{"id":{"repo_id":"cape-town","oai_identifier":"oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/11877"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cape-town/oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/11877","repository":{"repo_id":"cape-town","name":"University of Cape Town","base_url":"https://open.uct.ac.za/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"A pre-R year is it worth it, and what would it cost? An applied policy analysis","abstract":"Science is unequivocal in its support for the importance of early childhood development. Calls for increased investment in young children cite neuroscience, developmental psychology and health. It is hazardous, however, to make a direct leap from neuroscience to policy recommendations. Simply because early childhood provides opportunities for more economically efficient interventions which have dramatic impact on inequality, this does not mean that the ECD policies actually implemented by communities, provinces, or national government are worthy investments. Firstly, it is difficult to design programmes that improve children's cognitive or behavioural development. Secondly, the costs of even effective programmes might outweigh the benefits they generate for children, their families, and taxpayers. And finally, programmes in early childhood require upfront and politically brave investments that may take decades to pay off.","abstract_html":"Science is unequivocal in its support for the importance of early childhood development. Calls for increased investment in young children cite neuroscience, developmental psychology and health. It is hazardous, however, to make a direct leap from neuroscience to policy recommendations. Simply because early childhood provides opportunities for more economically efficient interventions which have dramatic impact on inequality, this does not mean that the ECD policies actually implemented by communities, provinces, or national government are worthy investments. Firstly, it is difficult to design programmes that improve children's cognitive or behavioural development. Secondly, the costs of even effective programmes might outweigh the benefits they generate for children, their families, and taxpayers. And finally, programmes in early childhood require upfront and politically brave investments that may take decades to pay off.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Girdwood, Elizabeth"],"institution":"School of Economics","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Burns, Justine"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2009,"date_issued":"2009","date_published":"2009","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:23Z","subjects":[],"languages":["eng"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11427/11877","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Burns, Justine"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Girdwood, Elizabeth"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2015-01-10T06:43:36Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2015-01-10T06:43:36Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2009"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["School of Economics"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Cape Town"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["MCom"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["eng"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/11877"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Includes bibliographical references."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Science is unequivocal in its support for the importance of early childhood development. Calls for increased investment in young children cite neuroscience, developmental psychology and health. It is hazardous, however, to make a direct leap from neuroscience to policy recommendations. Simply because early childhood provides opportunities for more economically efficient interventions which have dramatic impact on inequality, this does not mean that the ECD policies actually implemented by communities, provinces, or national government are worthy investments. Firstly, it is difficult to design programmes that improve children's cognitive or behavioural development. Secondly, the costs of even effective programmes might outweigh the benefits they generate for children, their families, and taxpayers. And finally, programmes in early childhood require upfront and politically brave investments that may take decades to pay off."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A pre-R year is it worth it, and what would it cost? An applied policy analysis"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Burns, Justine"],"dc:creator":["Girdwood, Elizabeth"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2015-01-10T06:43:36Z"],"dc:date.available":["2015-01-10T06:43:36Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2009"],"dc:description":["Includes bibliographical references."],"dc:description.abstract":["Science is unequivocal in its support for the importance of early childhood development. Calls for increased investment in young children cite neuroscience, developmental psychology and health. It is hazardous, however, to make a direct leap from neuroscience to policy recommendations. Simply because early childhood provides opportunities for more economically efficient interventions which have dramatic impact on inequality, this does not mean that the ECD policies actually implemented by communities, provinces, or national government are worthy investments. Firstly, it is difficult to design programmes that improve children's cognitive or behavioural development. Secondly, the costs of even effective programmes might outweigh the benefits they generate for children, their families, and taxpayers. And finally, programmes in early childhood require upfront and politically brave investments that may take decades to pay off."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/11877"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher.department":["School of Economics"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Cape Town"],"dc:title":["A pre-R year is it worth it, and what would it cost? An applied policy analysis"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Masters"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["MCom"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:23Z"}