Financing for equity in pre-primary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
The official entry age to pre-primary education is 3. There is no UIS data for the number of years of free pre-primary education granted in legal frameworks or the number of years of compulsory pre-primary education granted in legal frameworks. The net enrolment rate for pre-primary for both sexes (UIS) was 92.64% in 2023.
Governance
Under the Early Childhood Commission Act of 2003, pre-school education is provided by “early childhood institutions” (ECIs). These are for children under the age of 6 years and are coordinated and inspected by the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), which is an agency of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MOEYI/MOEY). The ECC has responsibility for pre-school curriculum and approves new ECIs. It also inspects ECIs according to twelve characteristics, including staffing, teaching relationships and administration which affects eligibility for funding.
According to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, every child has the right to publicly funded tuition at the pre-primary level. In 2016 the government has mandated that education at public infant schools (accounting for 22% of total pre-school provision) is available without fees.
Tuition-free status
Pre-primary education is not tuition-free, according to laws and policies.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Public ECIs are financed by the MOEYI. Public/Private institutions approved by the ECC, largely Basic Schools, are entitled to apply for grants and are funded through these and other contributions. Private institutions are entirely self-funded. This is administered nationally; no evidence was found of resources administered through subnational government.
2. Education resources to institutions
In public schools, according to MOEYI Bulletin 90/2018, funding for infant schools, alongside primary, lower secondary and all-age schools, is based on a Ministry budget that takes into account an age-weighted student unit per pupil, as well as additional resources allocated on the basis of equity considerations. These include allocations for students with special educational needs and book vouchers for the neediest pupils. Additional funding is also allocated for students identified as requiring support through the PATH programme.
Households are eligible for PATH if they are identified as needy by the Beneficiary Identification System, which uses a Proxy Means Test to identify the needy. Funding per pupil at each school is published on the MOEYI website. Infant schools are listed alongside primary schools. Teachers are paid centrally by the MOEYI Financial Services Unit according to a salary scale. Teachers in rural areas and volatile (unsafe) communities are given more pay as part of the remote allowance.
As set out in the Management and Administrative Guide for ECI of 2019, mixed Public/Private ECIs with 4 or more children can apply for initial grants for operational costs, grants for teaching materials and equipment, and nutrition grants for assisting with providing meals. ECIs with 20 or more children are also entitled to apply for salary subsidies for each practitioner. No evidence was found of equity considerations in the allocation of this funding.
The ECC states that ECIs should not refuse admission to children with special needs in Management Guide section 18.2. It is the duty of the parent or guardian to provide equipment to facilitate attendance and participation, and the duty of the institution to provide an Individual Education Plan for the child’s development.
The quasi-governmental Culture Health Arts and Education (CHASE) fund, financed through subvention from central government (previously through the collection of lottery taxation), also provides funding for pre-schools through grants as part of the Early Childhood Development Legacy Project.
3. Education resources to students and families
In 2016, the MOEYI introduced a change to funding aimed at removing fees for attending public schools. Fees remain at private and public/private ECIs. No evidence was found of grants being mandated to reduce fees, or any other aid given directly to parents.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
The PATH programme is a conditional cash transfer programme administered by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS). Part of the programme is proxy-means tested cash transfer. For pre-primary aged children payments are conditional on a schedule of preventative health visits.
Poor Relief also provides help to needy families and back to school grants. No evidence was found pre-school initiatives within its programmes.
Since 1975 the Early Stimulation Programme (ESP) assisted young children with developmental disabilities. After referral, intervention programmes are designed for the family including therapy and training. It also operates a specialised Stimulation Plus Centre for intensive support, with an enrolment of 168 students in 2022/23. Support is intended to help children access the special schools’ network.
This profile has been reviewed with the support of Dr. Stacey N. J. Blackman
