ELM integrates language, literacy, math and interpersonal cooperation to holistically enhance children’s readiness to excel in school and life. We need to extend such opportunities with an eye on cost and quality.

ELM impact can be generated via several different delivery systems and is demonstrated using IDELA. We next need to explore in more detail how these impacts compare in more countries and at different levels of implementation intensity.

ELM is a low cost way to contribute to SDG 4 – being better prepared for and excelling in primary school. We need to document more directly its cost effectiveness both within ECD settings as well as its potential systemic savings in the primary years.