Examining Pre-service Training of Early Childhood Teachers and Policy Implementation in Northern Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the number of professionally qualified teachers that will be required to offer high quality early childhood education for children in northern Nigeria. Using information from the national population census of 2006 and statistical report of the Federal Ministry of Education as well as data collected from seven State Universal Basic Education Boards in the North, using survey research design and author-constructed questionnaire, the number of teachers was determined vis a viz the number of teachers required. The number of teachers required was worked out based on the 1:25 teacher/pupil ratio recommended by the National Policy on Education. The result show that 673,199 teachers and the same number of classroom are required to cater for an estimated population of 16,829,977 children aged 0 - 5 years in northern Nigeria. In the seven states sampled for the study, 140 teachers out of 13,302 teachers teaching in early childhood programmes are qualified. The seven states will require additional 48,000 teachers and same number of classrooms to cater for the population under five years. Massive training of qualified teachers in Colleges of Education, Universities was recommended.