The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Early Childhood Care and Development Education (ECCDE) as the foundation for quality basic education in Nigeria.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stated this at the Annual Integrated ECCDE Consultative Committee Meeting held on Monday in Abuja, with stakeholders drawn from across the education sector in attendance.
Alausa, who was represented by the Director of Basic Education in the ministry, Dr Folake Olatunji-David, described ECCDE as critical to children’s cognitive, social, emotional and physical development. He noted that the ministry’s actions in the sector remained guided by the National Policy on Education and the National ECCDE Policy.
According to the minister, the meeting was timely, as it provided an opportunity to review the 2025 ECCDE implementation report, assess progress across states and identify persistent challenges.
He identified key challenges confronting ECCDE implementation to include inadequate funding, workforce capacity gaps, weak coordination, substandard learning environments and limited monitoring mechanisms.
Alausa explained that the consultative forum aligned with the ministry’s priorities of improving learning outcomes, strengthening accountability, promoting data-driven planning, and ensuring safe and inclusive learning environments.
He stressed the need for stronger collaboration among the Federal Ministry of Education, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), state ministries of education, and other relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“As preparations commence for the 2026 implementation cycle, I urge stakeholders to translate lessons from 2025 into clear actions, realistic targets and measurable indicators that will improve ECCDE delivery nationwide,” he said.
The minister commended UBEC, state ECCDE desk officers, development partners and other stakeholders for their continued support, expressing confidence that the outcomes of the meeting would significantly enhance ECCDE implementation across the country.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Mrs Aisha Garba, underscored the importance of strengthening ECCDE in Nigeria through effective policies, partnerships and robust implementation frameworks.
Garba, who was represented by her Special Assistant, Ibrahim Gold, said the consultative meeting was convened to review the 2025 ECCDE implementation report, identify gaps and challenges, and propose practical solutions to ensure quality implementation in 2026.
She explained that the proposed ECCDE implementation guidelines would enhance coherence in the application of ECCDE policies and minimum standards, improve resource utilisation and provide costed operational plans for effective service delivery.
According to her, the guidelines would also strengthen collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, UNICEF and other key stakeholders, while addressing critical challenges such as micronutrient deficiencies affecting millions of children under the age of five.
Garba outlined the objectives of the meeting to include reviewing progress, sharing best practices, strengthening partnerships and charting a clear path for the National ECCDE Implementation Guidelines.
She expressed optimism that the collective efforts would contribute to reduced child mortality and morbidity, improved learning outcomes, increased school enrolment, enhanced productivity and overall economic growth.