UNICEF Calls for More Funds in Early Childhood Education

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for increased investment to support foundational and pre-primary education in both national and sub-national budgets and development plans.

Juliet Chiluwe, the Chief of the UNICEF Enugu Field Office, made the call at a press briefing in Enugu to mark the 2025 Day of the African Child.

Chiluwe, represented by Ijeoma Onuoha-Ogwe, the Communication Officer at the UNICEF Enugu Field Office, stated that UNICEF’s message for the 2025 Day of the African Child is a call to action for Governments to prioritise children’s education, particularly early childhood development, as a central focus of budgetary planning and policy implementation. “Learning is a fundamental right of every child, regardless of background or circumstance”, she stated.

She urged African Union Member States, who are responsible for organising the Day of the African Child, to recommit to prioritising education in their national budgets. It recommends that at least 20% of total annual public spending be allocated to education, with a minimum of 10% of that directed to early childhood education.

“This year’s theme: planning and budgeting for Children’s Rights progresses since 2010, serves as a reminder to reflect on the progress made since 2010 and to evaluate how far African nations have come in integrating children’s rights into their planning and budgeting frameworks”, she noted.

UNICEF’s key recommendations, she said, include Increased investment in early childhood education, which is critical for cognitive and social development, as well as future academic success; strengthened financial commitment to foundational learning by governments and stakeholders; and an enhanced policy framework that supports improved educational outcomes, particularly at the pre-primary level.

Others are Transparency and Accountability in budgeting processes to ensure education funds are efficiently and effectively utilised, leveraging diverse funding sources, including international aid, private sector contributions, and public-private partnerships, to expand educational opportunities and Boosting Investment in Teachers, including recruitment, retention, training, and continuous professional development to improve teaching quality.

“We urge all stakeholders, governments, policymakers, civil society, and even children themselves to engage in the budgeting process and hold decision-makers accountable,” Chiluwe added. She stressed that improving foundational learning outcomes requires not only financial commitment but also inclusive governance and strong partnerships to ensure that every African child receives a quality education from the earliest years. The Day of the African Child honours the memory of students who were massacred during the 1976 Soweto Uprising in South Africa and continues to draw attention to the many challenges and rights of African children.