Enhancing the skilled standing of early childhood schooling (ECE) personnel is central to bettering each entry and high quality. Schooling unions throughout Africa are strengthening their collective advocacy to safe high quality ECE, in addition to recognition and respectable situations for staff on this sector.
These priorities emerged from the newest assembly of the Schooling Worldwide (EI) Africa ECE Community held in Zanzibar from February Tenth-Eleventh, 2026, the place over 30 union representatives exchanged experiences and recognized shared methods to advance ECE throughout the continent.
Social dialogue delivers outcomes
The Deputy Basic Secretary for Administration of the Zanzibar’s Ministry of Schooling and Vocational Coaching, Amosi John Henock formally opened the EI Africa ECE Community assembly by commending “the partnership of belief” between the Ministry of Schooling and Vocational Coaching and Zanzibar Academics Union (ZATU) which promotes high quality schooling within the nation.
He additionally acknowledged the constructive contribution of ECE in making ready kids for coming into major college and indicated that the federal government of Zanzibar’s strategic plan for schooling acknowledges ECE.
He went on to spotlight a sequence of actions applied by the federal government of Zanzibar to advertise ECE: Building and rehabilitation of ECE infrastructure, recruitment and deployment of ECE personnel, a reform of the ECE curriculum with the introduction of the Studying By means of Play methodology and the alignment with the Competency Primarily based Curriculum. He additionally acknowledged the governmental collaboration with numerous civil society organizations and growth cooperation companions to get the wanted sources to create a vibrant ECE sector in Zanzibar.
In his opening remarks, EI Africa Regional Director Dr. Dennis Sinyolo reminded contributors that schooling begins at start. He burdened the basic position of early childhood schooling in reaching high quality schooling, in addition to the necessity to make sure that kids in ECE facilities are taught by professionally well-trained and supported personnel.
ECE as a public schooling precedence
Individuals additionally reaffirmed that early childhood schooling is foundational to high quality schooling techniques and should be totally built-in into public schooling frameworks. Union representatives highlighted persistent challenges, together with fragmented governance, underfunding, and the marginalisation of ECE educators inside nationwide schooling techniques.
Throughout international locations, unions burdened the necessity for governments to:
- Recognise ECE educators as skilled professionals.
- Guarantee honest and aggressive remuneration.
- Present entry to steady skilled growth (CPD).
- Commit sustained public funding to ECE.
Studying by Play: Pedagogy and coverage go hand in hand
Individuals envisioned Studying by Play (LtP) prominently as each a pedagogical method and a union advocacy subject. Experiences shared by unions from Kenya, Malawi, and in Zanzibar illustrated how understanding of ECE pedagogy shapes coverage selections, workforce recognition, and funding.
In Kenya, LtP is embedded within the nationwide competency-based curriculum, reinforcing recognition of ECE as a definite {and professional} discipline of schooling.
In distinction, restricted understanding of LtP in Malawi has contributed to misconceptions that ECE ought to replicate major schooling, undermining help for age-appropriate pedagogy and skilled educators.
Zanzibar’s expertise demonstrated how unions can drive change by social dialogue. After a focused coaching of ECE educators, the Zanzibar Academics’ Union efficiently engaged with authorities authorities, resulting in the total adoption of LtP throughout public ECE establishments.
Skilled requirements strengthen union bargaining
The Danish Union of Early Childhood and Youth Educators (BUPL) shared classes on how skilled requirements improve collective bargaining energy. In Denmark, the requirement for ECE personnel to carry a bachelor’s diploma has enabled the union to barter improved wage scales and staffing ratios, together with the recruitment of extra workers to scale back workloads.
Individuals highlighted the relevance of linking qualification frameworks, skilled recognition, and dealing situations, whereas adapting methods to nationwide contexts in Africa.
Shared priorities for union motion
Group discussions recognized frequent strategic priorities for unions at nationwide and regional ranges, together with:
- Pushing for the total implementation or evaluate of nationwide ECE insurance policies.
- Advocating elevated and sustained public funding for ECE.
- Strengthening evidence-based advocacy by information and analysis.
- Securing respectable employment situations for skilled ECE educators.
- Selling Worldwide Labour Group and EI suggestions on ECE and respectable work.
A collective dedication
The assembly concluded with the adoption of an ECE Africa Community Assertion on how unions can use the ECE Community to coordinate and work collectively in selling high quality, inclusive Early Childhood Schooling and improved situations of labor for educators in Africa. This assertion calls on governments to broaden funding in ECE, recognise ECE educators as skilled practitioners, and guarantee entry to CPD aligned with inclusive, play-based pedagogies. Community members additionally dedicated to strengthening mobilisation, recruitment, and illustration of ECE personnel. They may also outline concrete nationwide advocacy commitments.
As Dr. Sinyolo famous in his concluding remarks, continued progress will depend upon constructive, evidence-informed union advocacy that positions unions as key companions in constructing sturdy and equitable early childhood schooling techniques.
 personnel is central to improving both access and quality. Education unions across Africa are strengthening their collective advocacy to secure quality ECE, as well as recognition and decent conditions for workers in this sector.){kind=link}