Six in 10 children lack access to early childhood education

More than six in 10 Nigerian children have no early childhood education, Save the Children Nigeria, a humanitarian organsation that promotes child rights, has said.

The organisation made this known in a tweet chat to launch a new campaign that will focus on reaching excluded children.

According to the organsation, more children in north than in the south face a daunting life, have no access to education and are more affected by poverty.

“Sadly, #Children deprived of basic primary education are largely located in the north with 15 states in #Nigeria #EveryLastChild,” the group tweeted.

The statistics, according to the organisation, are worse for females.

“#Malnutrition is higher in the north than in the south & is far more among #female #children than #males in #Nigeria. #EveryLastChild.”

Recent reports by the UNICEF reveal a startling rise in child brides, occasioned by the incessant kidnaps of young girls by Boko Haram insurgents.

The girls are often sexually abused and used as domestic slave, UNICEF had said.

According to Save the Children Nigeria, early marriage is a serious issue and is more preponderant in the north.

It says Nigeria must end the practice of child marriage and the perpetuation of poverty through the practice, as early marriage shows how children are left behind as a result protection deprivation.

The organisation lamented that though children are the most vulnerable group in terms of poverty, efforts targeted at eliminating poverty are barely reaching them.

It called on the Nigerian government to recognize that too many children in #Nigeria are deprived of health services & basic services.

The organisation also urged the government to prioritise the welfare of children and ensure no child is denied the chance to live through the implementation of the child rights act in Nigeria and the just approved National Food & Nutrition Policy.

It asked the government to end the practice of child marriage and the perpetuation of poverty through this discriminatory practice.

The organisation also asked the government to “fast-track the implementation of the Universal Basic Education Act with emphasis on education for girls”.