Early Childhood Development (ECD) is a key priority for the Government of Malawi, guided by the National Early Childhood Development Policy (2017) and the National Strategic Plan for Early Childhood Development (2009-2014), as well as several other plans and guidelines. Through the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy III (MGDS III), the Government has made a commitment to improve access to, and quality, of ECD services. The Government is aiming to ensure that all eligible children have access to ECD services by 2030. The ECD encompasses a wide range of services such as early stimulation, nutrition and early learning.

The Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability, and Social Welfare (MoGCDSW) implements ECD policies across sectors. Preprimary education for 3 years to 5-year-olds is provided free of charge at public childcare centers, as are a range of essential health services available at public hospitals and health facilities. However, despite this well-defined structure, service delivery suffers from poor quality. The absence of a well-trained is one of the obstacles in delivering quality ECD services.

The study conducted by CCAP synod of livingstonia, Early childhood development department with the funding from Roger Federer foundation revealed that 22% of the caregivers in Mzimba north were properly trained and out of the trained 19% have knowledge and skills on child assessment. The study has also uncovered that the highest qualification in preprimary class was Junior certificate of education (JCE- 44%), followed by Malawi school leaving certificate of education (MSCE-39%), Primary school leaving certificate of education (PSLCE-17%).The study necessitated the implementation of School readiness project (SRI) is aiming at children being ready (from CBCC) for school and school (Primary school). Looking at the numbers of untrained caregivers the SRI project introduced an offline tab-with several tools and apps to capacitate in a comprehensive manner caregiver in early childhood education called the early learning kiosk (ELK) or self-guided course. The ELK has Tool book which has several manuals which helps caregivers in their work, knowhow which guides the caregiver on how successfully to deliver lessons and child step which is used to assess children in their developmental domains.

With the level of the caregivers in the project impact area, stakeholders voiced their concerns on the successfulness of the project, during the District executive committee meeting where the project was being introduced one of the executives said “This project is a non-starter, if an educated individual, including some of us here are failing to operate an android phone, and you expect a Junior certificate (JCE) or primary school leaving certificate of education (PSLCE)  hold to it? you must be joking”.And one of the stakeholders during the stakeholder orientation meeting narrated in few words “with this? (Pointing at the phone), our caregivers? We shall see together.

The department from its SRI project team conducted one-day orientation activity on self-guided course (early learning course). A total of 44 males and 108 females took part in the orientation. Of which 24 males and 83 females are from CBCCs and 20 males and 25 are from primary school (headteachers and s standard 1 teachers). It is worth pointing that total number of 167 caregivers have been mentored by their fellow caregivers.

Since the ELK training 60% of the caregivers are able to access learners using child steps, Esnart Mphepo a caregiver at Chinthuli CBCC in the area of Enyezini Traditional authority Kampingo Sibande said “With the coming of ELK we are able to create a class, add our children, assess them and get the individual or class assessment results in the same phone withing minutes, our work has been tremendously simplified”. While Lirani ng’oma of Kalaza CBCC in the area of Traditional authority Mtwalo said, with Knowhow we now know how to handle children, we are able to understand the needs of the children through, what we learn in observation module, at the same time we are able to build a team around the child so the child feels safe”.

The success of ELK has never left Ikawa CBCC in the area of Traditional authority Jalavikuwa. Ikawa CBCC was not selected to participate in the project but they showed interest to learn the whole ELK and they are grateful because they learned a lot form the toolbox, one of the caregivers was heard saying, “Natural playground app has helped us in how to come with the outdoor play area”.

These testimonies are contrary to the area fears in the inception phase. It is also important to mention the support from different stakeholders for this to work. These include M’mbelwa district council, the office of the district education manager Mzimba north. The office of district social welfare Mzimba north, the area development committees of TA Mtwalo, Jalavikuwa munthali, and Kampingo sibande, the child protection (committee). Special recognition also should go to child protection workers, primary school education advisors, the headteachers and standard 1 teachers.