Education reduces poverty, decreases social inequalities, and helps each child reach their full potential.
Introduction
Education is the process of instilling discipline in the mind and shaping an individual’s character1. The right to education is enshrined in Article 28 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Children should be encouraged to go to school and attain the highest level possible. Children’s education should help them fully develop their personalities, talents and abilities. It should teach them to understand their rights, and to respect other people’s rights, cultures and differences. It should help them to live peacefully and protect the environment as stipulated in Article 29 of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
1.1. Overview
‘Quality is at the heart of education. It influences what students learn, how they learn and what benefits they draw from their education’.
Quality education is a dynamic concept. It evolves with time and is subject to social, economic and environmental conditions. However, international human rights law provides a general framework that guarantees quality education.
Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and other treaties that guarantee the right to education have defined the aims of education. These aims impact on the content of education, teaching, learning processes, materials, the learning environment and learning outcomes.
Access to education of poor quality is tantamount to no education at all. There is no point providing the opportunity for education if the quality of the education is so poor that the children will not become literate, numerate, or will fail to acquire critical life skills. This in fact poses detrimental consequences on the life of the child and society.
Quality education, which is essential to real learning and human development is influenced by factors both in and out of the classroom, from the availability of school supplies to the nature of the child’s home environment.
1.2 Early Childhood Education
Early childhood education is a term that refers to the time a child attends school before primary school in Nigeria. This is commonly referred to as preschool2.
The Child Rights Act (CRA) and other Nigerian laws emphasize the importance of early childhood education as a fundamental aspect of a child’s development. (S. 15 Child Rights Act 2003, See also Art. 11 ACRWC, Art. 28 UNCRC).
The importance of early childhood education extends even beyond improving language, vocabulary and numeracy skills. Social and emotional skills are also developed in the preschool setting.
The primary aim of early childhood education (ECE) is to promote the holistic development of young children in the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional domains.
The significance of Early Childhood Education (ECE) include:
School Readiness
School readiness refers to the set of skills, knowledge and behaviors that children need to successfully transition to primary school and succeed within the Nigerian and global educational system. ECE plays a significant role by preparing children for the academic, social and emotional demands of formal education.
Economic Importance
Preschool education serves as a catalyst for reduced need of spending on other services3. This implies that by the government investing in quality and compulsory preschool education, the number of children that drop out of primary school reduces, this therefore reduces the amount of children that drop out of school and enter the street to commit crimes. In turn this cuts down the amount the state spends on rehabilitation services and remedial education.
Overall, the aim of ECE is to provide children with a strong foundation for success in all aspects of their lives, and even more specifically in their education.
- Education As a Fundamental Right of Every Child: Impediments and Recommendations
The right of education of children in Nigeria is guaranteed by Section 18 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), Section 15 Child Rights Act 2003, and Section 2 of the Universal Basic Education Act 2004.
The gap between rights and their impediments show the difference between what should be, and the hindrances. Impediments to the right to education of children in Nigeria include:
• Poverty: Many families cannot afford the costs associated with education – such as school fees, uniforms, and books, leading to children being unable to attend school.
• Infrastructure: Inadequate school infrastructure, including lack of classrooms, libraries, and basic amenities like clean water and sanitation facilities hinders access to quality education.
• Conflict and Insecurity: In states or areas affected by conflict and insecurity, schools are often targeted or closed, depriving children of their right to education and creating an atmosphere of fear that deters families from sending their children to school.
• Gender Inequality: Deep-rooted cultural norms and practices sometimes prioritize boys’ education over girls’, leading to lower enrollment and retention rates for girls, particularly in rural areas.
• Poor Quality of Education: Many schools in Nigeria struggle with low-quality teaching, outdated curricula, and inadequate resources, resulting in substandard education that fails to equip children with the skills and knowledge needed for their future.
2.1 Recommendation
- The government should develop national educational policies and standards based on the ‘Best Interest of the Child’ and child participation.
- There should be continuous monitoring of learning outcomes at the national, sub national and classroom levels which can feed into learning and teaching practices.
- There should be stricter implementation mechanisms put in place to ensure compliance with the existing laws.
- Conclusion
Education reduces poverty, decreases social inequalities, and helps each child reach their full potential. It also brings significant economic returns for a country and helps societies to achieve lasting peace and sustainable development. The importance of education for children cannot be underestimated. Upholding quality education for children lays the foundation for a progressive and prosperous future.
- Adesemowo P, Sotonade. O. Basic of Education: The meaning and scope of education (2022). https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Olufunmilayo-Abosede-Sotonade/publication/361813544_BASIC_OF_EDUCATION_THE_MEANING_AND_SCOPE_OF_EDUCATION/links/62c6b049c8f8da04db4580e5/BASIC-OF-EDUCATION-THE-MEANING-AND-SCOPE-OF-EDUCATION.pdf?origin=publication_detail&_tp=eyJjb250ZXh0Ijp7ImZpcnN0UGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIiwicGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uRG93bmxvYWQiLCJwcmV2aW91c1BhZ2UiOiJwdWJsaWNhdGlvbiJ9fQ.
↩︎ - McCarthy. J, Whitebook.M, Ritchie.S, and Frede. Early Childhood Education. Issues in Science & Technology, 27(10), 16-20, (2010). ↩︎
- The United States Department of Education (2015). Early Learning. http://www.ed.gov/early-learning ↩︎
