Effects of early childhood education on early childhood development in Bangladesh

BackgroundEarly childhood education is considered as vital for the early childhood development (ECD) instead of scarcity of the relevant literature. This study aims to investigate the relationship between early childhood education and the early childhood development index (ECDI) in Bangladesh. MethodsWe analyzed data from 9,420 children (aged 3 and 4) extracted from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted in 2019. The outcome variable considered was the Early Childhood Development Index, a composite index generated based on the responses to 10 items and categorized as children either developmentally on track (coded as 1) or not (coded as 0). Four domains of ECDI--physical, learning, emotional, and social well-being-- were also considered as outcome variable. Attendance of the early childhood education program was the major exposure variable. The association between explanatory and outcome variables was determined using a multilevel logistic regression model, adjusting for potential covariates. ResultsOnly one in every five children in Bangladesh was found to be enrolled in early childhood education. Non-participation in early childhood education was associated with a 44% lower likelihood (aOR, 0.56, 95% CI, 0.47-0.66) of positive ECDI compared to participation in early childhood education. Additionally, non-attendance of early childhood education, compared to attendance, was associated with lower odds in literacy-numeracy (aOR, 0.25, 95% CI, 0.21-0.28) and learning (aOR, 0.59, 95% CI, 0.45-0.77) domains of ECDI. ConclusionThe findings provide evidence of the importance of early childhood education programs in ensuring early childhood development. This indicates the necessity of strengthening early childhood education programs in Bangladesh to ensure the overall well-being of children.