Early childhood education is not just about preparing children for primary school. It’s about laying the neural framework for life. The first few years of a child’s life are a period of intense brain development, more rapid and dynamic than any other stage in human life. What happens in those early years, the quality of stimulation, the warmth of care, the access to learning opportunities shapes not just how a child thinks and learns, but who they become. This is not poetic exaggeration. It is neuroscience. And it’s one of the most pressing reasons why societies, especially those in developing nations like Nigeria must pay closer attention to early childhood education. Because if we are to raise a generation of thinkers, builders, leaders and citizens, we must begin not at adulthood, or even adolescence, but at infancy.
Between birth and age five, the human brain undergoes a period of astonishing growth. According to Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child, more than one million new neural connections are formed every second during these early years. These connections are shaped by interactions with caregivers, the environment, nutrition, language, music, touch, and play. This rapid development determines the brain’s architecture, the way it processes emotions, makes decisions, retains information, and builds social relationships. If this architecture is solid, it becomes easier for a child to learn and grow throughout life. If it is weak, due to neglect, trauma, or lack of stimulation, the foundation becomes fragile, making it more difficult to acquire advanced skills later. In simpler terms, early childhood education doesn’t just teach ABCs. It teaches the brain how to be a brain.
Children who attend quality early education centres are more likely to develop emotional regulation, empathy, and social reasoning. Research has shown that students who build strong social-emotional foundations in early childhood tend to perform better academically, have fewer behavioural problems, and are more likely to thrive in adulthood. This is crucial in Nigeria, where traditional education often begins late and focuses predominantly on rote memorisation. Early childhood education introduces learning in a way that is holistic, emotionally safe, and developmentally appropriate.
One of the most striking pieces of evidence comes from the Perry Preschool Project, a longitudinal study conducted in the United States that followed a group of disadvantaged children who received quality early education. Decades later, those who had access to early education showed better academic performance, higher income levels, lower rates of crime, and better health than their peers who did not. Closer to home, while longitudinal studies in Nigeria are rare, anecdotal and emerging research indicate similar trends. Children who attend early childhood development centres, even in low-income communities are more confident, articulate, and resilient by the time they reach primary and secondary school. These attributes continue to define their academic journey and their ability to navigate adult responsibilities.
This ripple effect shows up in employment, mental health, financial decision-making, and even parenting styles. In essence, early childhood education isn’t just an investment in a child, it’s an investment in the adult they will become, and the society they will shape.
Despite the wealth of evidence supporting early childhood education, many Nigerian children, particularly in rural and underserved communities do not have access to it. According to UNICEF, over 10 million Nigerian children under the age of five are not enrolled in any form of early childhood care or education. This is as a result of poverty, lack of awareness, lack of infrastructure, policy an funding.
It’s not enough to simply place a child in a classroom, quality matters. A rich early childhood education experience is characterised by: Well-trained, nurturing teachers who understand child development; Safe and stimulating environments that encourage exploration and creativity; Play-based learning which taps into a child’s natural curiosity; Parental involvement, ensuring that learning continues at home; and Inclusivity, where children with different needs, languages, and backgrounds are all supported.
Quality early childhood education doesn’t need to be extravagant. It needs to be intentional, loving, and grounded in developmentally appropriate practices. Parents are a child’s first teachers. Talking, singing, storytelling, playing and simply paying attention, all these daily acts contribute significantly to brain development. Communities too play a vital role. From local churches and mosques offering early education programmes, to NGOs establishing learning centres in slums, collective effort is needed to make early learning accessible. Government must also prioritise ECCE in real terms, not just in policy documents. This means increasing funding, training early years educators, and building more centres in underserved areas. The future cannot wait.
Imagine a Nigeria where every child, regardless of their background, has access to quality early childhood education. Where three- and four-year-olds are learning through play, asking questions, telling stories, and forming positive views of themselves and others. Imagine a nation whose future workforce, leaders, and thinkers had their neural wiring shaped by nurturing teachers, active communities, and attentive parents from the very start. That’s not just an ideal it’s a possibility backed by science and real-world results. The early years are not preparation for life. They are life.
So let us not delay the foundation. Let us invest early, teach kindly, and nurture fully. Because a crayon scribble today could one day lead to a medical breakthrough, a work of art, a law that changes society — or simply, a well-rounded adult who loves, lives, and leads with purpose.
