Oando Foundation, an independent Charity established to radically improve the quality of teaching and learning in Nigerian primary schools and communities will today launch its first Early Child Care Centre in its adopted School in St Patricks Primary School in Odukpani, Cross River State.
Oando Foundation’s Early Child Care Development Intervention Programme includes upgrading of the classrooms, training of ECCD teachers and caregivers by providing them with the necessary skills to work with young children effectively. In addition, OF provides on-site support to teachers in the use of ECCD equipment. Lastly, the Foundation provides educational equipment and furniture such as kiddies’ furniture, white board, children mats, and various children’s teaching aids and toys.
There is growing scientific evidence that what happens – or doesn’t happen – to a child in the first 1,000 days of life has immediate effects on his or her well-being and future. Early Childhood care and education services help build cognitive and non-cognitive skills at a time when children’s brains are developing, with long term benefits, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
According to the Universal Basic Education Act 2004, UBEC is mandated to establish National Early Child Care Centres based on Integrated Early Childhood Curriculum which caters for two child cohorts: 0-3 years and 3-5 Years. Despite all efforts, wide disparities still exist between expected and actual enrolments. For example, the expected enrolment in ECCDE is 22 million but the actual is 2 million, leaving 20 million out-of-school. ECCD however continues to be provided primarily by the private sector, with very few public schools catering to these age categories.
Since 2000, early childhood education services have expanded considerably. The pre-primary education gross enrolment ratio increased from 33% in 1999 to 50% in 2011. Almost 60 million more children have enrolled in pre-primary schools over the period. However, low income and sub-Saharan African countries lag behind, with gross enrolment ratios of 17% and 18%, respectively.
“One of the best investments we can make as a nation is to give our kids the ingredients they need to develop in the first five years of life. Research has shown that early intervention is crucial, and the skills developed in early childhood form the basis for future learning. At Oando Foundation we believe the gains from ECCDCs will show parents the positive and transformative effects of education, and encourage pupil enrolment and retention in schools. Comments, Tokunboh Durosaro, Director of Oando Foundation.
Oando Foundation has commenced upgrading and where necessary establishes Early Childhood Development Centres in its adopted school. The centres are established to meet the needs of children based on the approved curriculum which stipulates physical development, affective/psychosocial development, cognitive development, food and nutrition, health, water and environmental sanitation, safety measures and child protection.
The programme has been designed to achieve the following objectives:
– To stimulate interest in schooling at a tender age by providing an environment that is child-friendly and age appropriate;
– To ensure the fullest development of personality, talents, and mental and physical abilities;
– To strengthen knowledge on current trends and approaches in ECCDE capacity building for teachers and caregivers
– To encourage pupil enrolment and retention in schools
The Foundation plans to expand this initiative to over 20 schools in the next year.
ENDS
NOTE TO EDITORS:
About Oando Foundation:
Oando Foundation, established in 2011, is an independent charity launched by Oando PLC, one of Africa’s leading indigenous energy solutions providers. The Foundation aims to support the Nigerian Government to meet the Millennium Development Goals of achieving Universal primary education. Its mission is to radically improve the quality of teaching and learning in Nigerian schools and communities by ensuring access to world class basic education systems.
Oando PLC currently provides 1% of its annual pretax profit to fund the Foundation. The Oando Foundation has also established strategic partnerships with government, the private sector, international development partners, NGOs and civil society to fulfill its goals and objectives.
Oando Foundation has so far adopted 47 schools across 20 states, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, FCT Abuja, Kaduna, Katsina, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, and Taraba States. The Foundation plans to adopt 100 schools by 2015, directly affect over 200,000 lives by ensuring over 100,000 pupils have access to quality primary education; broaden the capacity of over 4,000 teachers, award scholarships to over 2,560 pupils thereby reducing direct and indirect costs of education to students.
Learn more about the Foundation at oandofoundation.org.
