Do you know a child’s brain develops maximum in the first eight years? The early years are the most significant period for a healthy brain and successful life. We can say seeds of future learning are sowed during the initial years of childhood.
Schools play a crucial role in providing desirable growth and development. Children spent maximum time in school after home. Therefore, providing the proper foundation at the preschool and school levels is essential. Research suggests a quality school education improves overall outcomes and decreases the chances of dropouts.
To curtail dropout and ensure holistic education for children, the Government of India launched National Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) policy in 2013. Let us go into the detail of this policy.
What is ECCE Program?
ECCE policy is an initiative to introduce an innovative curriculum and ensure quality education for children. The policy aims to provide a comprehensive and universal learning experience for kids. It will prepare them for the challenges of the 21st century.
ECCE policy was first announced in 2013. Later, the Ministry of Human Resource Development introduced crucial changes to the policy to achieve the goals of the ECCE program.
Need and Importance of ECCE
All children should get growth and development opportunities. The government's role is to provide a safe and enabling environment. The Government of India is a responsible signatory of several international conventions for the welfare of children. GoI has formulated several policies to ensure quality education at all levels.
National Early Childhood Care and Education Curriculum Framework 2013 offers significant instructional documents for quality early education. It is a pan-India program. The importance of ECCE includes promoting quality stimulation and effective learning for preschool and school-level children. The program develops a student-centric learning environment and offers an enabling ecosystem.
ECCE supports curriculum and teaching methods for contextual and developmental requirements and promotes the holistic growth of children with the involvement of key stakeholders: parents, teachers, and the community.
ECCE in the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-17)
Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog) recognized the importance of ECCE policy in the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17). It is the base for lifelong growth and development. The five-year plan emphasized reforms across all channels for early childhood care and education.
- The planning commission advocated the participation of government, private, and voluntary sectors for better execution of ECCE
2. Focus on teachers' training and development for imparting quality education and teaching 21st-century skills to students
3. The planning body also focussed on building an infotainment-based curriculum. It will help children, especially those up to six years of age
Service Providers of the ECCE Programme
- Government Sector
- Private Sector
- Voluntary and Non-Government Organisations
ECCE-related Initiatives in NEP 2020
NEP 2020 has made revolutionary changes in the existing education system. The policies will bring grassroots changes. Technology and holistic growth will be core focus areas from preschool to the Grade 12 level.
We have shortlisted key initiatives in NEP 2020 related to early childhood care and education program.
- The new pedagogical structure will be 5+3+3+4. It will begin at the age of three
2. Universal access to education at all levels in schools
3. Setting up National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, State School Standards Authority (SSSA), and National Mission of Mentoring
4. Focus on SEDGs (Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups)
5. NPST (National Professional Standards for Teachers) to provide skilled and professional teachers for each level
6. Formation of Special Education Zones and Gender Inclusion Fund. It will help geographically remote, disadvantaged groups and regions
7. Encourage education in Indian languages and multilingualism
8. NEP 2020 has mandated home language/regional language/local language/mother tongue as the medium of teaching up to Grade 5. It can also extend until Grade 8 and advanced classes
Sections of The National ECCE Curriculum Framework
Section 1
- Introduction of the ECCE program
- Vision, theoretical foundation, and logic of ECCE for Indian children
- The objectives of early childhood education
- Principles of early learning and pedagogical structure
Section 2
- Goals of diverse verticals of development
- Focus on domains like physical, cognitive, socioeconomic, aesthetic & creative appreciations, and language
- Appropriate program planning for the holistic development of children at different levels
Section 3
- Focus on principles of ECCE planning and levels of program planning
- Ensure desired participation and role of teachers and parents
- The planned implementation of the evaluation procedure and required play elements
How Teachmint Helps in Promoting ECCE in Education?
Teachmint is an all-inclusive Integrated School Platform that takes care of every need of schools and provides complete mobile and web solutions for Fee Management, School Management, Digital Content, Learning Management, Admission Management, and more. It is an innovative SaaS-based solution to help schools to implement ECCE programs. Schools can use our platform to automate operations, minimize overheads, improve productivity, and ensure the holistic growth of children.
With Teachmint, teachers and principals can enhance the learning environment. They can apply world-class digital tools and quality learning to the curriculum. Parents are vital stakeholders in the ECCE program. They can use Teachmint to monitor and track children's progress. The platform provides a transparent system to access school updates and children's statuses
Students are the core of ECCE. Teachmint offers classroom recordings, unlimited practice papers, and much more to keep learning uninterrupted and enhance the learning experience of students. We provide learning and teaching solutions in over 30 countries and have achieved a customer satisfaction score of 96%.
Conclusion
The ECCE program is vital for understanding child psychology and preparing a holistic curriculum for the overall development of children. It ensures cognitive improvement, behavioral changes, multi-lingual learning, and participation in co-curricular activities. ECCE provides wider opportunities to grow. Schools can use Teachmint Integrated School Platform for efficient implantation of ECCE policies. With our advanced learning management system, you can improve the teaching-learning experience. Our offerings like education erp, admission management system, fee management system, and others conveniently digitize educational institutions.
Suggested Read: NEP 2020 - A Comprehensive Guide
