Bivash Modi
(The author is the Director of Women & Child Development, Assam)
Education has always been considered as a changing agent in the society. India’s commitment towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) includes the goal of providing quality education (SDG 4) for all children with equal access to quality pre-primary education. India’s role in achieving the targets of SDG 4 can be seen through various initiatives of the Government of India such as Padhe Bharat- Badhe Bharat, Beti Bachao- Beti Padhao, National Education Policy 2020, NIPUN Bharat or FLN Mission and so on. The National Education Policy 2020 aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aims to transform Indian education into a more holistic and multidisciplinary one to make it best suited to 21st century needs. It aims at bringing out unique capabilities of each child. The policy restructured the existing education system from pre-primary to higher education covering children from age 3 to 18 years.
The pedagogical structure has been modified to “5+3+3+4” where the first five years of the child’s life is considered as the foundational stage, and it will include children from 3 to 8 years i.e. from Anganwadi to Grade 2. A strong base of Early Childhood Care &Education (ECCE) from age 3 is emphasized so that every child entering Grade 1 is school ready. School readiness is about developing a set of skills and abilities such as the pre-literacy or pre-numeracy skills that all children require before entering primary school to make easy and successful transition into a school setting. School readiness is highly affected by the early experiences that a child receives at home or at Anganwadi or Pre-school. The Directorate of Women & Child Development since the inception of ICDS (1975) has been providing non formal pre-school ECCE service for children of 3 to 6 years. Post the reopening of the Anganwadi centres after closure caused by COVID 19 pandemic, the Department of Women and Child Development has laid more emphasis on school readiness programme so that all children in the state are school-ready when they enter Grade I. As envisaged in the policy, the Department of Women and Child Development is aiming to provide quality pre-school programme to all 3 to 6 year old children attending Anganwadi centres with an aim to attain optimal outcomes across all domains of physical and motor development, cognitive development, socio-emotional and ethical development, cultural and artistic development, and the development of communication besides early language, literacy, and numeracy. To ensure age-appropriate early learning experience in the Anganwadi centres, the department has developed thematic routine with day wise activities along with different Teaching Learning Materials (TLMs), activity books, conversation charts, etc., required to teach the children in the Anganwadi centres from 3 to 6 years old children. The routine and the materials are being aligned with the NIPUN Bharat Learning Outcomes with an aim to establish a strong linkage and smooth transition of children from Anganwadi Centres to Grade I. For age group of 5 to 6years, the materials have been developed by the SCERT for Ka-shreni grades in primary school, and are being used and incorporated in the routine as well so that all 5 to 6 years old children receive the same kind of experience whether in Ka-shreni or Anganwadi Centres. In line with NEP 2020 and to achieve overall aim of Early Childhood Care & Education, the government of Assam has notified the Foundational Stage of Learning as Buniyadi Siksha comprising of Ankur (3-4 years), Mukul (4-5 years), Shishu Kanan (5-6 years), Pratham and Deetiya Shreni.
The Department has also acknowledged that to achieve quality learning in Anganwadi centres, capacity building of ICDS cadre is essential. Hence, an e-learning course was developed on ECCE by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, and the UNICEF was contextualized to Assam. For capacity building of Anganwadi workers, SCERT, Assam in collaboration with DWCD has also developed a six-month certificate course for Anganwadi Workers who have educational qualification of 10+2 and above as envisaged in the National Education Policy, 2020. The course will be implemented across the state, and is initially being implemented for all AWWs in the districts of Kamrup Metro, Kamrup, Goalpara and Morigaon(1st phase). The course has been implemented from 1st March, 2023, and is being transacted by DIET faculty as well as Key Resource People from DWCD from 1st March, 2023 (1st Phase). Key Resource Persons from above mentioned districts have been trained to implement the course at district level. Also, SCERT in collaboration with DWCD will be designing a one-year programme for Anganwadi workers with lower educational qualification (class 10 pass). To increase community and parent’s participation in Anganwadi centres and to create awareness on school readiness and of importance of early years and for creating a learning environment for children at the centre and home, the Department has revived the celebration of ECCE Day celebrated on 19th of every month.
It is said by Malala Yousafzai, “Let us remember: One book, One pen, One child & One teacher can change the world”. Thus, with a systematic transition in the education system, we envision to provide quality for early childhood care and education to create a sustainable education system.