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03/09/2012

GREETINGS BUREAUCRATS..... (an open letter).

Considering your interests and efforts in the development of  Education, I wish to make a few suggestions.

The emphasis on Early Childhood Education programs is to help children develop a solid foundation for reading, writing, science, discovery through experiments and math skills. Learning experiences are provided in all domains - physical, cognitive, social and emotional.

Individual differences are expected, accepted and used to design appropriate activities.
Teachers prepare the environment for children to learn through active exploration and interaction with adults, other children and materials.
Children are expected to be mentally and physically active. They are provided with many opportunities to develop social skills such as cooperating, helping, negotiating and talking with the person involved to solve interpersonal problems.

For many years, children (from working class and other lower income families) across Nigeria have consistently not received any/or proper education in our public schools before they begin Primary school. This is an affliction in our system because Early Childhood Education affords every child an opportunity to early skill acquisition.

Early Childhood Education is averagely the education of a child from birth to 6 years of age; after which formal school begins. This period is considered priority as it constitutes a time where skills are channeled,cultivated and coached. It is in this period that the child develops lifelong abilities. This class of children should have special attention in the our Education System across Nigeria.

There are lots of questions we should answer today. 

1. Have our school standards not become watered down? We should have early-years government sponsored schools that will make demands on children and inspire a new generation to succeed due to early skill acquisition.

2. Should schooling not pay more attention to the development of children's ability from a significant early stage so that children can process information more efficiently?

3. Can we not dramatically change our schools?.... so they serve as a locus for a wide range of services, such as primary health care, childcare, preschool education, parenting education, recreation, family counseling as well as traditional educational activities.

4. Will we allow our schools stay the same OR focus on changing the structure and curriculum?

Questions will be asked and we expect our government to successfully answer them.