Under the leadership of His Excellency Dr. Hussein Mwinyi, President and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, early childhood development (ECD) has been elevated as a key priority to shape and secure Zanzibar’s future. This commitment is aligned with the Zanzibar Development Vision 2050, a transformative development plan aimed at fostering economic growth and elevating the living standards of the people of Zanzibar.
The following strategic measures have been implemented to ensure that every child aged 0-5 years will reach their full development potential by 2030:
- The President has established an Early Childhood Development Steering Committee that will coordinate ECD interventions across key sectors including Health, Education and Vocational Training, and Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children. The committee held its inaugural meeting on August 5th, 2024.
- The Ministry of Health has committed 3000 community health workers to ECD, focusing on parental coaching and providing training on other maternal and health issues. The introduction of ECD will be made to the pre-service training curriculum for these community workers.
- A baseline assessment will be commissioned to understand the current developmental status of children in Zanzibar.
- The President has committed to funding multi-sectoral ECD interventions through the treasury budget.
The multi-sectoral approach will extend to support children from birth to age 8, ensuring a holistic and comprehensive strategy for early childhood development.
