Ogechukwu Obi
The Organisation Mondiale pour l’Education Prescolaire (OMEP), a world organisation for early childhood education, has reiterated the importance of identities and culture in early childhood education, stating that culture plays a significant role in the proper education of the child.
The Chairperson of OMEP, Lagos State Chapter, Mrs. Olusola Adenmosun, who made this known recently in Lagos, said OMEP is committed to raising the bar on early childhood education by focusing on the core areas that will thoroughly improve knowledge impartation.
Speaking during an event organised in commemoration of this year’s Children’s Day, Adenmosun said it was part of OMEP’s effort towards improving the awareness on childhood education, as well as to promote mutual understanding among children. The event, which held at the Indoor Sports Hall of the University of Lagos, had over a thousand children in participation.
Activities featured included learning sessions, quiz competition, cultural displays, drama and others. The children were also provided with gifts to commemorate the day amidst fanfare and other exciting programmes.
With the theme ‘Identities and Cultures in Early Childhood Education’, Adenmosun said the annual event is part of OMEP’s effort to raise the pedestal in promoting the importance of early childhood education in the development for every child, stressing that OMEP’s aim is to push for the optimal condition for all children and ensure their well-being, development and happiness within their family units and in the communities they live in.
Speaking also, the National President, OMEP Nigeria, Lady Tokunbo Doherty said the organisation has set aside a day every year to celebrate the ‘child’, adding that the event provides the opportunity to foster mutual interaction among the children and also deepen their knowledge about cultures and other relevant issues.
Doherty stated that OMEP, which is currently established in over 70 countries, has special consultative status with UN and UNICEF and that it is represented at the meeting of other international organisations with similar aims.
“OMEP defends and promotes the rights of the child to education and care worldwide and supports activities which improve access to quality education and care.”
Also, the Chairperson of the Organising Committee Mrs. Abolade Adebayo explained that the group’s theme is chosen globally and localised by each country, adding that the theme is also the driving force of the World OMEP Congress holding in July in Panama.
She said the theme underscores the importance of children to the society and nation at large, adding that OMEP is an international, non-governmental and non-profit organisation, which has worked for all aspects of early childhood education and care (ECEC) since 1948.
