Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) System Coherence in Ethiopia: A Critical Analysis

Coherence in education refers to alignment among systems as well as a mindset andcollective approach that consciously addresses fragmentation among systems, agentsand responsibilities. Effective ECDE design and delivery then calls for coherence, withinand among its various systems and subsystems, towards children’s holistic learning anddevelopment. This paper attempts to conduct systemic analysis of these coherences in theECDE system in Ethiopia employing a blend of four interrelated models: ‘the WholeChild Approach’, ‘the Complexity Theory’, ‘the Coherence Making Model’, and ‘theProgram Implementation Fidelity Model’. The analysis unveils that the ECDE system inEthiopia seems incoherent for holistic learning and development. Children’s holisticlearning and development outcomes appear insufficient mainly because of policy,implementation, and leadership incoherencies. The paper concludes with the need for asystem overhaul to address fragmentation and work toward greater coherence.