Foundation launches early child care programme for pupils

The programme which was kick-started at the foundation’s adopted school St Patrick Primary School, Odukpani, Cross Rivers State is said to have been aimed at improving quality of teaching and learning in Nigerian primary schools and communities.Speaking at the launch, Director of Oando Foundation, Tokunboh Durosaro said the Early Child Care Development (ECCD) Intervention Programme […]

The programme which was kick-started at the foundation’s adopted school St Patrick Primary School, Odukpani, Cross Rivers State is said to have been aimed at improving quality of teaching and learning in Nigerian primary schools and communities.
Speaking at the launch, Director of Oando Foundation, Tokunboh Durosaro said the Early Child Care Development (ECCD) Intervention Programme includes upgrading of the classrooms, training of teachers and caregivers by providing them with the necessary skills to work with young children effectively, provides on-site support to teachers in the use of ECCD equipment as well as provides educational equipment and furniture such as kiddies’ furniture, white board, children mats,and various children’s teaching aids and toys.
“There is growing scientific evidence that what happens – or doesn’t happen – to a child in the first 1,000 days of life has immediate effects on his or her well-being and future. Early Childhood care and education services help build cognitive and non-cognitive skills at a time when children’s brains are developing, with long term benefits, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds,” Durosaro said.
Making reference to the Universal Basic Education Act 2004, Durosaro recalled that UBEC has been mandated to establish National Early Child Care Centres based on Integrated Early Childhood Curriculum  which caters for two child cohorts: 0-3 years and 3-5 years.
“Despite all efforts, wide disparities still exist between expected and actual enrollments. For example, the expected enrollment in ECCDE is 22 million but the actual is 2 million, leaving 20 million out-of-schools. ECCD however continues to be provided primarily by the private sector, with very few public schools catering to these age categories.
“One of the best investments we can make as a nation is to give our kids the ingredients they need to develop in the first five years of life. Research has shown that early intervention is crucial, and the skills developed in early childhood form the basis for future learning. At Oando Foundation we believe the gains from ECCDCs will show parents the positive and transformative effects of education, and encourage pupil enrollment and retention in schools,” Durosaro said.