A Randomized Evaluation of an Enhanced Preschool Intervention on Child Learning and Female Empowerment in Kenya

Inadequate training of preschool teachers alongside limitations in the provision of age-appropriate learning resources across classrooms in Kenya compromises nourishing children’s full developmental potential in their formative years, which can have accruing negative effects. Additionally, the lack of cheap childcare restricts mothers from pursuing livelihood activities outside the home, which affects their socioeconomic well-being and can result in under-investments in children’s growth and learning. This experimental project extends preschool to children as young as 3 (from 4 years old at present) and introduces an innovative preschool-based model for childcare provision with a locally adapted, enhanced curriculum. The key outcomes we expect to impact are foundational learning and school readiness of 3- and 4-year-olds, mothers' labor supply and empowerment, and the overall welfare of rural households in Kenya’s Tharaka Nithi County (TNC). The project is implemented in collaboration with the County government, which is committed to an evidence-driven scale-up of the intervention.