Aisha Yousafzai
Scaling Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs from small pilots to national or regional coverage is essential to reach all children in need. However, scaling is complex and requires strengthening the systems that support ECD. Systems strengthening means building the structures, policies, resources, and partnerships that enable effective, sustainable, and equitable delivery of ECD services at scale.
What Is a System in the Context of ECD?
A system is a set of interconnected elements working together to achieve a goal. For ECD, this includes:
- Government ministries and agencies (health, education, social protection)
- Service delivery platforms (health clinics, preschools, community centers)
- Workforce and human resources (teachers, health workers, supervisors)
- Policies and regulations that guide standards and financing
- Data and information systems for monitoring and decision-making
- Civil society organizations and communities supporting implementation
- Funding mechanisms to finance programs sustainably
Why Strengthen Systems for ECD Scale-up?
- Sustainability: Systems enable programs to continue beyond donor funding.
- Coverage: Strong systems reach more children, especially in underserved areas.
- Quality: Systems support supervision, training, and standards that maintain quality.
- Coordination: Systems facilitate multisectoral collaboration, which is vital for comprehensive ECD.
- Equity: Systems can identify and prioritize vulnerable populations.
Key Components of Systems Strengthening
- Policy and Governance
- Develop clear policies and legal frameworks supporting ECD.
- Create national ECD strategies with multisectoral coordination bodies.
- Financing
- Allocate sustainable domestic resources.
- Explore innovative financing (e.g., results-based financing, public-private partnerships).
- Workforce Development
- Train, retain, and motivate workers across sectors.
- Standardize qualifications and career pathways.
- Service Delivery Platforms
- Integrate ECD services into existing health, education, and social protection platforms.
- Use community-based approaches to reach marginalized groups.
- Data Systems and Monitoring
- Build capacity for data collection, analysis, and use.
- Track coverage, quality, and impact indicators.
- Community Engagement
- Empower families and communities to demand and participate in ECD services.
Challenges in Systems Strengthening
| Challenges | Approaches to Address Them |
| Fragmentation across sectors | Establish coordination mechanisms and joint planning |
| Limited political commitment | Advocacy, evidence dissemination, and high-level champions |
| Insufficient funding | Domestic resource mobilization and donor alignment |
| Weak data systems | Invest in technology and capacity building |
| Workforce shortages and turnover | Policy reforms and incentives |
Case Study Example
In Rwanda, the government developed a National Early Childhood Development Policy that created a multisectoral coordination body. By integrating ECD into health and education services, training workers, and mobilizing community health volunteers, Rwanda achieved nationwide ECD program scale with improved child outcomes.
Systems strengthening is a foundation for achieving scale in ECD. It ensures that programs are well-governed, financed, staffed, coordinated, and monitored—ultimately enabling quality and equitable services for all young children.
Associate Professor of Global Health
Global Health and Population
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health