Government to prioritize Early Childhood Development through increased funding and targeted reform-Navicha

Government says it will prioritize Early Childhood Development (ECD) through increased funding and targeted reforms, citing the sector’s role in human capital development and long-term national growth.

Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Mary Navicha said this in Lilongwe after receiving an ECD Week Advocacy Communiqué from the ECD Advocacy Task Force.

Navicha said the communiqué identifies major gaps in the ECD sector, including inadequate public financing, weak coordination and leadership among stakeholders and poor quality standards in some centres. She said government plans to address these challenges by strengthening coordination and training ECD caregivers to improve service delivery and increase enrolment nationwide.

Chairperson of the ECD Advocacy Task Force, Reverend Nanse Chunga, said funding for ECD remains insufficient and called on government to urgently allocate adequate resources to the sector. He said improved financing is key to upgrading infrastructure, providing learning materials and professionalising caregivers.

Chunga also called for a change in parental attitudes, noting that limited awareness, child neglect, teenage parenting and substance abuse are contributing to low enrolment in ECD centres.

The ECD Week of Advocacy, held in November 2025, focused on improving Early Childhood Development by addressing financing gaps, professionalising caregivers and enhancing infrastructure.

By: Margaret Mapando