Only 35.6 per cent of Nigerian children between 36 and 59 months old have access to organised early childhood education (ECE) programme, while 31.7 per cent of children under the age of five lack adequate care.
United Nations Education Fund (UNICEF) Officer in charge of Sokoto fieldwork, Paul Mudzongo, stated this yesterday, adding that the figures were revealed from 2016 to 2017 multiple indicator cluster surveys.
Giving a breakdown at a two-days advocacy and policy dialogue on pre-primary Education for Sokoto and Kebbi states in Sokoto, he explained that only 46.9 per cent of the children under the age of five have their births registered with civil authorities.
He also noted that 31.5 per cent of children under five have moderate and severe underweight in the country.
Mudzongo further pointed out that development of the brain in the early years affects physical and mental health, as well as learning and behavior throughout a life cycle, saying children who participated in well conceived EDC programme tend to be more successful in hogher school.
They also prove to be more competent socially and emotionally and show higher verbal, intellectual and physical development during their early childhood than those not enrolled in such programmes.
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