Early childhood education: Oando Foundation revamps 10 schools in Plateau

…improves access to quality childhood learning opportunities

Ten schools in Plateau State have received strategic intervention for quality development, and learning by the Oando Foundation in partnership with the Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to advance the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) programme.

Tonia Uduimoh, the programmes manager at Oando Foundation said the intervention is designed to fill these gaps by creating a solid foundation for young learners.

“We aim to support young learners with the right learning environment and necessary learning tools to thrive. This is essential as the first five years of a child’s life are vital for cognitive development and their experiences through these early years form the foundation for lifelong learning.

“As a foundation, we believe that Nigeria’s ability to capitalise on the prosperity embedded in its people requires focused investments in human capital, starting at the early years as a critical foundation,” Uduimoh said.

She reiterated that the strategic intervention addresses critical gaps in early childhood education through infrastructure upgrades, provision of grade-appropriate instructional aids, and teacher capacity strengthening.

Uduimoh maintains that early childhood development is crucial to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4.2.1, which aims to ensure that by 2030, all children have equitable access to quality early childhood development and learning opportunities.

“In Nigeria, ECCD faces significant challenges including inadequate funding, teacher capacity gaps, and poor implementation of national policies on integrated early childhood development,” she noted.

According to the National Population Commission of Nigeria, only 10 percent of children aged 3-5 have access to pre-primary education, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced support and investment in ECCD.

Leveraging strategic partnership with Plateau SUBEB, the foundation has expanded the reach of its ECCD intervention to 10 schools across the state, including Obasanjo Model Schools A – C, Army Children School, Pilot Science Primary School, Our Lady of Fatima Primary School, Jos Kufam Primary School, among others.

The schools have been upgraded with fully functional ECCD classes, including interactive literacy and numeracy corners, gross motor skills sections, and instructional materials, among others.

Through an immersive training experience, educators were equipped with the tools, strategies, and pedagogical approaches needed to foster quality early childhood learning.

To date, the Oando Foundation has upgraded 21 early childcare centres, benefiting over 4,851 children.

This initiative is part of the Foundation’s broader LEARNOVATE strategy that prioritizes innovation and investments in foundational learning, creating better life opportunities for children and youth through equitable, quality, and climate-sensitive education.

Oando Foundation, a leading advocate for quality education in Nigeria was established in 2011 to support the government in achieving its Universal Basic Education goal.