Importance of Early Childhood Education in Nigeria (And How to Give Your Child the Best))

In Nigeria and indeed all around the world, it is widely accepted that early childhood education has a significant impact on young children's brain development. Children learn best when their limits are not pushed and when they have room to express their creativity. Because of this, a lot of parents treat preschool seriously and turn to spend extra time with their kids to teach them the things they believe they need to learn. For a child's higher education, it has been discovered that this is quite beneficial.

In recent years, scientists have discovered that between birth and three years of age, the human brain generates the great majority of its neurons and is most responsive to learning. In this article, early childhood education in Nigeria will be described, along with its significance for learning and development in Nigeria.

What is Early Childhood Education?

Early childhood education (ECE), usually referred to as nursery education in Nigeria, is a subfield of educational philosophy that deals with the formal and informal training of young children from birth to age eight. This typically covers material up to the third-grade level. ECE is referred to as a critical stage in a child's development.

Early childhood education (ECE) is crucial to a child's development and has a big impact on how they develop in the later years of their lives.

Informal Early Childhood Education

In terms of informal education, a child's interaction with his or her parents or other primary caregivers is, of course, the most important source of input when it comes to that child's growth. In essence, a child's parents serve as their first teachers.

Between the ages of 0 and 2, when the kid is developing a sense of self and forming an attachment with their parents, this relationship is particularly important. The type of relationship a child has at this time of life can have a big impact on how well they do in school later on.

Formal Early Childhood Education in Nigeria

The formal education that a child receives at a young age is the other factor in the equation when it comes to early childhood education. The years 2 through 8 of a child's life typically make up this stage of education. A young kid may get a formal education in a variety of ways, which may differ from state to state and program to program.

Educational programs in Nigeria may be created specifically for kids of each age group and offered in places like daycare, childcare, preschool, kindergarten, and nursery school. Some of these initiatives are privately owned, while others are run by a community school district or as part of a federally supported initiative.

Importance and Benefits of Early Childhood Education

In Nigeria, many parents are unaware of the advantages early childhood education has for their kids. Some parents don't even perceive the need to enroll their kids in preschool or kindergarten since they don't value this stage of education. This is incorrect because your child's growth and development depend on early childhood education.

Here are 14 Benefits and Importance of Early Child Education in Nigeria.

1. Socialization

Humans are highly sociable creatures, and the fundamental idea of socialization begins to take hold in infancy. Children interact with peers their own age in a secure setting apart from their home, planting the seeds of "socialization" and "friendship" in their minds. Removing their shyness, this aids in your kids' development of self-confidence.

2. Partnership

Children learn to collaborate, share, take turns, and other skills throughout this stage. A safe social life includes all of these. For an only child who is not used to having to share, this is especially advantageous. The youngster will receive professional direction while learning to collaborate in the safe setting provided.

3. Comprehensive Development

It is crucial for a person to have a solid foundation in all of their personality facets, including their emotional, social, mental, and physical ones. Early childhood educators are skilled in spotting a child's areas of weakness and motivating them to grow via hands-on activities. In this setting, peer interaction is vitally crucial.

4. Interest in Lifelong Learning

If lessons are presented through enjoyable and engaging activities, kids will become eager to learn. They will have this zeal and desire for learning for the rest of their life!

5. The Benefits of Education

Children's perspectives on the value of schooling are completely altered by the new environment provided in preschool. Learning new things and using them in practical ways shows how valuable education is in Nigeria and the world over.

6. Respect

Preschool settings encourage children to behave civilly toward one another and enable them to begin to comprehend that respect extends beyond people and things to include the environment as well.

7. Cooperation

The capacity to operate in a team depends on a person's respect for the perspectives of others, their ability to listen, and their attitude toward equality. All of these traits ought to be instilled in children early on. The emphasis on teamwork in many preschool activities helps kids develop a better attitude toward cooperating in groups.

8. Fortitude

Because of the constant change in our culture, it is crucial to foster resilience from an early age. Children learn by experiencing things on their own thanks to the challenging situations that the knowledgeable mentors present. The bumps and bruises from their struggles serve as the building blocks for improved coping mechanisms for their future struggles.

9. Intensification

Preschool jobs and activities need a child to pay closer attention, which requires higher levels of concentration. Their capacity for focus is enhanced by the activities' repetition.

10. Resilience

Adults' patience is frequently put to the test, so children should be taught how to deal with these situations now and in the future. Children will learn patience through experiences like waiting for their turn, sharing the teacher's attention, etc.

11. Self-Belief and Confidence

For someone to pursue their talents, they need to feel good about themselves. A good self-view is encouraged by constructive interactions with teachers and peers. A major effect of early childhood education in Nigeria is this.

12. Brain Development

Preschool exercises that have been expertly designed aid with brain growth. They can hone their abilities through a variety of analytical and logical thinking exercises.

13. Diversity Exposure

Children should be taught to respect and accept the differences in society because the current world is so diverse.

14. Promoting Systems Development

Young children in Nigeria are given a firm foundation for their development by early childhood educators. It helps develop a child's cognitive, physical, social, and emotional skills, preparing them for challenges later in life. Children are curious to study from an early age. Thomas (2016) claims that "early math instruction enables youngsters to acquire critical and reasoning skills."

Using IEYC Curriculum for Early Child Education

The International Early Years Curriculum has proven to be one of the best methods of formal education for children with regard to ECE. It is one of the top education curricula known the world over for children under the age review.

Where to Get the Best Early Child Education in Nigeria

As stated above the IEYC is regarded as one of the best in the world, and interestingly, it is available in select schools for children in Nigeria.

Crestforth International School Port Harcourt delivers world-class teaching of early childhood education in Nigeria using a hybrid of IEYC, Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE), and International Primary Curriculum (IPC).

For details about how Crestforth School uses a hybrid of the Cambridge Curriculum in Port Harcourt together with a hybrid of IEYC and IPC to teach your kids international academic excellence, contact the school for admission details using the information below:

Location: 10 Ambrose O. Ogbonna Avenue, off Stadium Road, Port Harcourt. Rivers State. Nigeria.

Phone: +234 9064000044, +234 8072112288