2013年-世界发展银行全球_Swaziland_Early_Childhood_Development___SABER_Country_Report_2013_23页_1mb

Summary of Swaziland's Early Childhood Development (ECD) Situation

Core Content

Swaziland is a lower middle-income country with a population of 1.23 million and a Human Development Index (HDI) ranking of 141st. The country faces significant challenges in ECD, including high poverty rates, high under-5 mortality, and low preprimary school enrollment. Despite some policy initiatives, the ECD sector remains underdeveloped, with limited intersectoral coordination, insufficient financial resources, and inadequate monitoring systems.

Main Policy Goals and Status

The SABER-ECD framework identifies three key policy goals for ECD development:

1. Establishing an Enabling Environment – Emerging
2. Implementing Widely – Emerging
3. Monitoring and Assuring Quality – Emerging

Policy Goal 1: Establishing an Enabling Environment

• Policy Levers: Legal Framework, Intersectoral Coordination, Finance

• Status: Emerging

• Legal Framework:

  • Swaziland has a National Children's Policy (2008) and Education Policy (2011) that address ECD.
  • There is no comprehensive multi-sectoral ECD policy yet, but the National Children's Coordination Unit (NCCU) is working on it.
  • The legal framework includes laws on health, nutrition, and education, such as the Salt Iodization Policy (1997) and the Wheat and Maize Flour Fortification (2010) policy.
  • The Employment Act (1980) provides for maternity leave but lacks adequate financial support and coverage.

• Intersectoral Coordination:

  • The NCCU coordinates ECD at the national level, but there is a lack of engagement with subnational and local stakeholders.
  • Coordination meetings are held semi-annually at the national level and monthly with local partners, but this is insufficient for effective planning and implementation.

• Finance:

  • ECD budget allocations are minimal and not coordinated across sectors.
  • Only 0.16% of government expenditures are allocated to ECCE, which is considered inadequate.
  • Donor support exists but is limited, with UNICEF and the EU contributing to education and ECD programs.

Policy Goal 2: Implementing Widely

• Status: Emerging

• Coverage:

  • HIV/AIDS services and programs have improved since 2000 but remain limited in coverage.
  • ECCE programs are expanding but are not yet widespread.
  • The GoS is focusing on improving access in poor and rural areas.

• Sectoral Gaps:

  • Health, nutrition, and education sectors are underdeveloped in terms of service provision and program scope.
  • There is a lack of comprehensive programs and services across all sectors.

Policy Goal 3: Monitoring and Assuring Quality

• Status: Emerging

• Data Collection:

  • The GoS collects minimal data on ECD indicators, with only some national-level data available.
  • There are no effective mechanisms to monitor compliance with ECCE guidelines.

• Quality Assurance:

  • Registration and accreditation procedures exist but are not enforced.
  • There is a need for stronger quality assurance systems and data collection frameworks.

Key ECD Indicators (Table 1)

Policy Recommendations

• Legal Framework: Develop and implement a multi-sectoral ECD policy to improve resource mobilization and alignment with international standards.
• Intersectoral Coordination: Expand the role of the NCCU to include more subnational and local stakeholders in planning and implementation.
• Finance: Increase ECD budget allocations to meet the needs of children and mothers, particularly in poorer communities, and ensure transparency and coordination across sectors.

Regional Comparison of Maternity and Paternity Leave Policies (Table 3)

Regional Comparison of Health Expenditure Indicators (Table 7)

Conclusion

Swaziland has made some progress in ECD policy development but remains at an emerging stage. Strengthening the legal framework, improving intersectoral coordination, and increasing financial investment are critical to advancing ECD in the country. The NCCU plays a key role in this process, but its effectiveness is limited by the lack of involvement from subnational and local stakeholders and insufficient financial support. The development of a comprehensive, multi-sectoral ECD policy is essential to achieving better outcomes for young children and their families.