MUKAZA, August 13 (ABP) – The ministry of National Education and Scientific Research, in partnership with the African Early Childhood Network, organized on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, a national launch workshop for the activities of a project entitled: “Adaptation and scaling up of diagnostics and quality evaluation of early learning outcomes in West and Central Africa.”
The objective was to assess early childhood learning in preschool through a structured, research-based methodology.
On this occasion, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of national education and scientific research, Mr. Helmenegilde Burikukiye, stated that this three-year project is being implemented in five countries: Burundi, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, and Senegal. It was initiated by a consortium formed by the African Early Childhood Network, the African Population and Health Research Center, and UNICEF.
He also emphasized that access to quality preschool education is essential for the acquisition of foundational skills such as pre-reading, early numeracy, language development, psychomotor skills, and socio-emotional learning.
According to Mr. Claver Nijimbere, coordinator of the national research team for this project, the initiative falls within the promotion of preschool and early childhood education and aims to prepare young children to face the first year of primary school. It also seeks to adapt, test, and integrate two robust tools for assessing early learning into national education systems.
These tools include Measuring Early Learning and Outcomes (MELQO), which assesses the skills of children aged 3 to 6, and the Early Learning Assessment (ELA) for children aged 5 to 7. The latter evaluates the knowledge acquired during the transition from preschool to primary education. Both tools have already been successfully tested in other West and Central African countries.
Preschooling helps young children develop a love for school, reduces dropout rates, and decreases grade repetition.