The Measuring Early Learning Quality Outcomes (MELQO) tools (UNESCO, 2017) were the foundation of data collection, locally adapted to the Egyptian context. The MELQO tools have two main components, the Measure of Early Development and Learning (MODEL) for measuring the development of children aged 3-6, and the Measure of Early Learning Environments (MELE). The MODEL collects data through a child direct assessment, parent report of child development (including home and family background), and teacher report of child development. The MELE collects data via classroom observation, a teacher interview, parent interview, and school director interview. The tools were designed specifically to measure child development and quality of early childhood education in low- and middle-income countries (Raikes et al., 2019).

The MELQO tools were developed initially and piloted in 2015 in non-representative samples, and then the pilot-tested tools were used in national studies starting in 2016. The tools were finalized and publicized in 2017 (Raikes et al., 2019). The tools were selected for a nationally representative study of kindergarten teaching and learning in Egypt. The primary goal of the Egyptian data collection was to identify quality issues and inform subsequent teacher training efforts for Education 2.0, as well as to validate a new quality assurance system.

The MELQO tools were translated into Arabic and adapted to the Egyptian context and curriculum in collaboration with the MOETE, kindergarten teachers, and kindergarten supervisors. An adaptation workshop occurred in May 2019 that included a careful review of items by a group of stakeholders along with addition or modification of items to align with national standards and cultural priorities (for example, items specifically focused on the implementation of Egypt’s new standards for pre-primary classrooms). The tools were programmed into Android tablets using ODK-X software (Brunette et al., 2017). Pre-piloting of the instruments subsequently took place in Egypt in two governorates, ten schools, ten classrooms, with ten teachers and 30 children. Training of the master trainers, a mix of MOETE officials, supervisors, and Egyptian academic experts, by the international experts took place in January 2020. Training of enumerators took place over 10 days starting in late February 2020, including piloting in schools. Enumerators were required to reach scores of at least 80% on activities and quizzes during training, to ensure adequate inter-rater reliability. Enumerators were graduates of faculties of kindergarten education or child psychology, or kindergarten teachers or supervisors. Data collection was initially scheduled to take place in mid-March 2020. On the date data collection was supposed to begin, schools were closed due to COVID-19.

In Fall 2021, public schools reopened on October 9. After schools opened, a repeat of training was held for enumerators. Data collection in schools took place from November 6, 2021, to December 8, 2021. Parents were interviewed over the phone through December 15, 2021.

# **_3.3 Sample_**

The study sample was designed to be nationally representative of Egyptian KGs and their students. Egypt’s Education Management Information System (EMIS) database from 2018-19 was the sample frame. The sample was stratified by type (public versus private), region,<sup>13</sup> and community

> 13 Regions were divided into: Urban Governorates, Lower Egypt, and Upper Egypt. Frontier Governorates will not be included.

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