Experts in the educational sector have charged the government on effective regulation to aid development of early childcare sector in Nigeria.
They said inexperienced staff, ineffective regulation, among others, are factors hindering development of the sector.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alpha Chains Limited and Alpha Childcare Limited, Caroline Popoola, who spoke at the second edition of the early years childcare conference, with the theme, “Redefining Early Childhood Education of the 21st Century Child,” in Lagos, said with the pace of development, the country needs a clear policy that emphatically recognises the rights of early age groups.
Popoola noted that the conference serves as a platform to explore innovative approaches, exchange best practices, and redefine the standards for nurturing and educating youngest leaders of tomorrow.
“It is important for government to recognise and listen to experts and practitioners. Today, we have over 800 early childcare educators. So, why not improve this neglected sector?
“In Britain, it is not done because they are the vulnerable age group; they cannot speak, reason or do anything for themselves,” she said.
She, therefore, charged the incoming minister of education to listen to experts in the industry.
Childcare Limited gave out over N4 million scholarship and donations to 20 children and some schools.
Also, the CEO, Total School Support Exhibition (TOSSE) and Concerned Parents and Educators (CPE) Network, Yinka Ogunde, urged effective collaboration among schools in the country.
She said the market for childcare services remains a very viable enterprise for someone who loves children and is innovative.
Ogunde was of the opinion that any effort to create a more viable childcare service system must adopt and adapt a model that works and makes it better for partnerships.
She noted that policy must include soft loans for childcare service providers, using technology to create unique services that will reassure parents and sustain continuous staff development.
However, she explained that the industry is fraught with numerous challenges to include inadequate funding, inexperienced staff, lack of support from parents, affordability of services to parents, workforce shortage leading to high staff turnover in most establishments and ineffective government regulation.
“By coming together, sharing insights. and collaborating, we can create a positive impact on the lives of countless children and shape a brighter future for generations to come. Let us seize this opportunity to revolutionize early childhood education and ignite a passion for learning in every child by sharing cost, expertise and resources within our location to form bigger learning institutions,” she said
