Assessment of Early Childhood Education Infrastructure in IDP Camps in Borno State

Children in internally displaced persons camps in Borno State require quality early childhood education services to mitigate the developmental effects of conflict and displacement, and assessing current infrastructure and service quality in these settings is urgent for programming prioritisation. This study assessed early childhood education infrastructure and service provision in IDP camps in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere Local Government Areas, Borno State. A facility assessment design was employed, with 15 IDP camp-based ECDE facilities audited using a Humanitarian Early Childhood Service Quality Checklist adapted from INEE minimum standards. Results showed that dedicated learning spaces were present in only 60 percent of facilities. Age-appropriate learning materials were severely insufficient in 80 percent of facilities. Qualified facilitators with minimum ECD certificate training were present in only 33 percent. Child-to-facilitator ratios exceeded 1:25 in 70 percent of facilities. Psychosocial support components were integrated into ECDE programming in only 27 percent. Access to clean water and sanitation for children was absent in 40 percent. The study concludes that ECDE provision in Borno State IDP camps falls significantly below emergency education standards. Recommendations include UNICEF-UNHCR coordination for IDP ECDE resourcing, emergency facilitator training, and psychosocial support integration into all IDP early learning programmes to safeguard the developmental wellbeing of displaced children.

Keywords: early childhood education, IDP camps, Borno State, humanitarian education, emergency ECD