Kenya Preschool Study

Summary

This research project aims to design and evaluate an innovative model for childcare provision in rural Kenya that emphasizes child development and economic participation for women in a cost-effective manner. Using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design, the project will examine the impact of allowing children in Tharaka Nithi County (TNC) in Kenya to attend pre-school from the age of 3 versus the current early childhood development programming in Kenya which is for children aged 4 and above. The potential to offer early childhood development care for 3-year-olds is a key investment to be considered with high potential for expansion across Kenya and beyond. The intervention will introduce an enhanced curriculum for pre-primary 1 (PP1) and will be adapted for the Kenyan context and include coaching of teachers and caregivers. Using a rigorous research design, and by collecting data from both children and parents, the project will capture data on child development, employment, income, intra-household dynamics and broader women empowerment indicators. The project seeks to impact policies aimed at advancing both child development as well as women's economic empowerment in Kenya.

Conditions

• Early Education
• Early Childhood Development

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

PP1

The intervention targets 3-4-year-olds and is using the existing infrastructure of PP1. PP1 is the first part of the pre-primary program, which currently admits only 4-year-old children for one year. Under the proposed intervention, children will attend PP1 starting when they are 3 years old. This curriculum will be enhanced and extended for the broader age range.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Jameel (Abdul Latif) Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  collaborator OTHER

• Gates (Bill and Melinda) Foundation

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Yale University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Konstantinos (Costas) Meghir, PhD · Yale University

• Helen Baker-Henningham, PhD · Bangor University and University of West Indies

• Simon Onywere, PhD · Kenyatta University

• Dorothy Naivasha, PhD · Tharaka Nithi County

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

3 Years

Max Age

5 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-12-04

Primary Completion

2025-12-21

Completion

2025-12-21

Countries

• Kenya