CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Child up-bringing practices and early childhood education are usually tied to the beliefs about what life is all about and how to sustain it in the society. This is not peculiar to Africa alone, as it is common to all races, there is a greater percentage of influence which child upbringing practices have over early childhood education. Babajire (2000). According to a biblical expression that says teach your child the way to go, so that when he grows up, he will not depart from it”. This expression agrees with the provision in National Policy on Education (2013) which highlights purpose of early childhood education as provision of the necessary stimulation and opportunities of the right level and development of the child.
For years, anthropologists, sociologist and psychologists have been providing descriptions of how children are raised within cultures around the world, including the beliefs and practices surrounding pregnancy, child birth and treatment of young children. According to UN1CEF consultative group report on early childhood care and development (1993), child upbringing practices are enabled in the culture and determine to a large extent, the behaviour and expectations surrounding child’s birth and infancy. This also influences the early childhood, adolescence and the way these children bring up their own children in future. Furthermore, the submission of the anthropologists, sociologists, and psychologists suggest that child up-bringing consists of practices, which are grounded in cultural practices pattern and beliefs, these include breast feeding and weaning, toilet training, language development, social and emotional development. All these have impacts on the early childhood education of individual.
Maduewesi (2007) defines early childhood education or pre-school education as a semi – formal education arrangement, usually outside the home where by young children from about the age of three to five are exposed through play like activities in a group setting to social and physical learning which are proportionate to their development, until the mandatory age of government approved formal schooling.
National Policy on Education, the following are highlighted as the objectives of early childhood/pre-school education: To effect a smooth transition from home to school. To prepare the child for the primary level of education. To provide adequate care and supervision for the children while their parents are at work (on the farm, in the market, offices etc.) To inculcate social norms. To inculcate in the child, the spirit of enquiry and creativity through the exploration of nature, the environment, art music and playing toys. To develop a sense of cooperation and team work To learn good habit, especially good health habits. To teach the rudiments of numbers letters, colours, shape, forms and through play. Thus since the education of the child starts right from home being the first place he interacts with, the kind of up-bringing practices employed by parents or guardian has lots to do in the education of children in the early years. In other words, there is significant relationship between the transit from home to the school and the objectives of early childhood education as stated in the National Policy on Education.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Series of problems have been identified by scholars in the social sciences which are affecting the early childhood education among which are environment heredity and so on. These identified factors tend to indicate the rate at which children in the pre- school centers learn, interact and explore. To investigate into child up-bringing practices and it’s implication on early childhood education.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to investigate the opinion of some selected nursery and primary school teachers, on the roles of child up-bringing practice on early childhood education in Epe local Government Area of Lagos State. Specifically the study sets to achieve
1. Find out if child up-bringing practice have impact on early childhood education?
2. Find out if child up-bringing practice have any negative effect on childhood education?
3. Find out if child up-bringing practice have any implication on the behavior and future of child?