 2.3 Positive cultural practices and indigenous child care practices are promoted. Positive cultural e) Identify of positive cultural and indigenous practices that MoGCDSW and X X X X X practices and promote lives of children for promotion in all districts. LOCAL indigenous child f) Develop laws that promote positive cultural and indigenous COUNCILS X X X X X care practices practices of children. are identified g) Promote by laws that discourage cultural practices that endanger X X X X X and promoted. lives of children developed. 40 h) Develop of memorandum of understanding with organisations X X X X X that promote cultural practices for ECD. Policy Statement 2.4 Quality improvement and accreditation system for ECD developed, scaled up and strengthened. Quality d) Develop quality improvement and accreditation system for MoGCDSW, MoH, X X X X X improvement ECD services. MoAIWD, MoEST and accreditation e) Scale up of quality improvement and accreditation system for and Stakeholders. X X X X X system for all ECD services. ECD services f) Support Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) programme to X X X X X fully developed enhance Quality improvement and accreditation system for and scaled up ECD services. POLICY PRIORITY AREA 3: ECD CENTRE BASED SERVICES Policy Statement 3. 1: All children access quality and regulated center based services with trained, committed, certified, remunerated workers and ECD professional development system. Objective Strategies Responsibility Time Frame in Years (Y) outcome Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Regulated ECD a) Strengthen establishment, registration and licensing ECD MoGCDSW, X X X X X centers based centers LOCAL services b) Assess for up grading of the ECD centers COUNCILS X X X X X established c) Maintain and updating records of ECD centers X X X X X d) Map all ECD center based services, private and public. X X X X X Policy Statement 3.2: All ECD centers have appropriate, quality and child- friendly buildings and facilities Children are a) Mobilize people for community development activities of MoGCDSW, X X X X X provided with ECD infrastructure and facilities. AECDM, quality, adequate b) Mobilize financial and material resources to support ECD Training X X X X X and appropriate infrastructure and facilities. Institutions, ECD centre c) Establish ECD centre based services at community, Regional ECD X X X X X infrastructure institutional and organizational levels. Trainers and facilities. d) Upgrade ECD centre based structures through construction and X X X X X renovation. e) Undertake design studies for child friendly ECD infrastructure, X X X X X materials and facilities. Policy Statement 3.3: All ECD center based services have adequate care, play, stimulation and learning material All ECD center a) Procure for distribution of standard ECD center kits. MoGCDSW, X X X X based services b) Promote local materials production using locally available MoLYSMD, X X X X are provided resources. AECDM, with adequate Chancellor resources. c) Produce ECD standard ECD center guides. College, other X X X X d) Hold open days to display locally available materials. Colleges, X X X X e) Promote the best buy Malawi principle in ECD materials X X X X provision. Policy Statement 3.4: All ECD centers have safe and portable water and sanitary facilities All ECD centers a) Provide safe water and sanitary facilities to all ECD center MoGCDSW, X X X X X are provided based services. MoAIWD, MoH, with safe water b) Encourage water institutions and development partners to Development X X X X X and sanitary provide water and sanitary facilities to ECD centers Partners, OPC facilities c) Train center committees and parents on the management of and MoEST. X X X X X water and sanitary facilities Policy Statement 3.5: All ECD center based services are serviced by trained, licensed and certified ECD practitioners Professionally e) Implement the ECD capacity building strategy. MoGCDSW, X X X X X trained, licensed f) Training for recruitment and deployment of caregivers, DHMRD, X X X X X and ECD helpers, mentors, managers, researchers and supervisors on AECDM, certified ECD services. Colleges, practitioners are g) Lobbying for increased allocation of financial, human LOCAL X X X X X deployed to all recruitment and material recourses for ECD services. COUNCILS and 41 ECD centers. h) Lobbying for recruitment of caregivers. MoFEPD i) Putting in place remuneration package for ECD workers to X X X X X improve their terms and condition of work. Policy Statement 3.6: ECD centers based services are standardized Formalization, a) Standardize all ECD center based services using the ECD MoGCDSW, X X X X X regulation and standard operation and accreditation guidelines. LOCAL improvement for b) Disseminate the National ECD Standard operational and COUNCILS, X X X X X all ECD center accreditation guidelines. AECDM based services c) Grade ECD centers to determine the requirements. X X X X X standardized. d) Engage the department of Human Resource and Ministry of X X X X X Finance on the ECD and roles of ECD workers. Policy Statement 3.7 Effective monitoring and supervisory system for all ECD centre services is established. Monitored and a) Conduct regular ECD monitoring and supervisory visits. MoGCDSW, X X X X X supervised b) Train officers and stakeholders in the new M&E system. MoFEPD, X X X X X efficiently and c) Disseminate utilization of ECD monitoring tools. MoEST, LOCAL X X X X X effectively all d) Develop national ECD database system. COUNCILS X X ECD centers. e) Strengthen district and community networks on ECD. X X X X X Policy Statement 3.8 Leadership role of ECD responsible Ministry in coordinating ECD policy activities is strengthened Coordination, a) Strengthen capacity building for ministry staff members, MoGCDSW, X X X X X leadership and stakeholders and training institutions on ECD, management, MoEST, Training management of research, resourcing and coordination. institution ECD b) Create established posts for ECD in the line Ministries and X X X X X programming organizations. developed and c) Hold coordination meetings at national, district and X X X X X strengthened. community levels. d) Develop the capacity of ECD coordinators and desk officers in X X X X X the ministries and districts. Policy Statement 3.9 The ECD implementation and coordination structures reinforced ECD a) Hold ECD meetings of the ECD steering committee MoGCDSW and X X X X X implementation biannually, ECD Network quarterly, ECD committees and ECD and coordination joint ECD stakeholders quarterly for review and planning Stakeholders structures b) Monitor the implementation of ECD activities by all X X X X X reinforced. stakeholders. Policy Statement 3.10 Quality improvement and accreditation system for ECD developed, scaled up and strengthened. Quality a) Develop quality improvement and accreditation system for MoGCDSW, X X improvement ECD services. NGOs, MIE, and accreditation b) Scale up of quality improvement and accreditation system for Stakeholders,Mal X X X X system for ECD ECD services. awiBureau of developed, scaled c) Support Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) programme to Standards X X X X X up and enhance Quality improvement and accreditation system for strengthened ECD services. POLICY PRIORITY AREA 4: ECD TRANSITIONAL SERVICES Policy Statement 4.1: Promote smooth transition of all eligible children to attend ECD center based services and to primary schools, health center and other community child care service points. Objective Time Frame in Years (Y) outcome Strategies Responsibility Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 All eligible a) Establishment of junior primary schools within children’s MoGCDSW, X X X X X children attend walking distance. MoEST, MIE, ECD center b) Strengthen capacity development of key transitional facilitators AECDM, X X X X X based services Stakeholders (parents, caregivers, helpers, mentors, supervisors and and transition smoothly to teachers) to adequately support transitioning children. primary schools, c) Standardization of services to ease the transitioning of children X X X X X health center and from home to ECD centers and from ECD centers to the other community primary schools. 42 child care service d) Reduction of disparities on infrastructure, facilities, and X X X X X points. resources between ECD centers and Primary Schools. Policy statement 4.2: All ECD center based services are linked to primary schools, health center and other community child care service points. Junior primary a) Lobby MoEST and MoF to establish junior primary schools MoGCDSW, X X X X X schools within within children’s walking distance. MoEST, children’s b) Lobby for the inclusion of ECD activities in the District MIE, X X X X X walking distance Development Plan (DDP), District Education Plan (DEPs) and AECDM, established District Health Plans (DHPs). Stakeholders c) Cluster ECD centers, parenting education and care for child X X X X X development groups to feeder primary schools and health centers. Policy Statement 4.3all legible children are enrolled in centers-based services and primary schools, and child assessment and tracking System to facilitate transitioning. Services to ease a) Develop ECD transition guide MoGCDSW, X X X transitioning of b) Conduct 3 orientation sessions with implementing partners of MoEST, MIE, X X X children from the developed guide AECDM, home to ECD c) Printing and distributing low literacy ECD transition guide Stakeholders X X X centers and from centers to the d) Disseminate the ECD transition using low literacy guides for X X X primary schools parents, caregivers, mentors, helpers, teachers and communities. standardized. Policy Statement 4.4: The capacity of key transitional facilitators (parents, caregivers, teacher trainers and teachers) is improved to adequately support transitioning children Capacity of key a) Facilitate the introduction of ECD module in TTCs MoGCDSW, X X X X X transitional b) Conduct transition training with parents, caregivers and teachers MoEST, MIE, X X X X X facilitators c) Develop transitional Guides for parents, caregivers and teachers AECDM, X X X X X improved to adequately support transitioning children improved. Stakeholders d) Monitor children who have transitioned to public and private X X X X X primary schools. Policy Statement 4.5: Disparities in infrastructure, facilities and resources between ECD centers and Primary Schools are reduced Disparities on a) Lobby MoEST, MoF, District Councils, NGOs and MoLG for MoGCDSW, X X infrastructure, increased resources for standardized infrastructure MoEST, facilities, and b) Develop infrastructure for both ECD centers and Primary MoLGRD, X X resources Schools. AECDM, between ECD c) Print and distribute standard operational and accreditation Stakeholders, X X centers and guidelines for ECD. LOCAL Primary Schools d) Lobby for district and constituency development funds to COUNCILS X X reduced prioritize ECD centers and primary schools. Policy Statement 4.6: Parenting Education, ECD center, Pre-primary and Primary School curricula are harmonized Parenting a) Review ECD and school infant class curriculum. MoGCDSW, X X education, ECD b) Facilitate periodic review of ECD and school infant classes MoEST, MIE, X X centers and curriculum to ensure relevance. AECDM, and primary school c) Train primary school teachers in ECD pedagogy and approach Stakeholders X X X X X curricula for systematic transition activities. harmonized POLICY PRIORITY AREA 5: CHILD RIGHTS PROTECTION SERVICES Policy Statement 5.1: All parents and caregivers at the grassroots level are made aware of the key provisions of the Child Care, Protection and Justice Act Objective outcome Strategies Responsibili Time Frame in Years (Y) ty Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Awareness a) Conduct sensitization meetings on the CCJPA at community, MoGCDSW, X X X X X raised with all school and ECD center levels. MoJCA, parents, b) Conduct awareness campaigns on CCJPA and other child related OPC, X X X X X caregivers, laws. MoEST, 43 committees and c) Orientate caregivers, teachers, committees, and parents on the Stakeholders X X X X X teachers on the CCJPA , LOCAL Child Care, d) Disseminate CCJPA low literacy materials in vernacular language COUNCILS X X X X X Protection and e) Develop ECD play and stimulation materials with the CCJPA X X X X X Justice Act information. (CCJPA) Policy Statement 5.2: All parents and caregivers at the grassroots level know the strategies for reporting and supporting cases of child abuse, neglect and exploitation Promoted the a) Establish functional child protection system. MoGCDSW, X X X X X utilization of b) Scale up the district child protection model and inclusionary MoJCA, X X X strategies for systems Police, reporting and c) Create linkages with victim support units. LOCAL X X X X X supporting cases d) Identify and create database for child rights protection and COUNCILS X X X X X of child abuse, rehabilitation. neglect and e) Set up and supporting child wellbeing rehabilitation centers. X X X X X exploitation at f) Mobilize and leverage resources for child rehabilitation. X X X X X grass root levels. Policy Statement 5.3: Adequate professional personnel, financial and materials resources are deployed in this field Adequate a) Recruit and deploy child protection workers at Traditional MoGCDSW, X X X professional Authority levels OPC, personnel, b) Facilitate the appointment and gazetting of probation officers for MoFEPD, X X X financial and child rights protection. DHMRD, materials c) Lobby for increases allocation of financial and material recourses Development X X X X X provided for for child rights protection. partners child rights d) Support both academic and professional training for child rights X X X X X protection. protection officers and probation officers. Policy Statement 5.4: Ministry and partners lobby for more funds allocated for ECD activities in the national budgets, by development partners and the private sector to ensure adequate implementation of children’s rights. Profile, visibility a) Lobby for more funds allocation for ECD activities from MoGCDSW, X X X X X and relevance on government, development partners, private sectors, district MoEST, ECD raised for councils and families. MoH, adequate b) Advocate for ECD budget lines in the national assembly for the MoLGRD, X X X X X implementation national budget, as well as the development partners and the MoLYSMD, of rights of the private sectors. LOCAL children c) Conduct evidence based advocacy meetings (in forms of COUNCILS, X X X X X breakfast/ cocktail/ lunch) with donors, private sectors, policy NGOS, makers FBOs, d) Popularize ECD M’mera Mpoyamba using the National Stakeholders X X X X X Advocacy and Communication Strategy e) Develop private partnership system in the implementation of ECD X X X X X services to benefit the private sector and the vulnerable children in society. f) Hold periodic fact based media advocacy campaigns and X X X X X orientations for resources on ECD. g) Develop attractive and need-based ECD presentations to be X X X X X presented in wrappers, bags, papers, brochures, leaflets, and power-point presentations. h) Engage proactively the private sector to support ECD e.g. X X X X X companies that run businesses in villages such as estates should be obliged to construct ECD centers. 44

Annex II: MONITORING AND EVALUATION PLAN POLICY PRIORITY AREA 1: CHILD CARE, SURVIVAL, GROWTH AND STIMULATION Strategic Objective 1.1: Promoted at all times care for survival, growth and development for all children. Strategic Strategic Output Performance Targets Baseline Sources Assumptions Outcome indicators of or Risk verificati on 1) Provision of a) 17 key child care and stimulation practices for Percentage 80% 20% Reports Service child Care child survival, growth and development of service providers for survival, promoted providers willing to growth and sensitized participate in developmen b) Capacity of caregivers, mentors, helpers, parents Capacity of 15,000 25% Reports the advocacy t for all and teachers in homes, centers, ECD centers, 20, 000 ECD activities. children, health facilities and early primary schools for workers built including child survival, growth and development built. children in c) Coordination between the Ministry responsible Number of 12 Quarterly Reports difficult for ECD and the Ministry responsible for Health, meetings held HIV and AIDS, Nutrition and Food Security situations. strengthened. 2) Providing a) Capacity of the community, parents and Capacity of 15,000 25% Reports Availability of children guardians to produce, prepare and preserve ECD workers skilled staff nutritious nutritious food, provide safe water, sanitation built food, safe facilities, care and stimulation materials, assess water, and monitor child growth built. sanitation b) Sanitation activities and the school feeding ECD centers 10,000 2500 Reports Availability of facilities, component in ECD centers in all districts scaled with sanitary funding immunization, up. facilities growth monitoring, c) Capacity of ECD centers to scale up food Number of 10,000 2500 Reports Availability of adequate play production and child feeding activities in all ECD centers skilled staff and ECD centers strengthened. stimulation materials. 3) Children a) Awareness campaign on child rights protection Awareness 20 4 Awarenes Stakeholders with special for all children and ECD centers especially campaign s reports commitment needs are children with disabilities, excluded children, early disaster and abuse affected children conducted. identified, b) Capacity of the community structures, CBOs, capacity of 500 150 Training Technical assessed, justice structure and law enforcement machinery community reports assistance supported and on child rights for children with special needs, justice referred for birth registration, probation services, Journey of professional structures Life, psychosocial support and children corners treatment. and CBO facilitators built. c) Strengthened linkages with referral institutions referral 150 55 Readiness of and ECD services provision for all children, institutions referral especially children with disabilities, excluded and services institutions children, disaster and abuse affected children providers 4) Developed a) Capacity building strategy for parents, capacity 15,000 650 Reports Availability of a functional, community leaders, ECD workers and building skilled staff institutions implemented. 45 ECD legal strategy. and b) The role of ECD desk officers in line ministries ECD officers 150 56 Reports Support from institutional and organizations strengthened. in ministries organizations framework and NGOs. for effective c) Exchange visits to countries with successful exchange 10 0 Tour Availability of and efficient ECD programme conducted. visits reports funding implementatio d) A new ECD legislation developed. ECD 1 0 ECD Act Funding n, legislation coordination Number of 30,000 0 Reports Passing of e) New ECD legislation disseminated. and copies printed new monitoring of and legislation ECD activities distributed f) Capacity building on the installed and ECD M & E 2 drafts ECD Availability harmonized ECD M and E system and database. system and M&E Technical database System Assistance and database g) National ECD indicators to be included in the national ECD 30 6 national Availability national survey, for production of statistical indicators ECD Technical bulletin and inclusion of ECD indicator in Child indicators Assistance Protection MIS developed. h) Encouraged institutions of higher learning Universities 15 1 ECD Acceptance by prioritize and develop programmes for child developed program higher development and stimulation in the different ECD mes in learning care and development contexts including the programmes colleges institutions homes, hospitals, ECD centers and early primary schools. 5) Enhanced a) Strategies and research agenda to regulate and Number of 1 0 Research Availability of ECD coordinate research and resource mobilization strategies. reports. funds research, activities developed. monitoring b) Adequate resources for ECD implementation, Number of 5 1 per year Database Cooperation and resource research, monitoring, evaluation and ECD studies. study of mobilization dissemination activities mobilised, reports stakeholders. and c) The available resources for ECD services Amount of K52.5 K10 Million Funding Prioritization leveraging for coordinated effectively. finances. billion report of ECD quality and d) Profile for the visibility of ECD through Number of 48 12 Reports Funding equitable advocacy, communication and assess activities dissemination ECD services raised. meetings. implementatio e) Research agenda for IECD developed. ECD 1 0 Research Technical n. Research agenda Support agenda. PRIORITY AREA 2: PARENTING EDUCATION SUPPORT AND CHILD CARE FOR DEVELOPMENT Objective outcome: Strengthen the family as the primary institution to support holistic survival, growth, stimulation, development and protection of all children. Strategic Strategic Output Performance Targets Baseline Sources Assumptions Outcome indicators of or Risk verificatio n 1) Stren a) Capacity of parents, groups, marriage councilors beneficiaries 30,000 5,000 Reports Technical gthened the and organizations to support families on of capacity Support matrimonial services built. building 46 family to b) The Parenting Education and Care for Child Number of 300 20 Functional Stakeholders effectively Development scaled up in all the communities parenting groups adopting the provide and institutions through community awareness education and programme meetings and Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI). CCD groups holistic growth and c) Guidelines, standards, indicators and standards, 40,000 500 standards, Cooperation development matrimonial resource pack for home visits for indicators and indicators of religious supporting marriages developed. matrimonial & institutions services for guides matrimoni survival, al guides growth and development for children. 2) prom a) Capacity development of parents, parenting Number of 1000 360 Training Availability oted early education groups, parenting educators, parenting report of funding learning and caregivers, mentors, helpers, teachers, educators stimulation supervisors, researchers, regional trainers and trained managers to promote care for child development programmes and stimulation conducted. of children b) Joint quarterly monitoring and supervision visits 70% home 50,000 28,000 Quarterly Training for from to parenting education groups and sites visits Report parenting conception to conducted. conducted educators two years c) Structures and Parenting Education and CCD Parenting 350 20 Quarterly District report through groups for promoting and strengthening families Education Report submission to parenting and matrimonial services set up. groups the ministry education and formed child care for d) CCD and parenting education activities at KAP 70% 30% Report Availability development. community, ECD center, school and health improved of funding facilities, etc conducted. e) Parenting educators’ pack for conducting home Number of 7 2 Reports Availability visits and guides developed. resource of funding packs distributed f) Children and parents from hazardous resettled 5000 500 Reports Cooperation environments (bars, bottle-stores, streets, children and from families etc.)resettled. parents g) Exchange study visits on parenting education exchange 5 1 Visiting Availability and CCD conducted. study visits report funding h) Open days for best practices on parenting Quarterly 20 4 Report Stakeholders education and care for child development held. open days turn up 3) Famil a) Positive cultural and indigenous practices that Positive 8 5 Meeting Officers ies and promote lives of children for promotion in all cultural minutes commitment parents using districts identified. practices positive b) By-laws that promote positive cultural and Number of 28 5 By laws Technical cultural indigenous practices of children developed. districts with developed support practices and by-laws indigenous c) By laws that discourage cultural practices that By laws. 1 0 By laws Stakeholders child care endanger lives of children promoted. cooperation practices are. d) Memorandum of understanding with MOUs signed 28 0 Reports Stakeholders organisations that promote cultural practices for cooperation ECD signed. 47 4) Scale a) Quality improvement and accreditation system ECD quality 2 0 System in Adherence to d up and for ECD services developed. & place the system strengthen accreditation Quality system improvement b) Quality improvement and accreditation system Number of 28 12 reports Compliance and for ECD services scaled up . districts accreditation covered system for all c) Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) programme to IRI 28 3 districts Coverage Radio ECD services. enhance Quality improvement and accreditation programme districts stations system for ECD services supported. coverage commitment POLICY PRIORITY AREA 3: ECD CENTRE BASED SERVICES Objective outcome: All children access quality and regulated center based services with trained, committed, certified, remunerated workers and ECD professional development system. Strategic Outcome Strategic Output Performance Targets Baseline Sources of Assumption indicators verification s or Risk 1) Established well a) Establishment, registration and licensing 15,000 centers 15,000 11,105 Registration Availability regulated ECD of ECD centers strengthened. registered database of database centers based b) ECD centers assessed for up grading. 15,000 centers 15,000 11,105 ECD centers services graded and grading assessed profile c) Records of ECD centers maintained and Quarterly 4 1 Current Availability updated records Records of Data. d) All ECD center based services mapped Mapped ECD 15,000 11,105 mapping Technical centers report support 2) Provided a) Communities mobilised for community ECD 590 105 Annual data children quality, development activities of ECD infrastructure reports adequate and infrastructure and facilities. and facilities. appropriate b) Financial and material resources to Amount of K17 K519 Annual Prioritizatio ECD centre support ECD infrastructure and facilities resources billion Million reports n of ECD infrastructure mobilised. mobilized. and facilities. c) Established ECD centre services at Model ECD 600 200 Training Availability community, institutional and centers reports of funding organizational levels. established d) Upgraded ECD centre based structures ECD centers 2500 1500 Reports Funds may through construction and renovation. upgraded availability e) Design studies for child friendly ECD ECD centers 3 0 Reports Prioritizatio infrastructure, materials and facilities structures n of ECD undertaken. studies. 3) Provided all a) Standard ECD center kits procured. Number of 6 0 standard Availability ECD center ECD centre center kits of resources based services kits with adequate b) Materials production using locally Advocacy 48 12 Reports Funding available resources promoted. meetings. material c) ECD standard ECD center guides ECD centre 12 1 per year ECD stakeholders resources. produced. guides. Database cooperation d) Open days to display locally available open days 1 Advocacy Reports Community materials held. strategy commitment e) The best buy Malawi principle in ECD Proposals. 3 0 New Community materials provision promoted. proposals commitment 48 4) Provided all a) Safe water and sanitary facilities provided ECD centers 15000 4000 Reports Financial ECD centers to all ECD center based services. with safe water support with safe water b) Water institutions and development Meetings 30 5 Report Willingness and sanitary partners encouraged to provide water and of partners facilities sanitary facilities to ECD centers c) Center committees and parents trained on Trainings 300 0 Reports Availability the management of water and sanitary of partners facilities 5) deployed a) The Integrated ECD capacity building professionally 15000 16,000 Training Willingness professionally strategy implemented. trained ECD report of partners trained, caregivers licensed and b) Caregivers, helpers, mentors, managers, Deployed 17000 16,000 Employment Availability certified ECD researchers and supervisors on ECD caregivers in records of funds practitioners to services deployed. ECD centre. all ECD centers c) Increased allocation of financial, Percentage of 2% 0.2% Budget Prioritize caregivers and human recruitment and national analysis ECD material recourses for ECD services budget report programme lobby. d) Remuneration package for ECD workers remunerated 15000 1500 by Remuneratio Availability to improve their terms and condition of caregivers police & n records of funding work in place. recruited NGOs 6) Standardized a) Standardized ECD center based services Number of 6,000 3,000 Reports Community for using the ECD standard operation and standardized initiatives formalization, accreditation guidelines. ECD centers regulation and b) National ECD Standard operational and 800 meetings 800 10 Reports Supportive improvement of accreditation guidelines disseminated. partners all ECD center c) ECD centers graded to determine the ECD centers 12000 500 Report Availability based services requirements. accredited. of funds d) The department of Human Resource and Number of 10 1 Report Prioritizatio Ministry of Finance engaged on the ECD meetings n of ECD and roles of ECD workers. 7) Monitoring a) Regular ECD monitoring and supervisory Quarterly 60 8 Report Availability effectively all visits conducted. visits. of tools ECD services at b) Officers and stakeholders trained in the Number of 250 98 Training Availability household, new M&E system. officers trained report of funds center, c) Utilization of ECD monitoring tools Dissemination 40 28 Disseminatio Availability community and dissemination. meetings n report of M&E institution levels tools d) National ECD database system Database 1 Mapping Developed Technical developed. Established database database assistance e) District and community networks on ECD Functional 40 National reports Commitmen strengthened. networks at all Network t of district levels. working officers 8) Strengthen a) Strengthened capacity building for Staff trained 500 200 Report Funding coordination, ministry staff members, professionally support. leadership & stakeholders and training on ECD and institutions on ECD, management, coordination. management of research, resourcing and ECD coordination. programming b) Established posts for ECD created in the Number of 500 1 Staff return Funding line Ministries and organizations. ECD posts support. c) Coordination meetings at national, district Number of 60 5 Report Funding 49 and community levels held. meetings. support. d) Strengthened role of ECD desk officer in ECD desk 15 7 Report Funding the line ministry through leadership officer in the support. trainings. line ministries 9) Reinforced ECD a) ECD meetings of the steering committee meetings 60 4 Meeting Stakeholders implementation , Network, ECD committees and joint Report ’ and coordination ECD stakeholders held quarterly for commitment review and planning . structures. b) Implementation of ECD activities by all Visits quarterl periodically Report Stakeholders stakeholders monitored. y ’ commitment . Developed for a) Quality improvement and accreditation quality 1 0 quality and Technical scaling up quality system for ECD services developed. improvement accreditation assistance improvement and & system accreditation accreditation system system for ECD b) Quality improvement and accreditation Districts 28 0 reports Capacity at system for ECD services scaled up. the district c) Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) IRI 28 3 reports Capacity at programme to enhance Quality programme the district improvement and accreditation system for ECD services supported. POLICY PRIORITY AREA 4: ECD TRANSITIONAL SERVICES Strategic Objective 4: To promote ECD transition services Strategic Outcome Strategic Output Performance Targets Baseline Sources of Assumption indicators verification s or Risk 1) Establish ECD a) ECD centers established in every Awareness meetings 400 80 Meeting Funding centers in every village and location. conducted. minutes availability community, b) Junior primary schools established number of sessions 300 50 Reports Funding churches, prisons, within children’s walking distance. conducted availability hospitals, banks, c) Capacity development of key Percentage of ECD 100% 45% Registration Availability hotels, markets, etc transitional facilitators to support centers registered list of registers transitioning children. d) Services standardized to ease the standardized 75% 45% Reports Community transitioning of children from services to ease commitment home to ECD centers and from children ECD centers to the schools. Transitioning. e) Disparities on infrastructure, disparities on 55% 75% Reports Community facilities, and resources between infrastructure, commitment ECD centers and Primary Schools facilities and reduced. resources reduced. f) ECD and Primary School curricula Percentage of 80% 30% Reports Ministries harmonized. curricula commitment harmonized. 2) Establish a) Lobbied MoEST and MoF to 10 lobby meetings 10 3 Meeting Supportive Primary Schools establish junior primary schools conducted minutes environment and link all ECD within children’s reach centers to primary b) Lobby for the inclusion of ECD Number of DDPs 28 5 District Availability schools, health activities in the District and Town Council profiles of technical center and other Development plans. Plans with ECD support 50 community child c) ECD centers clustered to feeder Number of clusters 4000 34 Reports care service points. primary schools, health centers and formed public service facilities. 3) Improve the a) ECD module in TTCs introduced Number of ECD 12 0 Report Funding capacity of key modules introduced availability transitional b) Transition training for parents, Number of parents, 30,000 28,000 Training Availability facilitators to caregivers and teachers conducted. caregivers and report of guides adequately support teachers trained transitioning Number of trainings 300 20 Training Technical children conducted report support c) Transitional guide for parents, ECD transitional 1 0 Report Availability caregivers and teachers to guides developed. of funding adequately support transitioning children developed. d) Meetings with training colleges meetings with 15 3 Report Ministry and universities on introducing training colleges and commitment ECD courses held. universities. e) Children who have transitioned to Percentage of 65% 28% Report Ministries public and private primary schools children transitioned commitment monitored. to public and private primary schools. 4) Standardized a) Development of transition guide transitional guide 1 0 Report Partners ECD services to commitment ease the b) Orientated sessions with 3 orientation 3 0 Orientation Funding transitioning of implementing partners oriented on sessions conducted Report availability children from transitional issues. home to ECD c) Transition guide printed copies printed 560,000 200 Printed Funding centers and from copies availability ECD centers to the d) Transition guide disseminated 3 dissemination 3 1 Meeting Funding primary schools meetings minutes availability e) ECD transition sessions in Number of sessions 50 12 Reports Availability communities conducted. of resources POLICY PRIORITY AREA 5: CHILD RIGHTS PROTECTION SERVICES Strategic Objective 5: To promote child rights protection services Strategic Outcome Strategic Output Performance Targets Baseline Sources of Assumption indicators verification s or Risk 1) Raised a) Sensitisation meetings on the, sensitization 800 400 Awareness Availability awareness among CCJPA conducted. meetings reports of funding all parents and b) Awareness campaigns on other Awareness 5 0 meeting caregivers at the child related laws conducted. campaigns reports grassroots level on c) Caregivers oriented on CCJPA Number of 15000 500 Orientation the key provisions caregivers oriented reports of the Child Care, in CCPJA Protection and d) CCJPA Leaflets in vernacular Advocacy meetings. 800 300 in Orientation Availability Justice Act language disseminated. English reports of funding 2) Promoted a) Functional child protection system CPU established or 60% 38% Quarterly Proactive utilization of established. strengthened reports districts strategies for b) District child protection model Number of districts 28 6 Reports Proactive reporting and scaled up districts 51 supporting cases of c) Supervisory visits to bars, bottle- child hazardous 500 120 Quarterly Business child abuse, neglect stores, restaurants and other places visited and reports owners and exploitation at hazardous places for child abuse actions taken to being grass root level cases conducted. safeguard children friendly d) Child protection referral structures Mapping data 1 0 Reports Technical mapped. Assistance 3) Deployed a) Professional child protection professional child 1500 300 Staff return DHRMD adequate workers recruited. protection workers report support professional recruited personnel, financial b) Lobby for increased allocation of Increased allocation 1% of 0.2% Budget Availability and materials financial and material recourses of financial and National analysis of funding resources for child material resources. Budget report rights protection. allocation 52 53