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Quality Is a Difference Maker

This chapter explores quality issues in early childhood education with emphasis on developing countries. Early childhood education forms the foundation upon which subsequent formal education is acquired. The quality of early childhood education and experiences learners engage in affect the quality of their present and future physical, social, intellectual, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. The chapter explores the connections between the quality of school settings, leadership, climate, and culture and school outcomes. Moreover, the impact of home and teacher characteristics as well as instructional quality on early childhood education outcomes is examined. The chapter concludes by identifying some challenges that confront the delivery of quality early childhood education in developing countries and offer workable strategies that would guarantee that developing countries are not left out in the global quest to provide quality education for all as espoused by Sustainable Development Goal 4.