Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge and Practice into ECCE - A Comparison of Programs in The Gambia, Senegal and Mali

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by OmBimo

The study analyzes how early childhood care and education (ECCE) policies and programs incorporate indigenous knowledge and practice across three West African countries: The Gambia, Mali, and Senegal. It compares a Gambia approach on embedding indigenous knowledge, Mali’s clos d’enfants initiative using mothers and locally made materials and toys, and Senegal’s President-initiated program blending local traditions with European pedagogical philosophies. The comparison informs possibilities for UNESCO and partners to advance ECCE through indigenous knowledge.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

UNESCO’s concept of ECCE

Comparative program analysis

The Gambia

Mali

Senegal

Implications for UNESCO and further research

Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge and Practice into ECCE: A Comparison of Programs in The Gambia, Senegal and Mali Alicia Ranck Soudée The George Washington University Early Childhood Development (ECD) has emerged as a theme in international and African dialogue on education in recent years. UNESCO’s Division of Basic Education Early Childhood promotesan integrated approach to Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) policy development and review. The study examines how this is implemented in three West African countries, with similar cultural groups in their diverse populations: The Gambia, Mali and Senegal. In The Gambia there is thus far a proposal on how indigenous knowledge should be included in early childhood programs. The clos d’enfants [children’s groups], in Mali demonstrates similar ideas through an international partnership with a local initiative program, developed in Bamako using mothers, local materials and toys made by the participants. Senegal’s program combining local traditions and European pedagogical philosophies, the case des tout-petits [children’s huts], came from the President. Analysis of these three cases suggests that these programs and proposals may be a springboard for UNESCO and partners to further develop ECCE with indigenous knowledge and practice in Africa. Early Childhood Development (ECD) has emerged as a theme in the international and African dialogue on education in recent years, though it is not the highest priority for governments or donors. The 1989 United Nations (UN) adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child began a more visible drive for early childhood development on the international stage. Closely following this, the Education for All (EFA) initiative from the 1990 World Conference on EFA in Jomtien, Thailand, the 2000 World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal, and the development of the Millennium Development Goals in the UN, have all led to an increase in government policies and local initiatives in the domain of early childhood programs around the world. Most importantly, the first of the EFA goals in the 2000 Dakar Framework for Action is “expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children”(UNESCO, 2000, p. 8) . From these international commitments and declarations, UNESCO’s Division of Basic Education Early Childhood promotes an integrated approach to Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) policy development and review. The African continent has also established a strong commitment to ECCE through the formation of the Working Group on Early Childhood Development in the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) in 1993 and an Early Childhood Francophone Africa Regional Network (RAFPE) in 1996. Both groups have participated in regional training and policy development for ECCE in the region. This paper will consider UNESCO’s policy that promotes an integrated and local adaptation of ECCE programs and how it is implemented in three West African countries, with similar cultural groups in their diverse populations: The Gambia, Mali and Senegal. Beginning with an exploration of UNESCO’s position on ECCE, the paper will briefly describe the benefits of preschool education programs and the idea of indigenous or local knowledge in education. The paper will then examine a study from The Gambia that shows how indigenous knowledge can be included in early childhood programs. In Mali ideas similar to those put into practice in The Gambia study can be seen in an international partnership with a local initiative program, the clos d’enfants, developed in Bamako involving mothers and using local materials and toys made by the participants. While the first two cases look at ground-up approaches, in Senegal the President © 2009 Current Issues in Comparative Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Current Issues in Comparative Educ

FAQs

Which countries are compared in the ECCE programs study?

The study compares program approaches in The Gambia, Mali, and Senegal, highlighting culturally related populations across these countries.

How does the study describe UNESCO’s definition of ECCE?

UNESCO defines early childhood as birth to age 8, with the paper focusing on preschool ages 3–6. ECCE is presented as holistic, covering health, nutrition, hygiene, and cognitive and social-emotional development.

What is the main conclusion about the value of the compared programs?

The analysis suggests the programs and proposals can serve as a springboard for UNESCO and partners to further develop ECCE in Africa by strengthening indigenous knowledge and practice.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by OmBimo