THE WAIT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IS OVER…

THE WAIT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IS OVER…

Madhuri Deshpande

The Government of Maharashtra has drawn out a policy for early childhood education (Early Childhood Education i.e. for children from 3-6 years). This policy envisions that Balwadi’s and Anganwadis all over the state curriculum. They propose to implement this curriculum in Balwadis and Anganwadis from June 2009. This article throws light on the background, the strategies and the activities the ECE (Early Childhood Education) this curriculum has in its fold and the difference it will make to the world of children.

Tha Background :

Functions of ECE (Early Childhood Education) is not just making children play or entertaining them, teaching them on fulfilling the parent’s wishes or dreams, but it is to create an environment based on child psychology and Principles of ECE (Early Childhood Education) and to make learning fun for children. We all know that in the first six years of life, children develop vital competencies and skills. These years prepare them for the formal learning that they acquire at the primary education level. It is in this age that the child develops the right attitude, strength and sensory skills rather than occupying himself with reading and writing apparatus. Padmashree Tarabai Modak propagated this in 1937, almost 75 years ago. However the situation of ECE in the state remains grim as ever.

The condition of ECE (Early Childhood Education) has deteriorated as compared to the primary education. May it be in an urban sophisticated school or a specialized ECE centre in the remote areas of the state. Reading writing still forms a major part of the curriculum and that there is a complete apathy for scientific ECE. So children fail to take a liking for the school and that school is something to be scared of. Both like rural and urban schools undertake formal teaching in their preschool due to ignorance about scientific ECE, due to which the bright children lose interest in learning in general. Adults, in a haste of teaching the 3 ‘Rs’ (Reading, writing and Arithmetic), change the ethos of children education. The freedom of movements, the natural urge to learn, learning something that is not relevant at this age, develops ‘school phobia’ in children. This is the main cause of ‘school drop outs’ at an early age and a lack of love for schooling.

Contribution of Maharashtra Balshikshan Parishad :

The Government of Maharashtra, Zilha Parishad, and the Ministries run Balwadis independently. Similarly there are voluntary organizations operating ECE centres. These is neither any consistency in their curriculum nor the teachers’ salary. Having realized this in 1995, Maharashtra Balshikshan Parishad sent a delegation to the Government of Maharashtra and asked for a statewide comprehensive policy. Soon the Government of Maharashtra accepted this demand and set up a state level Committee on ECE. Availing this opportunity the committee put forth a redical view regarding ECE and left no stone unturned, in recommending to the Government that improving the status of ECE in the state was imperative. This committee had made some fundamental suggestions that are extraordinary, they are essential for the bright future of children. Unless new thoughts and adventurous actions are given a free way, the stereotyped form of ECE will fail to change, and it will be neither updated nor modernized. Prof. Ram Joshi who headed the committee, felt the future beckoning the children should be bright, but the earlier generation should bear in mind that is their responsibility to mould the future of children. After ten long years the Government of Maharashtra has reassessed this report and had decided to give a radical turn to the future of children. But unfortunately with proliferation of population no Government scheme can be successfully launched to satisfy this growing demography. In spite of that on Aug., 18, 2006, the Government of Maharashtra passed resolution which will revitalize the status of ECE in the state.

Government Resolution :

According to the 86^th amendment it is the responsibility of the state to impart free education to children from 6-14 year of age. In the amendment under section 21 A, it is confirmed that education is a fundamental right of condition. In the same amendment of the constitution in the Directive Principles under section 45, it is the state’s responsibility to make arrangements for proper ECE for children below 6 years of age.

In the stat of Maharashtra the ECE is undertaken by the Zilha Parishad, Muncipality and the Corporations. Similarly it is also but under the I C D S (Integrated children development scheme) programme (Anganwadis) the teacher’s focus is on healthy, nutritious meals, haygiene only. The stress on ECE is reduced to a negligible level. Private institutions do take care of developing proper habits in children and also to some preparations for formal learning. The recommendations of committees setup by the Government have time and again given their recommendation that ECE is just not limited to health and hygiene but the components of education and preparation for formal learning is equally or more important.

Initiative OF Government of Maharashtra:

After the resolution made by the Maharashtra Government it directed the SCERT to draw out a curriculum for the age groups 3-4 and 4-5. SCERT Director Mr. A. M. Bedge accepted the challenge and further gave directions it’s ECE department to set up a committee of expeRts. Smt. Jayashree Kadam took the initiative in setting up a committee of experts, constituting Government, Semi Government and non official representatives to design a curriculum for ECE, Maharashtra is the first state in India to have setup a committee on ECE that would take care of the development of each child with developmentally appropriate practices, therein. The curriculum has been very thoughtfully and systematically planned according to the developmental stages and teaching methodologies like learning through play. Since there was no reference about such a curriculum and also looking at such a high success that a curriculum receives worldwide, the activities and the projects in the curriculum are designed meticulously. They also plan to soon implement it state wide. Once the curriculum is formulated, it will be implemented uniformly all over the state

Curriculum for the joy of children :

For the effective implementations of this child centred curriculum it is necessary to reduce the teacher’s stronghold on it and also the parents undue expectations from children. He focus should be on the child’s developmental needs and competencies only child centred education has to overcome a number of hurdles but to achieve the objective of ECE it is crucial to do so. The ethos of ECE now will be understood everybody in this field i.e. from ministers the highest level, to the balwadi teacher at the lowest level. The Government for doing so, should also depute an excellent supervision system.

This curriculum has its fold a new policy of educating young children. It is not only child oriented but it also makes children ‘learn by doing’ different activities. It is entirely experience oriented. This will give the child an opportunity to develop in all the areas of development. The preschool should aim at providing an atmosphere where the child gets this opportunity. There should be an excellent physical set up and an ample use of teaching learning materials. The implementation of this curriculum will result in a paradigm shift from teaching on the part of teacher to learning on the part of children. The focus will be on what the child can learn. There is a tremendous urge of self-learning in children. If children dwell in this scientific atmosphere, become independent and then go to the primary school sustain the pressures there and learn, their entire generation will get educated in the true sense of which posterity will be proud of. There are approximately one lakh sixty thousand balwadis and anganwadis that are going to use and implement this ECE curriculum that must reach them within 6-8 months. But in this world of haste, the one factor, which is so important in this matter –(the child)- for whom the curriculum is made, is forgotten. The hope is that the Government of Maharashtra seriously takes up the training of balwadi and anganwadi teachers and spreads the work about the curriculum through their training.

The ECE curriculum aims at all round development in children. For this the subjects undertaken are physical and motor development, language development, aesthetic development, knowing environment and readiness for the 3 Rs. From these subjects children can achieve physical and motor development, social, emotional, intellectual, aesthetic development as well as develop certain habits regarding readiness about reading, writing and arithmetic. The internal structure of this curriculum is entirely non-formal. Children learn through the incidental method and are extremely happy about it. Such education cannot be sought from textbooks. While implementing this curriculum one has to be extremely process oriented rather than being products oriented.

The entire curriculum is designed and based on the ‘project’ method. (central theme). The relevant topics for children such as birds, animals, trees, Myself, My preschool, vehicles, seasons helps them learn about then immediate environment. Stories, songs, picture talk, creative activities, field trips, help them to learn the topic from various perspectives. If such projects are carried out throughout the year children will certainly develop competencies and a liking for schooling and also improve their concentration. Stimulating the sense organs which are essential elements in primary education level. Children do not learn much by singing the same songs and listening to same stories over and over again. But by doing various projects children widen their horizons of general knowledge and also derive pleasure out of it.

This curriculum also deals with readiness for reading writing and arithmetic. The child is not yet ready for formal learning in reading writing and math. He has to go through all the steps of readiness. The children have to psychologically mature to do all these readiness activities. They have to learn to focus their sight on a particular thing, they have to differentiate between things, and also know the differences in alphabet to be able to do this one needs to show wonder longer pictures, give him various experiences in differentiating things and prepare him for formal reading. If one fails to do this the children does not learn to read well in primary school similarly one has to give a number of pre-writing and pre-number experiences. The eye-hand co-ordination required for reading, writing and arithmetic the ability to focus vision in a limited space, do the ability to differentiate between objects which look similar, are all the activities taken up in ECE Curriculum for the development of readiness. Reading and writing are related but independent in nature. For these to develop smoothly, one has to achieve a co-ordination between various skills and that is the reason why so many activities are incorporated in the ECE Curriculum. Besides this introduction of basic English vocabulary from the children’s immediate environment is essential.

Informal EVALUATION :

To ensure that children are positively benefiting from learning the skills and competencies through the various activities that are mentioned in this curriculum their evaluation therefore becomes imperative. The teacher has to take stock of the overall development of children through the activities carried out throughout the year. This evaluation will be done twice is a year and not just annually. A child needs ample time for learning any skill or competency and he has to repeatedly do the activities and master the skills therein. Along with this evaluation, a health check up chart is also given for the children health progress. The childrens’ immunization, whether he has any acute health problems or disabilities etc. will have be noted. If any disabilities are identified, it is the responsibility of the Balwadi or Anganwadi teacher to inform the parents at the earliest. This is for the parents and the teachers’ benefit.

Physical structure and arrangements :

It is very important to have a proper infrastructure and appropriate teaching aids for children in a Balwadi or Anganwadi. Either it has to be provided for by the Government or it has to be proumed from the local sources available. Souce of the teaching aids can be made by the teachers themselves. Such a preschool, so well equipped with teaching aids and a good infrastructure will be appreciated by the children and one that the society will also be proud of. (Besides this there is inclusion of English vocabulary just as an introductory phase. Listening to some words in any language along with its learning is very important. Soon they will get need to it start using it, themselves when they start learning the language formally.

Parents involvement and ASSOCIATION:

Parent involvement is a crucial part in any early childhood education curriculum and this ECE programme is not an exception. Home visits, parents meeting or organizing ‘bal mela’ are some of the activities included in this section. How can parents be useful to the preschool, why is it necessary for the teachers to contact parents, how can parents contribute in developing good habits of health and hygiene are some of the important questions discussed in the curriculum.

Planning :

Last but not the least in the curriculum is the systematic formulation to be done for early childhood education. Subjects, experiential learning, activities, teaching methodology, are the important aspects of ECE. In order to achieve the objective of all round development, it is essential to have a planned programme and also one with a lot of variety in it. This will lead to children’s maturity and self-learning. Children develop at their own rate, and build up their own knowledge. Just as they grow very rapidly physically, it requires a lot of time for them to have control or their emotions. In this curriculum the light is thrown on the methods and different levels of planning.

Conclusion :

In our country scientific approach to ECE (Early Childhood Education) is --- and new concept. We find its roots in the ‘vedas’ and the ‘Dnyaneshwari’! But those references were limited to the family responsibilities only. But ever since the responsibility has shifted from the families to the society a need for ECE centres outside hence has become a necessity. Due to the technological advancement, children coming to the schools have also improved. It is mandatory to teach them new things on a daily basis. They are no more interested traditional methods of learning the things. Education must have a futuristic approach and we should imbibe in children those skills that they will be using in their future. Self learning has to be stressed. Early childhood education has not got the status that it deserves in the field education. When people who have laid down their lives for ECE, those in the voluntary sector, Balwadis, anganwadis and above all the Government of Maharashtra will have to show their inclination and the political WILL to exercise their power in implementing their curriculum.

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