Secretary of School Education & Literacy, Shri Sanjay Kumar, chaired a meeting today at Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, focusing on advancing the broader objectives of Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE). The meeting saw participation from the Ministry of Women & Child Development (MoWCD) representatives, various states, and autonomous bodies under the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L). The discussion centred around ensuring a seamless transition and high-quality ECCE as outlined in the National Curriculum Framework-Foundational Stage (NCF-FS).
In his opening remarks, Shri Sanjay Kumar emphasised the critical role of all stakeholders in delivering quality ECCE and lauded the initiatives undertaken by MoWCD and various states and UTs. He stressed the importance of establishing three Balvatikas for children aged 3 to 6 in all CBSE and Kendriya Vidyalayas that offer Class 1. Additionally, he recommended co-locating Anganwadis with primary schools in villages, coordinated with the WCD, to facilitate effective preschool education and smooth transitions to Grade 1.
The meeting also emphasised the proposal to implement Jaadui Pitara in government schools with pre-primary classes to enhance the learning experience. It was recommended that NCERT work with state officials to assess existing educational toys, ensuring their alignment with the objectives of the NCF-FS.
Further discussions included the collaboration between the Ministry of Education (MoE) and WCD to link Poshan Tracker with UDISE+ data, enhancing the tracking of transitions from pre-primary to Class 1. States were encouraged to define parameters and use Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to procure Jaadui Pitara materials to ensure transparency and efficiency.
The standardisation of branding for programs such as NIPUN Bharat, Jaadui Pitara, e-Jaadui Pitara, and Vidya Pravesh across states was discussed to boost visibility and recognition. The meeting underscored the need for the adapted versions of Jaadui Pitara to align with the learning outcomes specified by NCERT, with NCERT supporting SCERTs in adhering to these outcomes.
The importance of adequate training for preschool teachers and Anganwadi Workers (AWW) was also a key topic of discussion during the meeting.
