Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, says the federal government is committed to strengthening early childhood care and development education (ECCDE) as the foundation of quality basic education and national development.
Alausa spoke in Abuja on Monday at the opening of the annual integrated ECCDE consultative committee meeting held with stakeholders from across the education sector.
Represented Folake David, director of basic education at the ministry, the minister
described ECCDE as critical to children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development
He noted that the ministry remains guided by the national policy on education and the national ECCDE policy.
Alausa added that the meeting was timely, as it provides an opportunity to review the 2025 ECCDE implementation report, assess progress across states, and identify persistent challenges, including funding, workforce capacity, coordination, learning environment standards, and monitoring mechanisms.
According to him, the consultative forum aligns 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, UBEC, SUBEBs, state ministries of education, and relevant ministries departments and agencies (MDAs).
As preparations begin for the 2026 implementation cycle, Alausa urged stakeholders to translate lessons from 2025 into clear actions, realistic targets, and measurable indicators that will improve ECCDE delivery nationwide.
He commended the Universal Basic Education Commission (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 in Nigeria.
Aisha Garba, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, underscored the importance of strengthening ECCDE in Nigeria through effective policies, partnerships, and implementation frameworks.
Represented by Ibrahim Gold, her special assistant, Garba noted that the consultative meeting, which she described as long overdue, was designed to review the 2025 ECCDE implementation report, identify gaps and challenges, and propose practical solutions to ensure quality implementation in 2026.
According to her, the proposed ECCDE Implementation Guidelines will enhance coherence in the application of the ECCDE Policy and Minimum Standards, improve resource utilization, and provide costed operational plans for ECCDE delivery. She added that the guidelines would also strengthen collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education (FME), UNICEF, and other key stakeholders, while aligning Nigeria’s ECCDE framework with global best practices.
“The relevance of this engagement cannot be overstated,” she said, explaining that the document, once developed, is expected to improve the use of the Pre-Primary Education Curriculum, promote parental and community participation, and deepen partnership engagement in early childhood education.
Hajia Garba emphasized the critical role of ECCDE in laying a solid foundation for children’s lifelong learning, cognitive growth, and social and emotional development. She expressed optimism that challenges such as micronutrient deficiencies affecting millions of children under five would be addressed through effective implementation of the guidelines.
She further 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. These efforts, she said, would contribute to reduced child mortality and morbidity, improved learning outcomes, increased school enrolment, and enhanced productivity and economic growth.
She expressed confidence that the expertise and commitment of the selected resource persons and SUBEC ECCDE Desk Officers would ensure the successful development of the document, ultimately guaranteeing Nigerian children access to quality ECCDE.
The UBEC boss disclosed that the document would recognize micronutrient deficiency control—particularly iron, vitamin A, and iodine—as a critical component of early childhood development.
It will also guide stakeholders in developing strategies for micronutrient supplementation, nutrition education, and community-based management of acute malnutrition in schools.
She expressed confidence that the expertise and commitment of the selected resource persons and SUBEC ECCDE Desk Officers would ensure the successful development of the document, ultimately guaranteeing Nigerian children access to quality ECCDE.
