The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised an alarm over the dire state of early childhood education (ECE) in Northwest Nigeria, noting that limited access is undermining the region’s educational progress. Speaking at a media dialogue in Dutse, Dr. Karanveer Singh, Officer-in-Charge of UNICEF’s Kano Field Office, highlighted that only 24% of children in Jigawa State, 29% in Kano, and 32% in Katsina have access to ECE. He described these figures as deeply concerning, emphasizing that the majority of children are missing out on the critical early learning period, which is essential for cognitive, social, and emotional development. Children without quality early education often start primary school behind their peers and struggle to catch up, exacerbating the region’s out-of-school children crisis. Dr. Singh also pointed out that foundational literacy levels in parts of the region remain below 15%, indicating that many children cannot read even at a basic level. The challenges, he said, stem from limited parental awareness, a shortage of trained teachers, poor infrastructure, and inadequate learning materials. However, he stressed that these issues can be overcome with stronger commitment and investment from state governments. He called on authorities in Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa to prioritize ECE by increasing funding, recruiting qualified caregivers, and expanding child-friendly learning spaces.
UNICEF Education Specialist Mustapha Shehu added that data from MICS 2022 shows only 37.8% of children aged three to four in Nigeria have access to ECE, with vast inequalities: 75% of children from the richest households attend early education, compared to just 11% from the poorest. Education consultant Dr. Sunday Jacob noted that Nigeria has 18.3 million out-of-school children, with Jigawa, Kano, and Katsina accounting for 30% of that number. He stressed that investing in ECE is fundamental to reducing the out-of-school population, as it contributes to 90% of brain development. He advised states to create dedicated budget lines for ECE. In response, the Commissioners for Basic Education in Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa pledged to ensure adequate budgetary provisions and timely release of funds for the development of early childhood education in their states and the nation at large.