This cross-national study intended to explore the Structural Quality of ECCE in rnEthiopian and Kenyan initial teacher education. Initial teacher education quality rnassurance arrangement policies were fundamental issues to be investigated. The study rnwas mainly assisted by neo-institutional theory. The study employed a comparative cross national case study design while sequential exploratory mixed strategy (QUAL + quant) rnwas a methodological approach. Bereday's comparative analysis model was used as the rnanalytical framework of the study. Given Ethiopia and Kenya are the cases, the rnrespective education ministries and their line agencies were major research sites. Two rnteacher education institutions were also taken as subsidiary sites. Policy documents and rndifferent levels of education officials such as directorate/department heads, deputy rndirectors, coordinators, senior experts and teacher educators were major sources of data rncomplemented by selected teacher trainees. Twenty-five major and supportive policy rndocuments and 16 key informants were purposively selected for the qualitative part of the rnstudy. A total of 131 randomized sample was also drawn for the quantitative inquiry. rnDocument analysis, semi-structured interview guideline and questionnaire were data rncollecting instruments used. Findings of this study have shown significant convergence rnand divergence. As a result, ECCE in both nations has gained still inadequate concern rncompared to subsequent education subsectors. Despite policy indications of how ECCE rnquality and teacher quality are milestones for all levels of education quality, the rnsubsector looks in need of considerable attention. The concept of 'decoupling' from rninstitutional theory was apparent but in varied extent and characteristics. The Ethiopian rnECCE, for instance, has shown significant 'decoupling' between the planned policy rnreform activities in initial teacher training and the practice. The Kenyan teachers' career rnarrangement policy was considerably decoupled in ECCE, for example. A clear similar rnpattern revealed on the least entry academic requirements for initial training that rncompromised the making of teacher quality. Such similarities have also shown a sort of rn'policy isomorphism'. Divergence in governance structure and power has brought rnsignificant influence on all stages of quality assurance arrangement policy formation and rnpractice. Privatization of teacher education was one of major deviations affecting the rnrespective nations differently. The Kenyan private ECCE teacher training institutions rnhave been mushrooming while the current Ethiopian policy is totally closed for private rnteacher education. Unemployment was one distinctive characteristic of Kenyan ECCE rntrained teachers whereas Ethiopian ECCE is suffering with a critical shortage of rnteachers. There was plain difference toward the professionalization of teacher educators. rnIn Kenya, there are professional ECCE teacher educators ranging from first degree to rnPh.D. levels. Conversely, in Ethiopia, there are no ECCE professional teacher educators rnin any of the training institutions. The findings of this research were also compared to the rnwider regional and global contexts. Accordingly, for instance, the driving forces of rnglobalization in teacher education reform demonstrated unbalanced trend between the rnsouthern and northern practices. Findings have revealed disconnection between Africa's rncompassion on multiple importance of investment in ECCE and practice. Couples of rnpolicy implications were also suggested.