THE ROLE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

ABSTRACT

This study assessed the role of early childhood education in the implementation of Sustainable development goals in Ovia North East local government area of Edo State. It explores the concept of Early childhood education as the right of children and it's role in the the Implementation of Sustainable development goals. This study used a descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprised all the teachers in public primary Schools in Ovia North East local government area of Edo State. The sample for the study was 70 teachers. The reliability of the questionnaire was ascertained using Test-Retest method. Thereafter the Pearson product coefficient (Pearson) was used to determine it's level of reliability. A correlation Coefficient of 0.85 was obtained and it showed that the instrument was reliable. The major findings of this study revealed that Early childhood education has a role to play in the Implementation of Sustainable development goals, That the Implementation of Sustainable development goals affect the importance of Early childhood education in public primary Schools, That early childhood education programs helps to produce a holistic environment for a child's development, and that teachers should Incorporate Sustainable development goals in the lesson plan as part of the solutions.

Based on these findings, the following recommendations were made:

That government should invest in early childhood education in order to expand access to quality early childhood education, to Incorporate education for Sustainable development in the early years without delay, to Recognize and raise awareness about the powerful role of early childhood education in the society and that effort should be made to increase awareness at all levels and in all sectors of society that early childhood education has an important role to play in laying the foundations for active and responsible citizenship.