NGO seeks improvement in childhood education

By Mateen Badru

A Non-governmental organisation, Alpha Global, on Friday called on government at all levels to implement policies that would improve early childhood education in Nigeria.

The CEO, Alpha Global, Mrs Caroline Popoola, made the call during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Popoola said there was the need to also empower early years educators so as to improve on the present situation of early childhood education in the country.

“There is need to appreciate and build the confidence of these practitioners. One at a time, empower them because they need empowerment.

“Let’s start implementing policies that would create enabling environment for early childhood education in Nigeria.

“Let’s start talking to government, let them start listening, Practitioners in Nigeria yearn for change. The system will remain the same if government doesn’t listen.

“Start with the practitioners, start with the school, take few teachers, empower them, change their mindset and let them know you stand with them as long as they follow the rules.

“There should also be a commission to monitor and regulate the activities of early childhood practitioners, and before you know it, you are changing schools, you are changing lives,” she said.

Popoola said that some practitioners might not be qualified but there was the need to appreciate the ones who were ready to learn and do better in the practice.

She said it was just a means to an end for some, but the passionate ones should be treated well to avoid situations where they were being taken overseas.

“Originally, the first thing is having to understand the importance of it. If the government does not  understand the importance of this initiative, practitioners would not be appreciated.

“So, if you don’t understand the importance of early years education and the difference they make in our children’s lives, there is no way you will understand the need of having to provide more teachers.

“Nigeria is crying out, Africa is crying out for qualified teachers and good teachers. So let’s get it right.

“Is it the fact that we actually don’t have qualified teachers or the fact that we don’t treat them right, hence the moving out?

“Really, when they get to the UK, which I’ve experienced myself, all you have to do is a little training, especially tweaking the language, and they become the best teachers.

“Whereas, these are the same practinoners we never saw the quality in them. So it’s not lack of having good teachers, it is the lack of listening to them,” she said.

(NAN)