Early childhood education: Its policy formulation and implementation in Nigerian educational system

Abstract

This paper dealt with childhood education as a preparatory step for primary education, a starting point for the child’s general development and the foundation of Nigerian education system, using the mother tongue as a means of communication and as medium of instruction. The paper emphasized that if pre-primary education is to serve its purposes as stated in the National Policy of Education in Nigeria amongst others for making the children to have an effective smooth transition from the home to the school and prepare the child for the primary level of education, then it should be well supervised, staffed, equipped, financed and coordinated. To achieve this, this policy requires political will, determination, transparency, accountability and steadfastness and a close interface between policy formulation and implementation.   Key words: Pre-primary education, policy formation, implementation, educational system, Nigeria.