By Olimatou Coker
Early Childhood Education is delivering measurable gains in learning and school readiness across The Gambia, according to a new assessment by ChildFund.
The report found that children who attend ECE programmes outperform peers who do not in literacy, numeracy, and classroom participation. That early advantage translates directly into stronger performance when they enter primary school.
But the assessment also exposes stark inequalities. Rural communities, low-income households, and children with disabilities face steep barriers: high costs, long distances to centres, and limited service availability. Many existing centres lack trained teachers, adequate materials, safe infrastructure, and consistent curriculum delivery—weakening the impact of early learning.
To close the gap, the report calls for urgent action: expand ECE services in underserved areas, scale up teacher training, enforce curriculum standards, enforce disability inclusion, and target support to the most disadvantaged communities.
The findings were validated Thursday at a workshop at Ocean Bay Hotel, where government officials, education experts, development partners, and community leaders reviewed the evidence and agreed on next steps.
Musukuta Komma-Bah, Country Director of ChildFund, said the organisation has partnered with the Government of The Gambia on early childhood development for over four decades. She urged stakeholders to turn the report into action.
“Delaying action on children’s needs only compounds the problem,” she said.
Anna Nancy Mendy said early childhood education is one of the highest-return investments a country can make.
“The early years are critical for cognitive, social, and emotional development,” she said. “The evidence is clear: quality ECE increases academic success, school completion, and long-term productivity. This validation must drive accountability—scale what works and direct resources to programmes that deliver results.”
The assessment covered ChildFund’s ECE interventions across 29 communities in the West Coast Region.
