The National President, Early Childhood Association of Nigeria (ECAN), Prof. Babajide Abidogun, has appealed to governments and education stakeholders to ensure that every child in Nigeria has access to high-quality early childhood education.
Abidogun, also a professor of Early Childhood Education, Lagos State University (LASU), made the plea at the hybrid 14th annual national conference of the association on Tuesday, Lagos.
The theme of the annual conference was: “Quality Assurance in Nigeria Early childhood education”.
He said: “With our collective efforts and unwavering commitment, we could transform early childhood education in Nigeria and empower our children to reach their full potential.
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“The theme of this conference resonates strongly with our vision for a brighter future for our children.
“We recognise that the early years of a child’s life are crucial in shaping their overall development and setting them on a path towards success.
“It is during these formative years that the foundation for lifelong learning, social skills, and emotional well-being is laid.
“Unfortunately, we still face numerous challenges in ensuring that early childhood education in Nigeria meets the highest standards of quality,” Abidogun said.
He added that some of the issues facing early childhood education in Nigeria include non-establishment of early childhood education Commission, inadequate infrastructure in our centers and schools.
“Others are inadequate trained pre- school teachers, non-employment of the ones that have been trained by our college of education and universities of Education and Universities.
“Limited access to educational resources continues to hinder the provision of quality early education for our children.
“However, let me assure you that, our regime remains committed to addressing these challenges in making sure that the quality of early childhood education across the country becomes government’s priority,” Abidogun said.
He noted that “investing in the education of our youngest citizens is an investment in the future of Nigeria.“Therefore, we appeal to the government functionaries, politicians and technocrats that are here to help us preach this to the highest quarter where things are done.
“We are resolute to pursue our agenda on comprehensive strategy that can enhance the quality of early childhood education in Nigeria.
“Our strategy includes the following key initiatives – to prioritise the training and professional development of early childhood educators across the states through the ministry of Education, SUBEB and LGEA.
“We recognise the critical role that teachers play in shaping the learning experiences of young children,” Abidogun said.
He also said they were working towards extending our tentacles to the far Northern Nigeria using our members that are passionate about early childhood education.