Policy Brief: Enhancing Holistic Child Development in Tanzania through Context-Relevant Research
Early childhood is a crucial stage to invest in children to help them survive, thrive and achieve their full potential. Evidence shows the importance of ECD for lifelong health, productivity, and well-being (Black et al., 2016; Yoshikawa & Kabay, 2015). It involves the creation of favourable conditions to facilitate the cognitive, social, emotional, linguistic, and physical development of young children (World Health Organisation [WHO] et al., 2018).
Global and regional commitments to advancing ECD are reflected in various policies and development frameworks. For instance, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasise equitable access to quality ECD and early learning opportunities by 2030 (United Nations, 2015). At the regional level, the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2016–2025; 2026-2035) recognises early childhood education as the foundation for future learning and training, positioning it as a key priority for achieving sustained quality education across Africa (African Union, 2016; 2025).
Despite the importance of ECD for school readiness and future life opportunities, there is a concern about insufficient efforts aimed at supporting children to get a good start in life. In Tanzania, a recent ECD index revealed that more than 50% of children aged two to five years living with their biological mother are not on track in health, learning, and psychosocial well-being (Ministry of Health et al., 2023). This index further showed that many children risked not attaining their full developmental potential, and failure to address these gaps early could lead to individual and national-level economic losses. Additionally, among 7.5 million pre-primary school-aged children (3-6 years), only 1.5 million were enrolled in school in 2022 (Office of the President, Regional Administration and Local Government, 2022). This translates to 80% of children missing out on pre-primary education.
In 2021, the country launched the national multi-sectoral ECD programme to ensure all children are developmentally on track to reach their full potential (Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, 2021). This programme emphasises the relevance of strengthening data and evidence. Local ECD researchers, with their deep understanding of local systems and challenges, are well-placed to generate evidence that informs policy, investment, and practice; yet, they often remain underutilised (McLean & Sen, 2019). In response, Education Sub Saharan Africa (ESSA) and the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre at the University of Cambridge, with funding from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, are aiming to increase the visibility of researchers in SSA, with Tanzania as a focus country.
This policy brief synthesises key findings from a comprehensive review of ECD research by Tanzanian authors (William & Rose, 2024). It compares outputs and trends of ECD research from Tanzania that are published in international databases (Dimensions, Scopus, and Web of Science) and those disseminated through local sources that are available online (institutional repositories, journals, and websites). Based on this analysis, actionable recommendations are offered to strengthen ECD research in Tanzania.
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