Children learning through play at a BRAC Play Lab
As the Global Education Summit convenes to address education transformation, new research underscores the critical need to prioritize early childhood development - particularly for the 175 million children missing out on pre-primary education worldwide.
The Stark Funding Gap
According to TheirWorld and Cambridge's REAL Centre report 'A better start?':
175 Million
Children missing pre-primary education pre-pandemic
Only 9 Nations
Spend >1% of education aid on pre-primary
6.4 Million
More children could be served if donors met 10% target
"This target is the absolute minimum world-leaders need to support if we are to have a chance of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal related to education."
The Learning Poverty Crisis
Save Our Future's 2020 white paper reveals alarming statistics:
90%
Of children in low-income countries can't read basic text by age 10
53% → 62%
Projected increase in learning poverty due to pandemic
Play-based learning at a BRAC Play Lab
BRAC's Play Lab Model
Key Features
- 110 community-based Play Labs across Bangladesh, Uganda, Tanzania
- 400 additional Play Labs in Bangladeshi government schools
- 315 trained adolescent girls as Play Leaders
- Culturally-sensitive, play-based curriculum
- Focus on cognitive, language, physical, and social-emotional development
Impact & Reach
- 50,000+ children served since 2016
- 1,200+ Play Labs established
- University of Cambridge impact research forthcoming
- Successful adaptation for Rohingya refugee camps
Innovating During COVID-19
When Play Labs closed during the pandemic, BRAC developed Pashe Achhi (Beside You):
Weekly Calls
One-on-one support for caregivers
40,000 Children
Under age six reached
Holistic Support
Educational & psychosocial guidance
The Time to Act Is Now
As the Global Education Summit considers funding priorities, we must advocate for:
BRAC's early childhood initiatives are supported by partners including the LEGO Foundation, Porticus, and BRAC Institute of Educational Development.