Guardian Nigeria
An Ibadan-based education activist, Halimat Omowumi Olaniyan, has united with more than a thousand young African campaigners to call for increased funding for pre-school education.
To mark the Day of the African Child today, June 16, Olaniyan, 27, has joined more than 1,500 Global Youth Ambassadors from the global children’s charity, Theirworld, to demand urgent support for Africa’s youngest learners.
The youth activist called for more investment in pre-school education to stop children in Africa from falling behind. She said: “Numerous studies have shown that pre-primary education is crucial to a child’s development and that children who miss out on early years learning fall behind others even before they start primary school.
“But the latest figures show that only 2.3 per cent of education budgets in sub-Saharan Africa is committed to pre-primary education.” The youth urged African countries to commit to investing at least 10 per cent of education budgets to pre-school education by 2030, a target agreed by more than 140 countries in 2022.
In a letter to the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, made available to The Guardian, Olaniyan lamented that too many children across Africa were being denied their basic right to pre-school education, widening the inequality gap between the rich and the poor.
“The foundations of a thriving, prosperous education begin in the early years. Children who have access to high-quality pre-school education start primary school with strong foundational skills in literacy and math and have higher earning potential as they grow up.
The evidence is clear. Investing in early years is more than a moral obligation; it’s an economic booster, an equaliser and a foundation for regional stability. It’s about laying the groundwork for a fair, prosperous and sustainable future,” the letter read in part.
The letter has been coordinated by Theirworld as part of its ‘Act For the Early Years Campaign’, which is calling for a revolution in the care and education of children worldwide.
On the Day of the African Child, the global charity is mobilising its network of more than 1,500 Global Youth Ambassadors across the continent to call for greater investment in pre-school education.
Olaniyan added: “I am advocating for Africa’s youngest children because quality early education laid the groundwork for my academic and career achievements. I want every child in Nigeria to have the same, if not better, opportunities. A weak foundation undermines the entire structure, and this weak foundation can lead to higher hurdles for Nigerian students internationally.
“Every child deserves access to quality learning opportunities from the earliest years. To achieve this, we need the government to commit to investing 10 per cent of the education budget in early childhood education. This includes ensuring proper training for teachers and monitoring. Together, we can build a brighter future for all our children.”
In a remark, Justin van Fleet, President of Theirworld, said: “I support the call to action by African youths to prioritise younger learners with high quality pre-school education. The current lack of investment is leaving millions of children behind from the start, denied the chance to fulfill their potential.”
