Cost of the Madrasa Cost of the Madrasa ECD Program in East ECD Program in East

AfricaAfrica

Cost of the Madrasa Cost of the Madrasa ECD Program in East ECD Program in East

AfricaAfrica

Juliana NzomoJuliana Nzomo

Regional Program Officer, Regional Program Officer, ECDECD

Aga Khan FoundationAga Khan Foundation

Presentation structurePresentation structure

Brief description of the Madrasa Brief description of the Madrasa Programme & programme ImpactProgramme & programme Impact

Study methodologyStudy methodology Parameters of the costing modelParameters of the costing model Cost per child per monthCost per child per month Conclusion and recommendationsConclusion and recommendations

The Madrasa ECD The Madrasa ECD ProgrammeProgramme

A community-based initiative of the A community-based initiative of the Aga Khan Foundation, currently Aga Khan Foundation, currently operating in Kenya (1986), Zanzibar operating in Kenya (1986), Zanzibar (1990) and Uganda(1990) and Uganda (1993) (1993)

Demand driven – in response to Demand driven – in response to request from Muslim communities in request from Muslim communities in Mombasa to facilitate an Mombasa to facilitate an improvement in the educational improvement in the educational status of children in poor and status of children in poor and marginalized communities in the marginalized communities in the CoastCoast

Programme currently supporting 203 Programme currently supporting 203 community pre-school centres in East community pre-school centres in East Africa (66 in Kenya, 53 in Uganda and Africa (66 in Kenya, 53 in Uganda and 84 in Zanzibar)84 in Zanzibar)

The Programme has served over The Programme has served over 30,000 children in East Africa 30,000 children in East Africa (including those currently enrolled), (including those currently enrolled), trained over 4,000 pre-school trained over 4,000 pre-school teachers and 2,000 School teachers and 2,000 School Management Committee (SMC) Management Committee (SMC) membersmembers

Mobilization& signing

Intensive support

Graduation

Post-graduation

Contact

Contract

SUPPORT PROCESS

M&E

Research

Programme ComponentsProgramme Components Capacity building:Capacity building:

Parents and communities;Parents and communities;TeachersTeachersSchool Management School Management CommitteesCommittees

Community Resource TeamsCommunity Resource TeamsECD government officialsECD government officialsLocal government authoritiesLocal government authorities

Curriculum reviewCurriculum review ParentingParenting Health & nutritionHealth & nutrition Growth monitoring Growth monitoring Special needs educationSpecial needs education HIV/AIDSHIV/AIDS

Material DevelopmentMaterial Development Transition (home to pre-sch to Transition (home to pre-sch to

pri)pri) Endowment buildingEndowment building Policy supportPolicy support

Programme ImpactProgramme Impact

Quantitative & qualitative Quantitative & qualitative studies undertaken by the studies undertaken by the program’s researcher indicate program’s researcher indicate that:that: Intensive support to teachers and Intensive support to teachers and

parents enhancing their parents enhancing their knowledge and skills to better knowledge and skills to better attend to the needs of childrenattend to the needs of children

Children experience a better teaching Children experience a better teaching and learning environment as and learning environment as measured by the Early Childhood measured by the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) and Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) and acquire better cognitive scores both acquire better cognitive scores both during preschool and in the lower during preschool and in the lower school gradesschool grades

Initial analysis of an on-going tracking Initial analysis of an on-going tracking study suggests a higher retention rate study suggests a higher retention rate and enhanced performance of children and enhanced performance of children who have gone through the programwho have gone through the program

Community participation in Community participation in general and, in particular, general and, in particular, women’s participation and women’s participation and decision making, both within and decision making, both within and outside the home (e.g. school outside the home (e.g. school operation and management) has operation and management) has increased. increased.

Costing study methodologyCosting study methodology The study attempts to provide a The study attempts to provide a

snapshot snapshot of the most up-to-date of the most up-to-date activities associated with the five-activities associated with the five-year phased approach toward year phased approach toward establishing and operating establishing and operating preschools.preschools.

The consultant spent a detailed The consultant spent a detailed month-long study of the Madrasa month-long study of the Madrasa Programme in Kenya, Uganda and Programme in Kenya, Uganda and Zanzibar, including week-long site Zanzibar, including week-long site visits to each of the 3 Madrasa visits to each of the 3 Madrasa Resource Centers (MRCs). Resource Centers (MRCs).

The visits enabled data collection The visits enabled data collection from a variety of quantitative and from a variety of quantitative and qualitative sources including:qualitative sources including:

Working group sessions with Working group sessions with technical staff to gain an technical staff to gain an understanding of the processes understanding of the processes involved in and activities for the involved in and activities for the different phases of the programme different phases of the programme as well as to assess the amount of as well as to assess the amount of staff time and other MRC resources staff time and other MRC resources that were allocated to each that were allocated to each required activity for an average required activity for an average communitycommunity

Working sessions with financial Working sessions with financial staff (accountants) for an in-staff (accountants) for an in-depth study of quantitative data depth study of quantitative data including budgeted and actual including budgeted and actual activity-based expenditures over activity-based expenditures over the years and to allocate the years and to allocate appropriate costs to the appropriate costs to the activities described by the activities described by the technical staff;technical staff;

Meetings with the Graduate Meetings with the Graduate Association (GA) Coordinators Association (GA) Coordinators and members of the GA and members of the GA Executive Committee to gain Executive Committee to gain insight into the post-insight into the post-graduation support provided graduation support provided by the GA to the communities;by the GA to the communities;

Working sessions with the Monitoring, Working sessions with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Liaison Evaluation, Research, and Liaison Officers (MERLO) to discuss Officers (MERLO) to discuss quantitative data requirements quantitative data requirements pertaining to the costing study and to pertaining to the costing study and to obtain relevant data on programme obtain relevant data on programme statistics, such as number of schools, statistics, such as number of schools, total enrolment, child-to-teacher ratios, total enrolment, child-to-teacher ratios, fee structures, dates of joining, signing, fee structures, dates of joining, signing, and graduation, urban/rural and graduation, urban/rural classifications, etcclassifications, etc

Focus group discussions with Focus group discussions with community residents including SMC community residents including SMC members, teachers, parents, members, teachers, parents, grandparents, and other local leaders grandparents, and other local leaders to gather information on community to gather information on community contribution/hidden costs.contribution/hidden costs.

Meetings with each of the 10 Meetings with each of the 10 communities included a review of communities included a review of community records such as SMC community records such as SMC meeting minutes, community meeting minutes, community participation records, student and participation records, student and teacher attendance records,teacher attendance records, etc etc

Information sources were Information sources were triangulated using several triangulated using several different data sources different data sources (representing the MRCs and the (representing the MRCs and the community) for each aspect of community) for each aspect of the study and through reliance the study and through reliance on informal discussions on informal discussions

Community Selection Community Selection criteriacriteria

Length of affiliation with MRCLength of affiliation with MRC - - “newer” communities (that have “newer” communities (that have received 3-4 years of support) received 3-4 years of support) were given preference during were given preference during selection in order to facilitate an selection in order to facilitate an understanding of the most up-to-understanding of the most up-to-date processes and associated date processes and associated costscosts

Demographic status of communityDemographic status of community as as determined by urban/peri-urban/rural determined by urban/peri-urban/rural classifications – about 80% of the classifications – about 80% of the preschools are classified as rural.preschools are classified as rural.

Termly school fees - However, school Termly school fees - However, school fees are not a reliable indicator of fees are not a reliable indicator of absolute economic strength of absolute economic strength of communities because recovery of communities because recovery of fees varies between 40 and 80% in fees varies between 40 and 80% in communities. communities.

School size:School size: Typically, the number Typically, the number of teachers per school serves as an of teachers per school serves as an indicator for school size and indicator for school size and average number of children. The average number of children. The child-to-teacher ratio is 15:1 on child-to-teacher ratio is 15:1 on average.average. A A small school is staffed small school is staffed by 2 teachers for 30-35 children, a by 2 teachers for 30-35 children, a medium school by 3-4 teachers for medium school by 3-4 teachers for 40-60 children, and a large school 40-60 children, and a large school with 5 or more teachers.with 5 or more teachers.

Physical school structure: While Physical school structure: While some new communities rely on some new communities rely on the existing Madrasa space the existing Madrasa space during the first one to three during the first one to three years, most communities years, most communities initiate construction of a new initiate construction of a new structure, often after signing up structure, often after signing up with the Madrasa Programme with the Madrasa Programme

Parameters of the costing Parameters of the costing modelmodel

The costing model for the Madrasa The costing model for the Madrasa Programme breaks down costs first Programme breaks down costs first into two major categories: MRC into two major categories: MRC contribution and community contribution and community contribution contribution

It further classifies these costs as It further classifies these costs as comprising four sub-categories: direct comprising four sub-categories: direct costs, indirect operational costs, costs, indirect operational costs, indirect infrastructure and set-up indirect infrastructure and set-up costs, and hidden costscosts, and hidden costs

The actual costing model reflects The actual costing model reflects figures in real terms, as of 2006 figures in real terms, as of 2006 wherever possible and, where not wherever possible and, where not feasible, in terms of 2005 actuals.feasible, in terms of 2005 actuals.

A detailed breakdown of the A detailed breakdown of the costing categories is as follows:costing categories is as follows: Direct costs: borne by MRC in Direct costs: borne by MRC in

direct connection to activities direct connection to activities undertaken for establishing and undertaken for establishing and operating the community operating the community preschoolspreschools

Indirect costs – Ongoing Indirect costs – Ongoing operational costs, commonly operational costs, commonly referred to as General Expenses, referred to as General Expenses, Overhead, and Operational CostsOverhead, and Operational Costs..

Indirect costs include:Indirect costs include: Core Core management and administrative management and administrative salariessalaries; ; Operational costs (e.g. Operational costs (e.g. rent, utilities, maintenance, rent, utilities, maintenance, equipment maintenance, security, equipment maintenance, security, audit fees, vehicle fuel)audit fees, vehicle fuel)

Infrastructure and setup costs: In Infrastructure and setup costs: In the interest of capturing the true the interest of capturing the true cost of establishing preschools, cost of establishing preschools, initial capital expenditure related initial capital expenditure related to office set-up at the MRC level to office set-up at the MRC level has been included in the costing has been included in the costing modelmodel

Hidden costs: community Hidden costs: community contribution (cash and in-kind).contribution (cash and in-kind).

Community contribution most Community contribution most often takes the form of:often takes the form of: admission (one-off registration) admission (one-off registration)

and tuition fees (on a termly and tuition fees (on a termly basis) paid by parents (often basis) paid by parents (often used to pay teachers’ salaries used to pay teachers’ salaries and other minor incidental and other minor incidental expenses);expenses);

contribution of parents time contribution of parents time and money toward daily and money toward daily feeding programmefeeding programme

income generating activities income generating activities initiated by SMCs the income initiated by SMCs the income from which is used toward the from which is used toward the schools operational costs;schools operational costs;

funds and materials donated by funds and materials donated by community residents during all community residents during all stages which may be made stages which may be made available on an ad-hoc basis or available on an ad-hoc basis or via a specific fundraising activity via a specific fundraising activity organized by the SMCorganized by the SMC

time spent by SMC members, time spent by SMC members, teachers, community leaders, teachers, community leaders, parents, and other interested parents, and other interested residents on all issues related to residents on all issues related to the establishment and operation the establishment and operation of the preschoolof the preschool

Costs of a 5-year Phased Approach (Mobilization, Training and Support, and Support for Sustainability)

Kenya Zanzibar Uganda USD USD USD

Direct cost per child per month over 5 years (direct MRC costs and hidden costs borne by community) 15 (4) 6 (3) 10 (3) Indirect cost per child per month over 5 years (indirect MRC costs) 8 7 11 Cost per child per month over 5 years (direct, indirect, hidden with sustainability and feeding programme grant) 23 (4) 13 (3) 21 (3) Cost per child per month over 5 years (indirect infrastructure and setup costs at NGO/govt level) 1 1 1 Cost per child per month over 5 years (with sustainability and feeding programme grant) 24 (4) 14 (3) 22 (3)

Costs across MRCs are different in Costs across MRCs are different in the case of Kenya and Uganda and the case of Kenya and Uganda and significantly different with respect to significantly different with respect to Zanzibar owing to variations in Zanzibar owing to variations in several areas including salary levels, several areas including salary levels, cost of living and average enrolment cost of living and average enrolment per schoolper school

Conclusion & Conclusion & recommendationsrecommendations

While it is heartening to note an While it is heartening to note an increasing commitment by increasing commitment by governments to provide greater governments to provide greater support to ECD; it will be critical that support to ECD; it will be critical that the support is appropriately targeted the support is appropriately targeted to ensure quality and sustainability.to ensure quality and sustainability.

Governments are well placed to Governments are well placed to provide meaningful support to ECD provide meaningful support to ECD in a cost effective manner relying in a cost effective manner relying on existing, multi-sectoral on existing, multi-sectoral structures and personnel from structures and personnel from national to local levels.national to local levels.

This would however require This would however require streamlining of existing streamlining of existing government systems to foster government systems to foster efficiency and coordination in efficiency and coordination in delivery of services. delivery of services.

There exist opportunities for There exist opportunities for partnerships, both within the various partnerships, both within the various sectors of governments and between sectors of governments and between governments and non-governmental governments and non-governmental organizations in providing ECD services. organizations in providing ECD services.

NGOs could take up certain tasks in NGOs could take up certain tasks in which they have developed a niche, such which they have developed a niche, such as in the area of community mobilization as in the area of community mobilization and empowerment with respect to and empowerment with respect to ownership as well as on-going teacher ownership as well as on-going teacher mentoring, while governments could be mentoring, while governments could be responsible for teacher training, responsible for teacher training, teachers’ salaries, quality assurance, teachers’ salaries, quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation monitoring and evaluation

Thank youThank you