Experts in Early Childhood Care and Development Education (ECCDE) have said there was an urgent need to prioritize health and nutrition of young children, stressing that these were critical for brain development.
This formed the basis of discussion at a 3-day Stakeholders’ Meeting On The Development Of Standard Operating Procedures For Early Childhood Care and Development Education (Health and Nutrition) In Nigeria Held in Nassarawa State from the 26th to 28th of March.
In her welcome remarks, the Director,
Technology and Science Education Department in the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Muibat Olodo stressed that early childhood was a critical phase in human development with far reaching implications for cognitive, social and physical well-being.
“It is during this period that children require optimal nutrition, quality healthcare, and a stimulating learning environment to thrive.
“However, challenges such as malnutrition, inadequate health interventions, and the lack of standardized practices in early childhood education continue to hinder the full realization of our goal”, she said.
According to her, recognizing these challenges, the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) was a necessary step towards ensuring a coordinated, evidence-based, and sustainable approach to ECCDE (Nutrition and Health).
“These SOPs will provide clear guidelines, roles, and responsibilities for all stakeholders-government agencies, development partners, educators healthcare providers, and community organizations, ensuring that best practices are institutionalized across all levels of implementation”, she said.
In addition, Olodo informed that, “the meeting presents a unique opportunity for us to deliberate, share experiences, and contribute our expertise to the formulation of practical and effective SOPs. I encourage open and constructive discussions, as your insight will shape policies and interventions that will directly impact the future of millions of Nigerian children”.
On her part, Public Health Nutritionist and Consultant, Thompson Chimay highlighted Nigeria’s need for Early Childhood Care and Development in Education, adding that such age group (0-5years) were preschool children who needed to be taken care of.
“There is need to take care of these children at that early stage in life and if we don’t take care of them at that age, there is some irreversible damage that will happen in health and all round.
“Because it is at that stage you achieve the learning experiences of the cognitive, affirmative, affectionative and the psychomotive learning experiences and these things call for intersectoral collaboration”, she said.
Thompson further explained that health and nutrition were previously not included in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) For Early Childhood Care Development Education. This, she said was wrong, hence the need for the review:
“We want to develop a standard operating procedure that has included the health and nutrition components into the integrated guideline for early childhood development.
“In everything we want to do in life, health and nutrition is key. If you are not healthy, you cannot do anything”, she said.
Speaking on the advantages of incorporating health and nutrition into the standard operating procedure, she said, “we are talking of Universal Health Coverage, health and nutrition outcomes in anything contributes to household growth, it also contributes to national growth and socioeconomic development.
“These are the age group that starts life. Proper foundation in life affects all and if we don’t take care of it, irreversible damage may occur because this is the foundation stage in any human capital development”, she concluded.
On her part, the Deputy Director ( Basic Education Department), Chimezie-Nwaobiara Josephine stated that inclusion of health and nutrition in the Standard Operating Procedure was a welcome development as it would see to the optimum brain development of the child, setting the right foundation for a healthy and successful life.
