It has been made clear that early childhood education is the bedrock of our national development.

We have also heard that once we get education right in Nigeria, all other sectors would be put right.

Experts have said that  for us to move education forward in Nigeria,  we must start from the beginning to give the children the initial knowledge so that they can fit into the society as better citizens.

UN representative asked: “What kind of quality manpower do you want to raise without quality kindergarten education?”

She wondered that even when oil was discovered from the Niger Delta, we still employed foreigners to man the oil companies. “Why are there not enough indigenous engineers to work in the oil industries?” she queried and advised that we need to invest in our children and wards by giving them quality education.

These and many more were the views of various speakers as they brainstormed on the topic: “Kingdergarten Education: The Foundation for Human Development”, at the 2nd National Conference on Kindergarten Education in Port Harcourt, Thursday.

Presenting a paper on the kindergarten perspective, a lecturer,  University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof Julie Ibiam, who stated that kindergarten is a kind of stepping stone or transition class for primary school,  noted that in recent times, it has been said and understood that it is a terminal stage for pre-primary education; and preparatory ground for the primary.

Prof Ibiam said in early childhood education, the child is smart and active and is ready to get what is imparted to him.

She emphasised that there is no uniform curriculum for this level of education and stressed that since Federal Government had directed that all state governments should establish early childhood education side-by-side the model schools, relevant authorities should prepare one and make the copies available, so that teachers would be trained in that area.

According to her, “Teachers should make learning meaningful in relation to what the children already know and involve them on hands- on activities.

Concerning the language to be used at this level, Prof Ibiam said although Nigeria has diverse languages but that the National Policy on Education stated that the language of the immediate environment should be used.

In her views, Dr Valerie Samuel, opined that if we are teaching the children to compete at the international community level, the official language should be English hence the local languages are secondary.

Dr Samuel, who stated that kindergarten education is unique, argued that you cannot compare a child who attended it with the child who did not because the kindergarten child is more equipped with so much skills than the latter.

She emphasised that Kindergarten is compulsory for nations preparing world-class leaders and therefore recommended one teacher to 10 pupils in a class.

She encouraged childhood care givers to organise parents’ forums for interaction, reminding that parental attention is very crucial since they are the first teachers.

In kindergarten all animals must be equal, unlike in ‘Animal Farm’ where all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.   In her paper presentation, a guest lecturer, Delta State University, Abraka, Dr Gladys Idogho, recalled that before  independence, education in Nigeria used to be a community affair, hence we lean less on government and do it privately. Dr Idogho said parents have to be economically fit to ensure good nutrition and health and stressed that early identification to ascertain whether the child is normal or not is important. “Early childhood education lies in the hands of the parents. A child under three years must be attached to the mother.

“Kindergarten is the responsibility of the parents and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) should assist at the local levels. NGOs should expand in every ward and every woman should be a member,”  she remarked. Meanwhile, a stakeholder and participant, who teachers at St Thomas Church Nursery and Primary School, in Port Harcourt, Mrs Gold Prince-Adah, told The Tide that it is a welcome development for educationists and policy planners and it serves as an eye-opener. According to her, “I have learnt a lot about early childhood care and as a way forward, I have to sustain it. We can go back to our various homes and impart this knowledge to other teachers who would in turn impart it proper to the children.”

Also speaking to our correspondent, a Fine and Applied Arts teacher at the Government Secondary School Elekahia, Mrs Aku Uche Olekanma, said that she has learnt about improvised materials for teaching the children in school and acknowledged that what she learnt will assist in her assignments.

Mr Samuel Omo, lamented that the fees charged by private schools operators are high and appealed to the government to establish nursery centres in the urban areas since they can afford it.

Eunice Choko Kayode