Less than 1 percent of children in sub-Sahara Africa currently attend formal care and education programmes, but the number is expected to increase substantially following large investments in the sector. To date, however, little attention has been given to the contents of these programmes. This article seeks to begin addressing this lacuna, drawing on Botswana's day care experience, and suggests that greater attention should be given to juxtaposing internationally accepted childrearing practices with those that ensue from local beliefs on the nature and potential of children. (Contains 1 table and 4 notes.)