Professor Victoria Ihekerenma Iroegbu, a distinguished expert in Early Childhood Education affiliated with Obafemi Awolowo University since 2008, is being honored with the 2023 research award by the Terria Foundation in Ghana. This recognition stems from her extensive contributions to the field of Early Childhood Education, with a remarkable portfolio of over 50 published works in this domain.

Professor Iroegbu’s research spans various crucial aspects of Early Childhood Education, including topics such as:

• Parenting and Parenting Education in Early Childhood
• Facilities and Strategies for Teaching Reading in Early Childhood Education
• Language Learning in Early Childhood Education
• Child Abuse and Neglect in Early Childhood Education
• Early Childhood Curriculum, including Evaluation and Achievement
• Ethics of Teaching in Early Childhood Education
• Early Childhood Classroom Organization
• Modeling Instruction and Achievement
• Play-way Teaching Strategy

The Terria Foundation, in partnership with the Ghana Tourism Authority, nominated Professor Iroegbu for this prestigious award as a tribute to her scholarly work, particularly her significant contributions to Obafemi Awolowo University. The TERIA Foundation’s mission is to celebrate and acknowledge notable figures in the Early Childhood sector who have made substantial impacts in the field of Early Childhood Education in Africa. This honor is presented to exceptional individuals during the Early Childhood Education Festival (EARLYFEST), which aims to recognize outstanding early childhood schools and their dedicated caregivers and teachers.

Some noteworthy findings from Professor Iroegbu’s research that piqued the organizers’ interest include her discoveries that:

• Reading achievement among Nigerian school children was subpar, with extensive reading strategies yielding higher achievement gains than moderate or restricted reading.
• The introduction of a picture reading strategy improved the reading achievement of young children.
• The whole language strategy proved more effective in enhancing reading comprehension skills than the phonics strategy.
• Modeling instructional strategy engaged children in practical and cognitive activities, leading to improved English language achievement, particularly among boys.
• Teacher-structured play was found to be a more facilitative learning approach than direct instructional play activities.
• Providers of early childhood education centers often based the provision of play materials on their financial capacity rather than the developmental needs of the children.
• Early childhood teachers and caregivers displayed varied perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge about the curriculum and its utilization, often focusing on content rather than behavior.
• Parental monitoring of homework encouraged greater interest in schoolwork among children, fostering a higher level of commitment and academic achievement.