Ready To Learn Tracer Study and Cost Benefit Analysis 2024, Westnile & Karamoja

Cost Benefit Analysis was aimed at evaluating the financial viability and broader societal impact/benefits of Save the Children supported Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) model in West Nile and Karamoja regions to inform potential hand over of the management of community-Ready To Learn ECCD Tracer study and cost benefit analysis- January 2024 in15 based Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) centres to government (public sector). The analysis aimed to assess the economic costs of maintaining these centres (including the opportunity costs) while quantifying the intervention’s direct and indirect benefits, such as improved learning outcomes, enhanced community trust, and long-term sustainability. This was intended to inform the development of an investment case and serve as a crucial advocacy tool for Save the Children, and other like-minded Partners in the relevant sectors for public funding in pre-primary education in Uganda.

Secondly, the Tracer study was designed to evaluate the long-term impact of the “Ready to Learn” project on ECCD beneficiaries in West Nile and Karamoja regions, assessing the effectiveness and sustainability of interventions in community based ECCD centres by Save the Children. The main focus was on assessing the educational outcomes of former ECCD learners who have transitioned to primary schools, understanding the transformative changes experienced by parents due to project support, and assessing the functionality status of ECCD centre structures, VSLA committees, and income-generating committees. The findings are expected to inform future programming decisions, strengthen strategies, and measure the enduring effects of the interventions on the beneficiaries’ lives.