THE United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Tuesday, disclosed that out of 22.2 million under-five children in Nigeria over 60 per cent of them are at risk of poor development due to lack of early childhood development support.
This came as the Federal Government has disclosed that 5 per cent of the 2017 Universal Basic Education Fund would be committed to the development of Early Childhood Education.
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu represented by the Permanent Secretary, Sunny Echono made this known in Abuja during the 2017 National Conference on Early Childhood Education.
Adamu, also said that the Federal government has given approval to the Universal Basic Education Commission to conduct an audit of UBE schools both Public and private schools.
The Minister stressed that the huge numbers of out-of-school in Nigeria has remained a great challenge that must be addressed.
He noted that the Conference would create a new path for the development of Early Childhood Development Education.
UNICEF representative Mallick Fall, speaking at the conference with the theme: For Every Nigerian Child, Early Years Matter, recommended two years of free pre-primary education, six months of paid maternity leave and four weeks paternity leave.
He said over 31 per cent of children under 5 years are moderately or severely mal-nourished in Nigeria.
According to him, “Nigeria is putting its children at risk of under development, both physically and mentally, because critical national policies are not providing an adequate foundation for their growth. During the first years of a child’s life, the brain grows rapidly, providing good nutrition, loving care and appropriate play provide solid foundations for a child’s learning – and eventual contribution to economic and social growth.
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