Farida Katunzi, a Research Scientist at Ifakara Health Institute, highlighted critical gaps in Tanzania's Early Childhood Development (ECD) policies in a recent blog post, part of a ten-part series by African ECD researchers. 

These researchers, including Katunzi, participated in the Eastern Africa Regional Early Childhood Conference (EARECC) in March 2024 – a platform designed to foster collaboration and share insights on ECD.

The EARECC was organized by Education Sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA) and the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre at the University of Cambridge, under an Early Childhood Development project funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. 

The project focuses on understanding the needs of ECD researchers in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with additional research in Mozambique. As part of this initiative, ten researchers were sponsored to attend the conference to explore collaboration and contribute to the ongoing discourse on ECD.

The blog series, including Katunzi’s post, aims to raise awareness and advocate for stronger, more cohesive policy frameworks. In her article, Katunzi highlights the urgent need for a more integrated approach to Early Childhood Development (ECD) in Tanzania. 

She emphasizes the challenges in aligning the country's policies with the Nurturing Care Framework (NCF), which focuses on five essential pillars: good health, adequate nutrition, responsive caregiving, early learning, and security and safety. Her insights are a call to action for policymakers and stakeholders to urgently address these gaps.

"Tanzania stands at a pivotal juncture in its journey towards enhancing ECD outcomes. Addressing the identified gaps in ECD policies is imperative for laying a robust foundation for the holistic development of young children," she emphasizes.

Read the blog here.