A non-governmental organisation (NGO) that advocates the psycho-sociological wellbeing of the African Child, A Mother’s Love Initiative (AMLI), has called parents to stop hurrying their children through early childhood school.
Founder of AMLI, Barr. Hanatu Enwemadu, made this call, on Friday in Abuja, at an event to commemorate the 2022 Children’s Day.
She said the welfare and interest of the child must be at the fore for the country to achieve the new Nigeria which we all clamor for.
Enwemadu said: “The hurried child syndrome, psychosocial maladjustment inflicted on adolescents and youths as a result of hurrying them through their educational and developmental milestones, which threaten their existence and wellbeing.
“We therefore call on all and sundry, and in particular, parents, caregivers, guardians, teachers, school owners, and all stakeholders to celebrate each Nigerian children, celebrate each moment and stage of their lives, and to allow children grow at their pace.
“We also call on the society to concentrate on child-focused interventions, since children are fast becoming endangered species in Nigeria with the spate of abductions in schools and all manner of vices children are exposed to in Nigeria,” she said.
In his remarks, the Legal Adviser for AMLI, Mr. Uchechukwu Michael Ginika, said hurrying children through early childhood school is a threat to the wellbeing and future of Nigeria.
He also called on stakeholders to join hands in protecting children, and preserve the future of Nigeria and Africa in general.
Also, the Director of Special Duties and Innovation, Mr. Adeyemi Adebayo, said, “Every child is born complete but as the child grows, development begins. So there is a clear difference between development and growth.
“Now when you see parents calling their children to go to school. They are constantly about they growth and not development, every child has three domains of development.
“You have the cognitive domain which has to do with mental ability, you have the affective domain, which has to do with feelings or social relationship and psychomotor which has to do with Kinesthetics the use of hands and in doing, so, demands that emphasize the cognitive ability of the children. They are only sending their children to school and promoting them based on 33% of what the children are able to do.”
