Universal Access to Early Childhood Development (ECDB) in Zimbabwe: An Analysis of Challenges Faced by Children

Abstract

This study focused on universal access to Early Childhood Development (ECD B) by children.  Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used.  The quantitative approach was used collect data to address issues such as the spread of ECD centre, total enrolment of ECD B children and the age range of children in the ECD B classes through the use of questionnaires. The qualitative approach included desk review of relevant literature, observations, informative interviews and focus group discussions. Through focus group discussions with School Development Committees and Associations, the study employed a community based process of analysis to establish perspectives, challenges, regarding access to ECD B by children.  The study was carried out in all the ten provinces of Zimbabwe.  Districts were randomly sampled from each province. Schools were randomly and purposively sampled according to their location (that is farm, resettlement, rural and peri-urban) and responsible authority (for example urban, rural district, mine, Government, mission or trust). Sampling of participants was done purposively.  The study established that the majority of children in all the ten provinces walk between 1 and 5km to and from school. Findings revealed that there are many factors that prevent ECD B children from attending school, these include: hunger, limited places, economic hardships, fees and other school charges, parent's ignorance on the importance of ECD, mobility of parents, lack of infrastructure among others. Measures in place to ensure all children attend ECD B were cited by respondents as: advocacy and community awareness on the importance of attending ECD B, sustainable school feeding programmes to motivate and entertain children to attend ECD B and parental involvement in ECD B matters. Participants indicated that throughout the ten provinces ECD B places are inadequate.