Early-childhood education: experts boost head-teachers, caregivers’ skills

A workshop aimed at enhancing the skills of Caregivers and Head teachers of public schools to protect and stimulate learning in children between age zero and four years in crèche and nursery, has been facilitated by the National Institute of Education Planning and Administration (NIEPA), Ondo.

The training on “Early Childhood Care Development in Education and Whole School Management for Head Teachers,” according to the Director-General of NIEPA, Prof. Lillian Salami, is borne out of the intricate roles of caregivers and head teachers of public schools in the process of integrating the appropriate human and material resources that are made available and effective for achieving the purpose to meet educational objectives.

Prof. Salami, who described “education as a veritable tool for social change, national integration and development, however, expressed optimism that the training workshop would continue to be accorded attention, and the training of teachers in all the states of the federation would continue to be facilitated by the institute for the collective good of the early education delivery.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAPSDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope- Adefulire, while declaring open the workshop, lauded NIEPA for its commitment towards empowering the Head teachers and caregivers with new skills and knowledge that would enhance the administration of schools, especially on Early Childhood Care Development, Education (ECCDE) and Whole School Management (WSM).

Orelope-Adefulire, who reiterated that the concept of ECCDE is the care, protection, stimulation and learning promoted in children in crèche or nursery, also noted that ECCDE was well-embedded in the SDG- 4, Target 4.2, which clearly states that member countries must ensure that by 2030, all girls and boys have access to quality Early Childhood Care Development and pre-primary education, so that they are ready for primary education with a view to achieving the SDGS’ objectives of “Leave No One Behind.”

She, therefore, encouraged the participants to work hard to internalize the skills acquired on the training and apply same for the development of their schools, even as she urged relevant stakeholders to come together to support NIEPA to achieve the objectives of SDGs’ capacity building programme on ECCDE/WSM and for the attainment of SDGs in Nigeria by 2030.

This was as Princess Orelope- Adefulire assured the institute of the agency’s support towards improving the quality of education in the country, saying “we will leave no one behind.”

The content of the workshop/ ECCDE/ WSM, include an overview of Early Childhood Development Centres management in Nigeria; records and records keeping by ECD caregivers; ECD curriculum with needs and characteristics of young children; concept clarification of whole school development planning (WSDP); effective school management; cultivating a culture of learning and teaching; and the organisational climate and culture in schools.