A write up on the Improving early education and Healthcare as the effect for human capital development in Nigeria.

1. IMPROVING EARLY EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE AS THE EFFECT FOR HUMAN
CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA.
Many theoriesexplicitlyconnectinvestmentinhumancapital developmenttoeducation,andthe role of
humancapital in economicdevelopment,productivity growth,andinnovationhasfrequentlybeencited
as a justificationforgovernmentsubsidiesforeducationandjobskillstraining.
Two key tools togauge the developmentof humancapital are educationandhealth.Itistherefore
unfortunate thatNigeria, asa country,hasperformedwoefullyinthose twokeyareas.While the
educationandheathsectorsare underfundedbygovernmentatfederal,statesandlocal levels,the little
fundingappropriatedforthese sectorsbygovernmentandprivate sectorplayerswere mismanaged,
leadingtodearthof human capital.
While advisingNigeriaonwhatneededtobe done todevelopitshumancapital,co-founderand
TechnologyAdviseratMicrosoft,Bill Gates,said:"Toanchor the economyoverlongterminvestmentsin
infrastructure andcompetitivenessmustgohandin handwithinvestmentsinpeople.Peoplewithout
roads,ports, andfactoriescan't flourish.Also,roads,ports,andfactorieswithoutskilledworkerstobuild
and manage themcan't sustainan economy."
DevelopingEarly Education inNigeria
Early childhoodeducationinNigeria playsacrucial role inthe formative yearsof achild.A child’searly
yearslaythe foundationforall thatisto come.It is at thisstage,childrenneedtolearnanddevelop
theircognitive skills.
Eventhoughprimaryeducationisofficiallyfreeandcompulsory,about10.5 millionof the country’s
childrenaged5-14 yearsare not inschool.Only61 percentof 6-11 year-oldsregularlyattendprimary
school and only35.6 percentof childrenaged36-59 monthsreceive earlychildhoodeducation. Inthe
north of the country,the picture isevenbleaker,withanetattendance rate of 53 percent.
UNICEF’sprovides educationprogrammetosupportthe governmentinachievingSDG4 by 2030
throughimprovedplanningandbyaddressingsome of the systemicbarriersthathinderthe
implementationof aneffective educationstrategy. The programme advocatesforeducationtobe
prioritisedandtargetschildrenwhoare leastlikelytoreceive aneducation.The expectedoutcome of
the programme isthat all childrenaccessandcomplete qualityeducation,withinasafe learning
environment,gainingthe skillsandknowledge forlifelonglearning.
Thiswork will be achievedbycreatinganenablingenvironmentforeducation,improvingthe qualityof
education,increasingdemandforeducation,andhumanitarianassistance,includingthroughensuring:
 The educationsystematfederal andstate levelshasstrengthenedcapacitiestodeliverquality
basiceducation.
 More teachershave core knowledge andcompetenciestouse proventeachingmethodologies
to deliverappropriatequalityeducation.

2.  Parentsandcommunitieshave improvedknowledgeandcommitmenttocontribute toenrolling
childrenatthe right age in qualitylearninginsafe andprotective school environments.
 Childreninhumanitariansituationshave timelyandsustainedaccesstoqualityeducation
services.
DevelopingChildrenHealthCare in Nigeria
Healthstandardsas measuredbylife expectancyinNigeria have increasedsince 1950,although
progresshasnot beensteadyandmaternal mortalityrate appearstohave increasedbetween1990 and
2010. Amongfactorsaffectinghealth,accesstosafe watersupplyhasbecome more commonalthough
not universal,andthere islittle sewerage infrastructure. Preventablediseasesthatoccur inNigeria
include HIV/AIDS,malariaandyellowfever.Amongother threatstohealthare malnutrition,pollution
and road trafficaccidents.
Healthcare inNigeriaisinfluencedbydifferentlocal andregional factorsthatimpactsthe qualityor
quantitypresentinone location. The healthcare systeminNigeriahasshownspatial variationinterms
of availabilityandqualityof facilitiesinrelationtoneed.However,thisislargelyasa resultof the level
of state and local governmentinvolvementandinvestmentinhealthcare programsandeducation.Also,
the Nigerianministryof healthusuallyspendabout70% of itsbudgetinurban areaswhere around50%
of the populationresides.
In October2017, the WorldBank hadmade a similarobservation,withitspresident,JimYongKim,
declaringthatNigeriaspendslessthanone percentof itsGross DomesticProductonhealth,imploring
the governmenttospendmore onitspeople,investmore in HCDthan covetvacuouseconomicgrowth
statistics. The healthcare deliverygoal of anycountrycannot be actualizedwithoutadequately
consideringandimprovingmaternal andchildhealthcare services.
WAYFORWARD
The followingrecommendationsare suggested
 Governmentshouldalsoincreasehealthcare facilitiesinthe countryandmotivate the health
personnel withgoodremunerationtoguarantee increasedproductivityinthe sector
 Enhance the standard of educationbymotivatingandretrainingthe teachersatall levelswhile
increasingeducationinfrastructural facilities.
 the needforthe implementationof the free Universal BasicEducation(UBE) andfree health
care programmesat the federal,state andlocal governmentlevels
 the governmentshouldsee tothe level of corruptioninthe educationandhealthsector,there
shouldbe propermachineryputinplace anda systemthatseverelypunishcorruptofficials
REFERENCE
ALLAFRICA.COM(Nigeria:PrioritisingHumanCapital DevelopmentinNigeria's Economy)
EuroEconomica,Vol 36, No 1 (2017) Human Capital VariablesandEconomicGrowthinNigeria:An
Interactive Effect
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