The federal government of Nigeria has emphasized the importance of prioritizing the welfare of early childhood educators, citing the critical role they play in shaping the foundational learning of Nigerian children. According to Dr. Ado Muhammad, the federal coordinator of the Human Capital Development (HCD) Programme and National Early Childhood Development (ECD) Focal Point, the quality of Nigeria's foundational learning depends largely on the workforce serving children in their earliest years.
Dr. Muhammad made the call in Abuja, in commemoration of the 2026 World Teachers' Day, which is being celebrated under the theme, "Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures." This theme commemorates the 60th anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. Muhammad stressed that Nigeria's efforts to improve foundational learning must begin with those teaching and caring for children before they enter primary school.
The federal government recognizes that quality early childhood education depends on a workforce that is adequately trained, fairly remunerated, supported, and properly supervised. With approximately 92,000 public and private early childhood care, development, and education (ECCDE) centers in Nigeria, the quality and capacity of the workforce are critical to improving learning outcomes. Muhammad urged state governments to recruit and train early childhood workers, pay them fair and competitive salaries, protect their professional autonomy, and ensure manageable workloads.
Dr. Muhammad also called on state governments to provide dedicated and coded budget lines for early childhood development in their annual budgets. Additionally, he urged State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) to address teacher shortages in pre-primary schools and provide continuous professional development, including digital skills and preparedness for climate-related disruptions to learning. Local governments and Ward Development Committees are also encouraged to recognize early childhood educators as members of ward-level early years teams.
The call to prioritize early childhood educators' welfare is particularly important as teaching globally faces new pressures, including rapid technological changes, climate disruption, heavy workloads, and persistent teacher shortages. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) estimates that the world will need 44 million additional teachers by 2030. Muhammad emphasized that private early childhood education providers should adhere to national quality and workforce standards.
Furthermore, Dr. Muhammad urged development partners, the private sector, and communities to align their interventions around a common results framework for early years development. By doing so, Nigeria can ensure that its early childhood education sector is well-equipped to provide high-quality learning experiences for young children. The federal government's emphasis on prioritizing early childhood educators' welfare is a critical step towards achieving this goal.
In conclusion, the federal government's call to state governments to prioritize the welfare of early childhood educators is a timely reminder of the critical role these professionals play in shaping Nigeria's future. By investing in their recruitment, training, remuneration, and welfare, Nigeria can ensure that its young children receive the high-quality education they deserve.
Key points
- The federal government has called on state governments to prioritize the recruitment, training, remuneration, and welfare of early childhood educators.
- Nigeria has approximately 92,000 public and private early childhood care, development, and education (ECCDE) centers.
- The world will need 44 million additional teachers by 2030, according to UNESCO.
