India: ‘Status and Vision for ECCE’

Dr Shreeranjan,Joint Secretary,

Ministry of Women and Child Development,Government of India

India: The Context

• 158.8 million children in the 0-6 years age group (2011), 13.1 % of the total population– 8,29,52,135 boys– 7,58,37,152 girls

• 20 States and Union Territories have over 1 million children in the age group 0-6 years; large diversity

• Burdens of Malnutrition– 22% babies born with low birth weight– 42.5% underweight (0-5 years)– 79% children anaemic (6-35 months)

India’s Commitment • 86th Constitutional Amendment : Art.21

The State shall endeavor to provide ECCE for all Children until they complete the age of six years

• Several international conventions, summits and resolutions• Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act ( Section 11) :

With a view to prepare children above the age of three years for elementary education and to provide ECCE for all children until they complete the age of six years, the appropriate government may make necessary arrangement for providing free pre primary education for such children

• A holistic and Integrated approach ( I C D) based on the continuum of growth, development and early learning for the child under 6 years through convergence and synergies in order to provide health, nutrition, care and early education (in local language) opportunities for holistic development of young children

C S R NGO Private Public

1.3 million Anganwadis, 80 million children, 35 million for ECCE

Preschools

Kindergartens

Balwadis

71509 SSA Centres

Child care

Unregulated, gaps in data base, ranging from minimalist to profit oriented academically accelerated approach, untrained teachers , questionable pedagogical inputs. About 50% children outside public system

19751975

19851985

19951995

20052005

20112011

2012-132012-13

33 Projects

896 Projects

3066 Projects

5422 Projects

6779 Projects

7076 Projects

4891

101864

290655

706800

1303300

1400000

• An integrated early child development programme aimed at addressing health, nutrition & development needs of young children, P&L women

• Package of six services• Started in 1975 with 33 CD blocks, today world’s largest early childhood development programme

• Reaching out to about 10 crore beneficiaries:• Children ( 6 months to 3 years) : 4.35 crore • Children (3 to 6 years) : 3.47 crore• P& L Women : 1.82 crore

• An integrated early child development programme aimed at addressing health, nutrition & development needs of young children, P&L women

• Package of six services• Started in 1975 with 33 CD blocks, today world’s largest early childhood development programme

• Reaching out to about 10 crore beneficiaries:• Children ( 6 months to 3 years) : 4.35 crore • Children (3 to 6 years) : 3.47 crore• P& L Women : 1.82 crore

ICDS Milestones – Number of Projects & AWCs sanctioned / approved

ICDS Milestones – Number of Projects & AWCs sanctioned / approved

ICDS: World’s Largest ICD Programme

Achievement during Eleventh Five Year Plan• 32.88% increase in beneficiaries for SN [from 705.43

lakhs at the end of X Plan to 960 lakh during XI Plan]• 18.96% increase in beneficiaries for PSE [from 300.81

lakh at the end of X Plan to 347 lakh (including 180 lakh girl child) during XI Plan]

Achievement during Eleventh Five Year Plan• 32.88% increase in beneficiaries for SN [from 705.43

lakhs at the end of X Plan to 960 lakh during XI Plan]• 18.96% increase in beneficiaries for PSE [from 300.81

lakh at the end of X Plan to 347 lakh (including 180 lakh girl child) during XI Plan]

Integrated Child Development Framework

• ICDS encompasses growth and development of the child through

– preschool non-formal education (ECE), linkages with primary schools

– nutrition supplementation – immunization, health check up, – growth monitoring, home visits

and parent counseling – health and nutrition education– coordination and convergence

with allied departments

Bronfenbrenner, 1979

ECCE: Gaps and Challenges• Low awareness and clarity regarding Early Childhood Care and

Development in families and society

• Absence of policy, curriculum and action framework at all levels – Issue of access, diversity, standards and quality– Parental aspirations and commercialization – Weak linkages with family and community– Weak linkages of ECCD resource centres/ universities/ learning centres

• Inadequate human resource: professional courses, training and personnel preparation

• Inadequate attention and investment in child development

• Lower harmonization of efforts; absence of comprehensive strategy, absence of allocation of roles and responsibilities

• Absence of the system of regulation and comprehensive child development legislation

New Emerging Directions• At the National Level Ministry of Women and Child Development, the nodal ministry for care of pre-school children including

pre-primary education constituted a Core Committee for preparing the ECE Framework and policy• At the State Level

• Innovative Initiatives: Some innovative initiatives have also been undertaken by nongovernmental organizations ; development partners

etc.

Initiatives to Strengthen Preschool Education in ICDS

State ECCE Policy Chattisgarh

Curriculum/ Activity Books Thematic Curriculum (Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chattisgarh,

Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Tripura), Calendar of Activities

(Bihar), Activity Books (Orissa, Punjab, Bihar, Chattisgarh,

Karnataka), rhyme and song books (Assam, Tripura)

Celebration of ECCE Day Bachpan Divas (Bihar), ECCE Day (Karnataka), Bal Sabha (Madhya

Pradesh), Kanya Kelavani (Gujarat)

Child Friendly Anganwadis AWCs based on BaLA (Building as Learning Aid) Concept (Madhya

Pradesh, Karnataka)

New Emerging Directions: National ECCE Policy Framework

National ECCE Policy

Quality Standards for ECCE

ECCE= ICD

Towards a Child Centric Environment

10

Creating Integrated systems of care and education practices with enabling, promotive and supportive policies, legislations and affirmative actions

Feedback

The ECCE Policy in India

The cardinal principles informing this policy are • Universal access with equity • Quality in ECCE• Strengthening institutional capacity

Access with Equity

• Universalise the provision of ECCE for all children• Decentralized and contextualised approach• ICDS Anganwadi Centre (AWC) repositioned as a “vibrant

child friendly ECD Centre” • Conversion of AWCs into AWCs cum crèches with a planned

early stimulation component • Partnerships across public, private and voluntary sectors • Convergence with related care schemes, SSA and other

schemes • Young children with different abilities would also be

reached.

Quality in ECCE

• Quality Standards and Specifications: Essential and DesirablesInteraction (teacher/child, child/child);health, nutrition, personal care and routine; protective care and safety; infrastructure/ physical environment; organisation and management; children experiences and learning opportunities; assessment and outcome measures

• National Curriculum Framework promoting play based, experiential and child friendly provision for early education and all round development

• Child friendly and developmentally appropriate play and learning materials

• A Regulatory Framework for ECCE to ensure basic quality inputs and outcomes, across all service providers

Curriculum Framework for ECE

• Objectives of Preschool Education

• Principles of Learning• Curriculum Content • Pedagogy: Methods• Essential Play Material• Assessment• Role of Teacher/ ECCE

Educator• Role of Parent• Supportive Essentials

Non Formal• Preschool

Education

Motor Development

Creative and Aesthetic

Appreciation

Language Development

Physical Development

Socio- Emotional

Development

Cognitive Development

Scientific Temperament

Strengthening ICDS Service Package• Early Childhood Care Education & Development (ECCED)

– Monthly ECCE Day– Contextualized curriculum , including early stimulation package for under 3s

and school readiness interventions for children 5+– Joyful learning and activity based, experiential learning pedagogy– Local and culturally relevant, developmentally appropriate play and learning

material – Child assessment– Additional Anganwadi worker: Trained HR support

• Child Development, Care & Nutrition Counselling– Infant & Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Promotion &Counselling– Joint Mother and Child Protection Card– Maternal Care Counselling– Care, Nutrition, Health & Hygiene Education– Community based Management of underweight children

Strengthening ICDS Service Package• Health Services

– Immunization– Regular Fixed Monthly VHNDs– Immunization sessions– ANC / PNC support– Care & treatment of severely underweight through NRCs– Referral services to pre-identified referral network– Support for IMNCI / JSY & JSSK / RCH / NRHM– Health Education

• Community Mobilization, Advocacy & IEC– Interpersonal Communication– Information dissemination & awareness generation – Appropriate food demonstration– Voluntary Action Groups

– Village contact drives