Private Investment in Early Childhood Care and Education

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Early childhood interventions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are proven to provide numerous benefits, including improvements in physical and socioemotional health, cognition, learning, and future income-earning potential. Early childhood care and education (ECCE) encompasses interventions in early childhood development (ECD) – such as child nutrition, pre- and post-natal health, and child protection – as well as childcare and early childhood education (ECE) settings, also referred to as pre-primary schooling. Non-state actors play an important role in providing ECCE in LMICs, currently educating 41% of all pre-primary students, strengthening ECCE workforce development, and financing innovation and service provision in the field.

Recognizing the magnitude of private sector participation in ECCE, the Education Finance Network will leverage its members’ expertise to provide an engaging panel discussion on February 9, 2023 about the potential of private investment to foster high quality and widely accessible ECCE.

The session will feature a presentation of the recently completed Global ECCE Landscaping Assessment by CATALYZE EduFinance. The assessment illustrates the potential for private investment in ECCE and provides recommendations for USAID missions and investors to achieve the ‘triple dividend’ of improving educational and health outcomes for children, increasing women’s employment, and supporting economic growth.

This event will feature conclusions and recommendations from the Global ECCE Landscaping Assessment.  panel discussion will follow and Education Finance Network members engaged in ECCE will present aspects of their work that build on key recommendations from the report.

The speakers, representing the Brookings Institution, IMBE Enterprise Incubator, and the LEGO Foundation, will discuss topics including promotion of cross- sector coordination, encouraging entrepreneurship in ECCE, demanding results from investors, and blending different types of finance instruments to spread risk. 

This 90-minute session is scheduled for Thursday, February 9, at 9:00 a.m. EST / 2:00 p.m. GMT / 7:30 pm. IST.

The event presents an opportunity for stakeholders engaged in ECCE to:

• Learn about promising approaches that contribute to the triple dividend in LMICs
• Identify options for future investments
• Receive guidance on key principles that can help structure investments in ECCE

This webinar is organized by the Education Finance Network, which convenes diverse education stakeholders with a focus on directing non-state resources toward creating inclusive, high-quality education in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) globally.