Cambridge has launched its first early years education programme in the country, saying it will help support early childhood schooling in Nigeria in children as young as three years old.
The child sensitive and play-based programme, which has been developed following a successful roll out in India, has been expertly designed to give children aged three to six the best start in life, helping them meet key early milestones and thrive in and out of school.
In a statement released to LEADERSHIP Sunday, Cambridge Early Years education programme Is geared towards giving high quality education early on in the life of children.
Group Managing Director for International Education at Cambridge Rod Smith said, “We all know that the early years of a child’s life are crucial to their development. Research shows that the better we support children at this stage, the more positive impact we can have on their future.
“Cambridge Early Years will form the first stage in the Cambridge Pathway, a high-quality and joined-up path for educational success for children aged three to 19.
‘’Multiple studies confirm that education during early years is crucial. Research from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) International Early Learning and Child Well-being Study shows that, among other benefits, a high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC), compared to an average one, can double the growth in children’s verbal comprehension.”
The Regional Director, Sub-Saharan Africa for International Education at Cambridge, Juan Visser, added: “We know that good early years education can benefit a child’s whole academic career and so I’m thrilled that we are adding this new stage to the Cambridge Pathway – it’s what schools have been asking for. Our Cambridge Early Years programme brings together the best approaches from around the world with extensive teacher support.’’
He added that the Cambridge Early Years programme draws on Cambridge’s worldwide research on curriculum principles from high-performing education systems, as well as analysis of best practice in early years education and the characteristics that have most impact.
