Amosun, M. D.Salami, I. A.2024-03-042024-03-042013978-33331-2-9ui_inbk_amosun_integrated_2013In: Okuneye, R. O., Bolarin, T. A. (eds.) Education: a multi-disciplinary approach to improving quality of life: A book of readings in honour of Professor Emmanuel Aderemi Akinade, pp. 154-162http://ir.library.ui.edu.ng/handle/123456789/8778The idea of educating pre-school aged children has been in existence for thousands of years in some countries, while in others, it is relatively new. Pre-primary education has also gained ground in Nigeria since its inclusion in the National Policy on Education (1981), revised 2004) because of its importance. However, government's neglect of children aged 0-3 in the NPE and the uncontrolled private efforts in the provision of pre-primary institutions have made this level of education vulnerable to substandard. This paper has identified some of the lapses in the pre-primary education system particularly the erroneous conception that pre-primary education means early childhood schooling rather than the extent to which pre-primary education school experiences enable them to become enquirers, explorers, investigators and learners. Suggestions on how to make the pre-primary education programme conform to early childhood care and education practices were made.enPre-primary educationChild developmentPolicy provisionPre-school practicesBook chapter