Early Childhood Education & Development

1. Early Childhood Education & Development Dr RenuSingh Country Director, Young Lives Visiting Professor, JamiaMilliaIslamia

2. The early years (from prenatal to six years) are acknowledged to be the most critical years for life-long development • India has 158.7 million children in the 0-6 years age group (Census 2011) • Despite various initiatives, India will fail to meet EFA Goals, if Early Childhood Education is not prioritised • ECE&D is the most neglected areas in the education sector, falling between MWCD , MHRD & MoHFW, MORD

3. Human Brain at Birth 14 Years Old 6 Years Old 3

4. Brain Plasticity

6. Children not a Homogeneous Group • Early Childhood Development encompasses the inseparable elements of Care, Protection, Health, Nutrition, Play, Learning and Education in a socially inclusive and creative environment • Investing in early childhood is the most cost effective way to break the intergenerational cycle of multiple disadvantages and achieve equity for the most vulnerable children

7. Research-Based Evidence • There is ample worldwide evidence that the most disadvantaged children - whether because of poverty, ethnicity, gender, rural isolation, or disability – experience the most dramatic development gains from ECCD. Those who need it most get the most out of it (Arnold, 2004). • ECD is increasingly being recognized as "a first and essential step towards achieving the MDGs" • In summarizing ten longitudinal studies on early childhood for children living in poverty Schweinhart et al, conclude that: “Each of the studies that collected data on early childhood intellectual performance found its program group to have a significantly higher mean intellectual performance score than its non-program group at least during the program and shortly thereafter.”

8. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) • Objectives of ICDS: • Lay the foundation for proper psychological development of the child • Improve nutritional & health status of children 0-6 years • Reduce incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school drop-outs • Enhance the capability of the mother and family to look after the health, nutritional and development needs of the child • Achieve effective coordination of policy and implementation among various departments to promote child development

9. Historical Perspective • Pt. Nehru addressing to 28th session of CABE meeting on 16-17 January 1961 emphasized – “When I say education, I don’t mean just reading, writing and all that, but the capacity to do things in the modern world in several and thousand ways. And this leads to inevitably to the spread of education, to all the country. That, of course ought to be done at the initial stages, and the initial stages, it is now recognized, begin from the birth, not from your primary school, but from the pre primary school. That is highly important”.

10. Policy Context • Article 45: The State shall endeavor to provide ECCE for all Children until they complete the age of six years. • National Policy for Children, 2013 • Right to Food • Early Childhood Care & Education Policy • Restructured ICDS • Right to Education Act, 2009 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 take necessary arrangement for providing free pre primary education for such children

11. Early Childhood Education • Of the 158.7 million children in 0-6 years category (Census 2011), about 75.7 million children i.e. 48 percent are reported to be covered under the ICDS (MWCD, 2011) • SarvaShikshaAbhiyan: -73860 ECCE centers -254179 schools have pre school wing • Private sector, both organised and unorganized, is catering to approximately 35-40 % of the users

12. Key Findings • Estimated percentage of Dropouts by classes SRI-IMRB, 2009

13. Average annual dropout rates of different categories • Girls dropout is invariably lower than overall dropout in all categories

14. Many Excluded Children –Children with Special Needs Source: NSSO, 58th Round

15. Evidence from Young Lives India-Longitudinal Study (2002-2017)

16. Preschool attendance in Urban and Rural area Urban Rural Source: Young Lives, Round 2

17. Cognitive Achievement of Young Lives Children at Age 8 and Linkage with pre-school attendance * p<0.1, ** p<0.05, *** p<0.01 in t-test for significant difference in scores. Source: Young Lives, Round 3

18. Caregivers perception on quality of pre-primary schools by type of pre-school Source: Young Lives

19. Critical to Invest in Effective ECE&D Programs for Children • Qualified and motivated personnel • Small group sizes and high adult-child ratios • Language-rich and stimulating environment • Child care services • Developmentally appropriate curriculum • Safe physical setting • High and consistent levels of child participation • Teaching learning material which is culturally rich and appropriate

21. Four Challenges • Conceptual Challenges • Structural Challenges • Technical Challenges • Resource Challenges

22. Action Steps: Quality with Equity • Develop a strategic State Action Plan for Children focusing on early years and most marginalized communities • Create a robust, positive, and rigorous culture for early childhood development • “Harmonize” systems and build capacities of key stakeholders • Provision of resources for ‘stimulating infrastructure’ as well as culturally and developmentally appropriate curriculum • Development of standards and assessment tools • Build a skilled workforce, including leadership and governance • Support ongoing longitudinal research on children and programs

23. We have the knowledge about what children need in the early years… Are we ready to make a real difference in the lives of the next generation?

24. Let’s Think Outside the Box…Together Remember…some of the best ideas haven’t been tried yet.

25. Opportunities-Catch Them Young