New KIX LAC Workshop Focuses on Early Childhood Education Planning Strategies

As part of the Knowledge Mobilization Cycle: Use of Evidence for the Early Childhood Education and Care, the Knowledge and Innovation Exchange Hub (KIX) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)  held a new workshop in April, focused on strengthening early childhood education through planning strategies. KIX LAC is an initiative led by SUMMA and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).  Attendees included representatives from ministries of education, universities, international and national organizations, civil society, and schools. Participants from Honduras, Guatemala, Guyana, Grenada, Saint Vincent, and Saint Lucia also attended. The workshop’s primary objective was to introduce the ECE Accelerator Toolkit, an innovative resource developed by UNICEF that systematically integrates early childhood education into education sector planning processes.

Divya Lata, Global Thematic Lead on Early Childhood Education at UNICEF, presented the  toolkit, explaining how it enables systemic integration of Early Childhood Education into planning processes. The approach is based on technical analysis, coordination among key actors and projections of expansion and costs, with priority given to the most vulnerable populations and evidence-based planning. The toolkit is based on five strategic drivers –planning and budgeting, curriculum and learning framework, staff development, family and community engagement, and quality assurance – offering countries practical methodologies to identify gaps, prioritize actions and progress toward universal coverage.

Subsequently, Sandipan Paul, Early Childhood Education Specialist at UNICEF Pacific, shared implementation experiences of the toolkit’s conceptual framework in 15 countries in the region. He explained that this framework was viewed as an enhanced update of previous efforts and, together with the sub-sector analysis tool, has been key in developing policies, sector plans and specific strategies. Paul emphasized the importance of adapting the diagnostic process to each country’s  educational planning cycles, prioritizing key pillars such as planning, curriculum, personnel development, community participation and quality. He reflected that success depends on a participatory and contextualized approach combining national leadership, broad consultation and flexibility to ensure cultural and political ownership.

The last presentation was given by David Woods Baysah, from the UNICEF Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa, who shared the experience of 11 countries in East, Southern and West Africa using the toolkit. He outlined how implementation follows a structured approach led by governments with broad stakeholder participation. Baysah highlighted the toolkit’s crucial role in generating evidence, mobilizing funding and designing pre-primary education policies.

Following the presentations, participants engaged in discussion groups to share experiences, address questions and collectively reflect on applying the Accelerator Toolkit in their national contexts. The sessions were facilitated by Agustín de la Varga González, Education Manager, and Patricia Misiego, Early Childhood Officer, both from the UNICEF Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, along with Lisa Sargusingh-Terrance, Senior Technical Specialist of the OECS Commission.

To read the full article: https://www.summaedu.org/kix-lac-workshop-unicef-accelerator-toolkit/?l…;