Volume 14, 2025

Enhancing Quality Early Childhood Education in Nigeria through Professional Development

Grace Olubunmi, AKINDELE, Adeola Oluwatoni, FARINU & Fubara George, OTOBO

Abstract

Nations and international organizations around the world have put in place numerous measures to enhance the
quality of early childhood education, a sector that is widely diverse both within and across countries .One of
these measures has been providing in-service early childhood teachers opportunities to foster their learning and
professional development. Presently in Nigeria, there is no national set of minimal qualications for individuals
working or serving as teachers of young children, whether this teaching takes place in child care in public or
private care centres or schools. To enhance quality early childhood education in Nigeria, there is need for
regular professional development. This paper focus on the need for professional development, features of
effective professional development, approaches and principles of Professional development, Professional
development needs of early childhood teachers and educators, and challenges facing early childhood teachers
and educators' professional development. The paper recommends that early childhood education providers
should organise regular professional development for their staff, and collaborate to promote good practices
among their staff, early childhood teachers should endeavour to devote their resources to update their
knowledge on current practices in early childhood education, while professional development of early
childhood teachers and educators should be part of Ministry of Education quality assurance evaluation.

Keywords

Quality. Early Childhood Teachers, Teacher Professional Development, Professional Development Needs, Collaboration.

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