ISSUES AND CHALLENGES TO SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: THE WAY FORWARD

Abstract

The quality of care and education which a child receives at the crucial age of 0-5 years determines to a great extent the level of his/her physical, emotional and cognitive development in the future of the child and the nation at large. Unfortunately, however, early childhood Care Education (ECCE) is facing some challenges thus making it ineffective. This paper examines the concept of ECCE and the policy statement on the programme in the National Policy on Education. The views of some eminent philosophers on education as it concerns Early Childhood Education are highlighted and analysed. It was established that ECCE policy statements in Nigeria are in line with their views. The problem with the programme is therefore not with the quality of the policy documents but with its manner of implementation. To improve the situation, the following measures were recommended; the government to improve on the funding, supervision and standardization of the programme, provision of condusive and stimulating environment by the proprietors of ECCE, teachers and caregivers to be trained for their jobs and to abide by the provisions of the programme. Keywords: Successful, implementation, early childhood, care, issues, education, Nigeria