Writing by AMINU DALHATU; Editing by BASIRAT MEMUDU
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on media organisations to intensify efforts at creating awareness and generating demand for Early Childhood Education (ECE) in communities across Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi States, noting that many parents remain unaware of the long-term benefits of early childhood education.
The Chief of UNICEF Sokoto Field Office, Micheal Juma, made this known while delivering his speech during a Media Dialogue on strengthening Early Childhood Education and access to quality education in the three states.
Mr Micheal Juma urged journalists to engage parents, religious leaders and community members with compelling and positive narratives that promote the best interests of the child education.
He said, investment in early childhood education requires collective responsibility, called on civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, development partners and the United Nations system to support state governments in mobilising resources for quality ECE delivery.
According to him, the organisation, in collaboration with state governments, would continue to support the establishment of functional ECE centres, capacity building for teachers, provision of learning materials and the deployment of digital data systems to track enrolment and ensure seamless transition from ECE to primary education.
Mr. Micheal Juma emphasized that, the first decade of a child’s life particularly from birth to five years is crucial for cognitive, social and emotional development.
According to Juma, children enrolled in quality Early Childhood Education ECE programmes are more likely to progress smoothly into primary, secondary and tertiary education, thereby improving transition, retention and completion rates across the education system.
“Children right from pre-primary must have access to quality education, trained teachers and adequate learning materials,” he said, adding that the media plays a critical role in informing, influencing and shaping policies that guarantee quality learning outcomes for children.
He commended the Governor of Sokoto State for prioritising education under the state’s nine-point SMART Agenda, described, it as a strong demonstration of political will to improve access to quality education.
The UNICEF official also applauded the Sokoto State Commissioner for Education, Ala Ahmad, and the leadership of the State Universal Basic Education Board for adopting a multi-sectoral approach to ECE that integrates education, health, nutrition and child protection, in line with the National Policy on Integrated Early Childhood Education.
Highlighting enrolment gaps, Mr. Juma disclosed that, while the national average shows that about four out of every ten Nigerian children are enrolled in ECE, Sokoto State records about 28.1 per cent enrolment, while Zamfara State stands at approximately 20.7 per cent.
In his welcome address, the Executive Chairman of SUBEB in Sokoto State, Umar Nagwari Tambuwal, described the engagement as timely, stressing that collaboration with the media remains essential to expanding access to quality early childhood education and reducing the number of out-of-school children in the state and the wider North-West region.
He called on journalists to serve as a bridge between government policy and public perception by amplifying key resolutions from the dialogue, including advocacy for legislation to regulate the Almajiri system and the revival of home-grown school feeding programmes.
Tambuwal expressed optimism that with the political will of Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto and sustained partnership with the media, Sokoto State would achieve its goal of mapping every child and ensuring that no child is left behind in accessing quality education.
The media dialogue was organised by the Sokoto State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in partnership with UNICEF and funded by the European Union brought together journalist from Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi States.
Similarly, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Education, Professor Ala Ahmad declared the media dialogue open.
