The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has identified Early Childhood Care, Development and Education (ECCDE) as a critical solution to Nigeria’s growing out-of-school children crisis. The organization called on all levels of government to prioritize adequate investment in the sector to ensure quality education outcomes.
Media Dialogue Highlights
The position was presented by Mrs. Aisha Abdullahi, an Education Consultant on Foundation, Learning and Skills Development at UNICEF’s Kano Field Office, during a media dialogue focused on practical strategies to address the alarming number of out-of-school children, particularly in the Northwest region.
Abdullahi disclosed that Nigeria currently has about 18.3 million out-of-school children, the highest globally. She noted that Jigawa, Kano, and Katsina states alone account for nearly 30 percent of that figure, with poverty, cultural barriers, and insecurity cited as the major drivers keeping children out of classrooms.
Preventive Strategies Needed
She explained that addressing the crisis requires a shift from reactive measures to preventive strategies. Early childhood education provides a solid foundation for lifelong learning and reduces the likelihood of children dropping out later.
According to Abdullahi, ECCDE, which targets children from birth to age five, equips learners with cognitive, emotional, and social skills necessary for success in formal schooling. Children exposed to early learning are more likely to enroll in school, remain in the system, and complete their education.
“Early childhood education is not just a preparatory stage, but a strategic intervention to reduce the number of out-of-school children,” Abdullahi said.
Investment and Brain Development
UNICEF called for increased and sustained investment in early childhood education development processes, emphasizing that adequate funding is essential to delivering inclusive, high-quality education across communities, particularly in underserved and rural areas.
Citing research findings, she disclosed that nearly 90 percent of brain development occurs before the age of five, making early learning a critical window for intervention. Children who miss ECCDE opportunities are twice as likely to drop out of school compared to those who benefit from pre-primary education.
Access and Integration
Abdullahi observed that although the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has incorporated one year of pre-primary education into the universal basic education framework, access remains limited, particularly in rural communities where infrastructure and trained personnel are scarce.
Communities with functional ECCDE centers record up to 40 percent higher enrollment into primary one, alongside improved retention rates. The centers also create a structured transition for children into the formal education system.
Girls' Education and Parental Engagement
The UNICEF consultant also highlighted the role of early childhood learning in promoting girls’ education. Early learning helps delay societal pressures such as early marriage by keeping girls within the education system at a formative stage.
ECCDE strengthens parental engagement, especially among mothers, thereby improving community participation in education. Through regular interactions with teachers and school activities, mothers become more involved in monitoring their children’s learning and attendance.
Fathers' Involvement
Stakeholders at the dialogue expressed concern about the low participation of fathers in early learning, noting that fewer than 15 percent are actively involved across the region. Increasing male involvement in children’s early education could reduce dropout rates by up to 50 percent, given fathers’ influence on household decision-making.
To address this gap, participants recommended adopting community-based advocacy, engaging mosques, and implementing structured father-child programs that encourage fathers to participate in learning activities and school meetings.
Economic Returns
On the economic front, experts described investment in ECCDE as highly rewarding. They estimated the cost at about N45,000 per child yearly, with returns of between N7 and N13 for every N1 invested, according to data from UNICEF and the World Bank.
Sustained investment in early childhood education development would not only improve learning outcomes but also reduce future public spending on remedial education, social services, and security interventions.
Ongoing Initiatives
The dialogue also highlighted ongoing initiatives across the Northwest to expand access to early learning. These include the integration of Tsangaya schools into formal education in Jigawa, community-driven ECCDE centers in Kano, and UNICEF-supported catch-up programs in Katsina designed to reintegrate out-of-school children into the classroom.
Policy Recommendations
Despite these efforts, stakeholders called for urgent policy actions to scale up impact. Key recommendations included expanding ECCDE to all primary schools across the country, allocating at least five percent of education budgets to early learning, training more qualified teachers for the pre-primary level, and integrating traditional and religious education systems into the formal ECCDE framework.
They stressed that strengthening early childhood education through adequate investment and quality delivery remains the most effective pathway to ending the menace of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
