THE NEED FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS AND PARENTS PARTNERSHIP IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

It has been observed that most early childhood education providers in Nigeria seem not the understand the roles of parents and guardian in providing quality education for early childhood pupils. Quality early childhood programs can change the trajectory of a child’s health and well-being. Early years education lays a solid foundation for a child’s lifelong learning journey. It shapes their cognitive, social, and emotional development in so many ways. This will be possible when there is synergy between the school, teacher and the parents/guardian. Partnership involves parents, families and practitioners working together to benefit children. Each recognizes, respects and values what the other does and says. Partnership involves responsibility on both sides. This paper looked at the two important building blocks of positive partnerships between the school, teacher and the parents; family centered and communication. The paper also discussed the need for partnership in early childhood education in Nigeria and how to promote partnership among school management early childhood educators and parents. The paper recommends that all early childhood education schools in Nigeria should constitute a formidable parent-teachers forum, while the Nigerian Association of Early Childhood Education providers should collaborate with relevant authorizes to organize seminars and workshops for parents/guardian on their roles and responsibilities to support their child’s education and collaborate with all institutions offering Early Childhood to organize Seminars/workshop for early child educators on how to partner with parents