Investigators:
Alanna Sincovich
Project description:
The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Project aimed to support the expansion of quality ECE services to improve the overall development and school readiness of children aged 3-5 years in disadvantaged communities across the country. To evaluate the project’s impact, a series of community clustered randomised controlled trials were employed, which included almost 400 villages across Northern Laos. Data were collected over three waves throughout 2015 to 2020 and findings have been used to shape the country’s early years’ service landscape.
For instance, results at baseline informed changes to project interventions to better promote caregiver-child interactions and thus children’s developmental outcomes. At midline, using the early Human Capability Index, positive impacts on child development were detected as a result of the community playgroup intervention which resulted in further investment to ensure the scale-up and sustainability of this service. Endline data are currently being analysed to explore a number of research questions that are fundamental to better understanding, thus improving the outcomes of children who grow up experiencing poverty and disadvantage.
Following the ECE Project, the Global Partnership for Education have financed two projects aimed to improve learning outcomes in primary grades and strengthen teacher and education system performance. Institute researchers, together with the World Bank and the Government of Lao PDR, will continue to guide research design and data collection efforts for the impact evaluation of projects.
Project output:
Lao PDR Early Childhood Education Project: Endline snapshot series (1: Early childhood education services; 2: Community awareness of early child health and development; 3: Early childhood education quality; 4: Early childhood education pathways and child development outcomes). S. Brinkman, A. Sincovich, Lam, B., & T, Beteille. (in press). Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group.
Brinkman, S., Sincovich, A., Lam, B., & Beteille, T. (2022). The Early Childhood Education Program in Lao PDR: impact evaluation report. Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group.
Brinkman, S., Sincovich, A., Beteille, T., & Nikolov Danchev, P. (2022). Lao PDR Early Childhood Education Project: Midline snapshot series (1: children’s early learning environments; 2: early childhood development; 3: childhood stunting and school meals; 4: instruments to support child development). Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group.
Brinkman, S., Sincovich, A., & Nikolov Danchev, P. (2016). The Status of Early Childhood Health and Development in Northern Lao PDR: Baseline Results from the Early Childhood Education Project. Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group.
Brinkman, S., Sincovich, A., Cerdan-Infantes, P., & Nikolov Danchev, P. (2016). Lao PDR – Early Childhood Education Project: Baseline snapshot series (1: project background and baseline data demographics; 2: child health and nutrition; 3: child development; 4: services and facilities). Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group.
Funders of the project:
- Global Partnership for Education
- World Bank
External collaborators:
- Government of Lao PDR
- World Bank