At the 5th Annual National Conference of the Early Childhood Association of Nigeria (ECAN), attendees urged the formation of a commission dedicated to Early Childhood Education (ECE). The event, hosted at Lagos State University of Education in Noforija, Epe, Lagos, proposed that the federal government should establish an ECE commission, while individual states should set up separate ECE boards. This initiative aims to enhance the progress of early childhood education across Nigeria.
The conference recognized the success of the secondary education commission as a model for the proposed ECE commission. It featured two key presentations: “Philosophical Tools for Scaling Up Early Childhood Education in Nigeria: The Role of Stakeholders” by Dr. Shoaga Opeyemi and “The Greater Role of Government in Scaling up the Status of Early Childhood Education in Nigeria” by Prof. Olumide Ige. Both presentations underscored the importance of stakeholders and government in elevating the quality of early childhood education in the country.
Key takeaways from the conference included the necessity for stakeholders—such as policymakers, parents, teachers, and the public—to actively support ECE. It was also emphasized that government participation is essential for expanding ECE, addressing inequalities, and guaranteeing access to high-quality education.
Participants agreed that global examples show the value of government investment in early childhood education. They identified several challenges facing ECE in Nigeria, including insufficient funding, inconsistent policy execution, inadequate teacher training, poor infrastructure, inappropriate strategies, and corruption.
The conference’s recommendations included encouraging stakeholders to embrace child-centered and play-based learning, developing assessment methods that consider students’ diverse abilities and learning styles, promoting equitable access to ECE, increasing budget allocations for ECE, fostering public-private partnerships and community involvement, and strengthening policy implementation and infrastructure development.
The conference concluded with a statement that investing in ECE is vital for Nigeria’s future. By utilizing philosophical tools, engaging stakeholders, and involving the government, Nigeria can expand ECE and provide its children with a strong foundation for lifelong learning.