UNICEF decries poor state of Nigerian under 5 children

From Ahmed Idris Birnin Kebbi

The UNICEF officer in charge of Sokoto filed work, Mr. Paul Mudzongo has said that from 2016 to 2017, multiple indicator cluster survey shows that only 35.6 percent of Nigeria children aged between 36-59 month attended an organized early childhood education (ECE) programme while 31.7 percent of the children under the age of 5 were left with inadequate care.
Given the breakdown analysis yesterday at the two days high level advocacy and policy Dialogue on pre-primary Education for sokoto and kebbi States held at Dankani Hotel sokoto, adding that only 46.9 percent of the Children under the age of 5 were also have their birth registered with civil authorities and 31.5 percent under five children are moderate and serverly underweight in the country.
Mr. Mudzongo who further pointed out that the development of the brain in the early years is a pathway that affects physical and mental health, learning and behavior through out the life cycle, saying that any children who participated in well conceived EDC programme tend to be more successful in later school, are more competent socially and emotionally and show higher verbal, intellectual and physical development during early childhood than those who are not enrolled into such programme.
“You see for that UNICEF is committed to ensured all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-order primary education so that they are ready for primary education (SDG 4.2,3030)” he added.
He therefore, said that pre-primary education remains a priority in UNICEF programming with Government in Nigeria.
In his remarked, the Rt.Speaker Sokoto State House of Assembly, Hon. Salihu Mai Daji thank the donor agencies most especially UNICEF for partner with them and promote the state on education and health urge them to expand accession quality pre primary as well as increased on financial commitment and innovation in funding pre primary education sub sector.
“it’s my ardent believe that education is a basic human right that any responsible government should strive to give to its people” he added.
Delivery his speech, the permanent secretary in charge of Basic and Secondary Education who was represented by the Director quality Assurance of the Ministry Alhaji Yusuf Mai akuwai said that the task of any nation building through human capital development start from early childhood care and education. Commending the sokoto state government for the implementation.