Peer-reviewed article
What determines the accessibility of early childhood education in Bangladesh?
Md. Tuhin Ahmed, Sayed Arafat Zubayer ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study analysed factors affecting whether children aged 3-5 in Bangladesh attend early childhood education programmes, using data from a national survey of over 30,000 households. Children were more likely to attend ECE if they were older, had mothers with higher education, lived in wealthy households, or lived in urban areas or Mymensingh division. Children with functional difficulties, those in larger households, and those in Barishal, Rajshahi, and Sylhet divisions were less likely to attend. The researchers recommend targeted financial support for poor families, public-private partnerships in remote areas, and community awareness campaigns.
Key points
- Child age, maternal education level, household wealth, and geographical location (urban vs rural and division) significantly influence ECE enrollment
- Children with functional difficulties and those from larger households have lower odds of ECE attendance
- Urban residents and those in Mymensingh division show higher ECE enrollment compared to rural areas and southern/northern divisions
- Wealthier households demonstrate substantially higher odds of ECE enrollment
- Current barriers suggest need for financial assistance programmes and partnerships to extend ECE access to disadvantaged and remote populations
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional and cannot establish causation, only associations between variables and ECE enrollment. It does not evaluate quality of ECE programmes or long-term child outcomes resulting from attendance.
Abstract
This paper aims to understand the potential factors influencing the accessibility of early childhood education (ECE) in Bangladesh. Utilising data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019, this study explored the influence of individual, household, socio-economic as well as geographical variables on ECE enrollment. It employed a comprehensive approach, which involved using descriptive statistics for univariate analysis, chi-square and t-statistics for bivariate analysis, and the logit model for multivariate analysis. The findings revealed that a child’s likelihood of attending an ECE program increases with their age, while those with functional difficulties and larger household sizes exhibit lower odds of attendance. Children with mothers possessing higher education levels demonstrated increased odds of ECE enrollment. Wealthy households and urban or Mymensingh division residency were associated with higher odds of ECE enrollment, while Barishal, Rajshahi, and Sylhet divisions indicated lower odds. To enhance ECE accessibility, the study recommends implementing a roadmap for ensuring universal early childcare and early education with an emphasis on socioeconomically underprivileged children, particularly in rural areas. Proposed strategies may include providing financial assistance to poor households and fostering public–private partnerships for ECE provision in remote regions like Barishal, Rangpur, Rajshahi, and Sylhet divisions. Moreover, it is crucial to make parents and communities aware about the significance of ECE in order to make sure that children ages 3–5 years are involved in ECE programs.