Sodo Town, South Ethiopia Regional State | September 18, 2026
South Ethiopia Regional State has reaffirmed its commitment to improving Early Childhood Development (ECD), while the African Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Development (AfCECD) has vowed to provide ongoing technical assistance to develop and expand ECD implementation in the region. The commitment was highlighted during a high-level field mission held in Sodo Town from September 17 to 18, 2026, which included the Regional President, key sector bureau directors, and mayors from six towns. The engagement focused on regionalizing the national ECD agenda, improving coordination, and laying the groundwork for efficient execution.
Regional leadership calls for coordinated ECD action
H.E. Ato Tilahun Kebede, Regional President, praised efforts to increase ECD and underlined the necessity of conducting a regional baseline study, roadmap, and implementation plan.
He advocated for a coordinated governance structure to reduce redundancy and directed that the Bureaus of Agriculture and Communication be represented in the Regional ECD Steering and Technical Committees, as well as other relevant sectors as needed. The President stressed practical ECD initiatives at the family, community, and institutional levels, including attention to nutrition, child-friendly infrastructure, monitoring and evaluation, accountability, and appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks.
Building on regional progress
The engagement recognized existing investments as critical possibilities to advance ECD in South Ethiopia. Since its inception, the region has reportedly built over 300 pre-primary schools and 80 community pharmacies. These developments provide a framework for future ECD interventions.
The Head of the Education Bureau also mentioned observed increases in children\'s enrollment and attendance following the implementation of school feeding and raised concerns about caregiving procedures for children aged 0 to 3 years. Dr. Kebede Worku, CEO of AfC-ECD, offered clarification on the matter.
Evidence and planning at the center of the next phase
The proposed regional ECD baseline survey was well welcomed during the mission.
AfC-ECD requested that teachers’ colleges and health science training colleges participate in the fieldwork. The Regional President praised the proposal and underlined that the findings should help shape the regional ECD vision and implementation plan.
The baseline survey will help generate evidence to support future planning, implementation, and monitoring.

Focus on nurturing care and child-friendly environments