Nurturing the Roots, Building the Future: Quality Initiatives for Young Children

1. Nurturing the Roots, Building the Future Quality Initiatives for Young Children – SRC ECE AMS Smt.K.Lakshmi, Chairperson & Hon.Director, SRC ECE, Andhra Mahila Sabha, A.P Presentation at Meeting of National Thematic Workshop on BBBP at Panipat – 20.1.2015

2. Emergence State Resource Centre – ECE AMS • In tune with the avowed objectives of AMS to work for women and children, AMS entered the area of ECE as an act of dedication to the memory of its founder Dr.DurgabaiDeshmukh. • Recognizing the crucial importance of early childhood education in terms of fostering and promoting all round development in children and also to bridge the wide gap between the needs and facilities catering to this age group, Andhra MahilaSabha started a Post Graduate Diploma course in Early Childhood Education in the year 1984 to train a cadre of teachers to work with 3 to 8 years age group. • With support of UNICEF and collaboration of NCERT, AMS took up a project to support preschool component of ICDS and was recognized in 1990 as State Resource Centre – Early Childhood Education (SRC – ECE) for Andhra Pradesh. UNICEF supported activities till 2000. Since then SRC ECE AMS continues to work for the cause.

3. Current Activities of SRC • Strengthening ECE programmes • SRC is collaborating with ICDS programme of WD&CW Dept. • SRC is working with Save the Children , PRATHAM and other NGOs like CDR in training the field functionaries. • Designing and Development of material related to ECE programmes. • SRC – R&D Cell – DDCD is working with CECED – Ambedkar University on a longitudinal study as strand B • SRC is coordinating Case study –Strand C in AP • SRC is working with SSA on developing School Readiness Package. • R&D cell is also working on developing a mathematical kit • Documented good ECE programmes in AWCs of the 3 regions of the State • Conducted a discussion with stake holders on ECE policy Frame work

4. Bases for ECE Programme The first few years are forever What happens or does not happen to children in the earliest years of their lives is of critical importance both to their immediate well being and to their future.Hence responsive care , early stimulation and active learning opportunities in the first few years are critical for promoting brain development and enhanced life long learning capacity.

5. Context • Every child deserves a good start in life • The child’s early experiences create the base for all subsequent learning • ECCE a critical component of Human Resource Development • Strong early childhood foundations can help easier transition to primary grades for better completion rates • Reduced poverty • Increased social equity • High economic returns Hence need for effective ECCE programmes • Only quality ECCE programme has a strong and lasting impact. • Two critical components that have direct implication are the curriculum and capacity building

6. Addressing the Curriculum Special Features of AP ECE Programme • The programme has been tuned to meet diverse needs of multi-age group children. • Highly flexible but moves within a broad frame. • Built-in evaluation is a critical component in the programme. • Right from the day one children are initiated towards School Readiness Activities. • Habit formation, exposure to scientific experiences • Culture & local specific, songs & games are from different regions. • Introduction of English through rhymes, social etiquette and simple vocabulary. The whole programme is informal and provides scope for a lot of flexibility and innovation. It is a broad framework with cues on areas, concepts and material that could form the basis for a good developmental programme. The effectiveness of even the best programme depends on the support system.

7. Support System & Capacity Issues ECCE needs capacity building multi-dimensionally • Preparation of personnel to function at different levels • Preparing various stake holders in playing their roles effectively - parents, - elected representatives, - community • Preparation of needed materials It is not merely the personnel even facility and material needed do not get any serious attention. As a result the markets (in the context of globalization) are getting flooded with materials which are useful, not so useful and never useful. It is the luck of the child which decides what she/he gets. Hence SRC designed the material that was supplied by the Dept. and provided needed training to the functionaries in multiple usage

8. Investing In People - Strengthening Capacities at all Levels A) • Teachers , Child Care workers ( AWWs, BWWs, Creche/Day Care Workers) • Supervisory Staff • Trainers and Trainer of Trainers • Curriculum framers • Material Manufactures • Monitoring and regulatory personnel B) Policy makers and policy implementers. C) Community.

9. Personnel Preparation • Lack of trained personnel in ECCE both in terms of adequate numbers and of appropriate quality, even to meet the minimum standards. • Private sector, which is a major employer is not under any regulation. The teacher preferences of this sector range from highly, but inappropriately qualified persons to totally untrained teachers, who had no concept of ECCE. When employers are not interested in hiring specifically trained workers, potential workers have no incentive in getting trained. This in turn is affecting the demand for ECCE training resulting in closure of such training institutions.

10. MTTC (Master Trainers Training Centre) - An Innovative Initiative in A.P SRC took up the task of capacity building for initiating various ECE Programmes by giving required training to personnel at different levels on different components for more than 2 decades. Recognizing the criticality of ECCE and the expertise available at SRC ECE AMS, WD & CW of AP assigned a Specialized Training Centre in ECE “MTTC” – Master Trainers Training Centre so as to organize and conduct a number of exclusive Training Programmes for different functionaries in the State on ECE. Dedicated Training Centre

11. Capacity Building • In a 2 year period special training was given to 330 CDPOs, 1569 Supervisors and 72 AWTC Instructors on the revised ECE programmme of ICDS- AP.

12. Different Methodologies of Training Demo by the trainee Hands on Experience Brain Storming Sessions Role Play

13. Hands on training CDPOs and Supervisors were taken to the AWCs where they trained the workers on the ECE component one on one basis

14. Training reflections-Outcomes • CDPOs, Supervisors and other ICDS functionaries gained clarity on pre – school content and material • Focused sector / project meetings on pre-school component were initiated • To strengthen the capacities of AWWs, more organized trainings in small groups through demonstration and practice were introduced • Utilization/ usage of kit by AWWs and children has drastically improved providing more opportunities for more hands on experiences for children. • Hands on experience of Supervisors/ CDPOs facilitated improved monitoring • Slight increase in enrolment and regularity of children • Motivated supervisors developed model AWCs in their sectors. Better monitoring, continuous feedback were observed in the shared videos • Evaluation check list developed by AMS facilitated in improving monitoring system

15. Reflections on Curriculum Content • Pre-school curriculum of AP observed to be developmentally appropriate programme catering to the holistic development of the child • Periodical training supportive monitoring helped for easy implementation of the program • Joyful Hand- On – Experiences to children • Display of assessment of 3+ & 4+ Anganwadi children term wise represented by Bar graphs

16. Contd.. • Skill of AWW enhanced in evaluating and grading of 3+ & 4+ children • Grading of centres by supervisors and CDPOs as per the assessment process • Performance of AWWs improved under focused periodical monitoring by supervisors, CDPOs and SRC ECE AMS

17. Impact of Quality Initiatives • In most of the centers, display of monthly Time-table was seen. • Stories are being narrated by AWWs to the children mostly with expressions and dramatization. • Kit material is being used by AWW as well as by children in 50% of the centres • Some of the good habits such as “Wishing Elders”; “Keeping the slippers on line”; Personal Hygiene; Good eating habits; Use of Handkerchief are being followed by the children of AWC

18. Noticed Outcomes Developing habit formation using puppets Display of achievement of children Ensuring joyful learning Practicing writing…

19. Systematic conduct of AWC activities as per the day-wise time table Stimulating activities - Science Experiences Age-specific activities Indoor activities in small groups

20. Quality Initiatives To make the training and monitoring more effective SRC ECE initiated the following … IndiraDarshini A monthly magazine printed and supplied to centres by the Department of WD&CW –Contributing guidelines in the magazine as a ready reference for the field Workers for implementing the programme at the centre..

21. Quality Initiatives cont.. Mana TV – - MTTC staff participated in the live teleshow through MANA TV channel and demonstrated school readiness programme to be taken up by the Anganwadi Workers during the month of April for preparing 4+ children to formal school. - In addition to the training given on the usage of materials to different functionaries MTTC faculty demonstrated multiple usage of the material supplied through MANA TV

22. Name of the Student: M. SringalaDevijan MBBS  Name of the AWW: Prasanna When I was a child, I used to go to Anganwadi center in which our teacher (Prasanna) taught us Telugu and English rhymes, several charts offlowers, animals, alphabets etc. She made us to play many games. Always she encouraged us to study well and taught us decent behaviour. I really love my first school and teacher. M.SringalaDevijan MBBS Quality Initiatives cont.. Support for developing materials • Developed a checklist for observation of programme at Anganwadi Centres in the state. • Developed an observation record for monitoring progress of the child in different developmental areas during the year. • Documented success stories of persons who had their foundation at the Anganwadi Centres.

23. Building training capacity in ECCE, in all the sectors, for all types and levels of programmes, is perhaps the single most important task Intensive professional development improves child outcomes

24. ECE Programmes entered the field without planning for the manpower required The Capacity building initiatives in the area of ECCE ended up with Assorted adhoc interventions Lack of linkages or continuity Isolated structural formats Highly formalized training in negligible slots

25. Building Training Capacity • ECCE training needs urgent regulation and monitoring • Professional inputs are needed • Lack of good role models • Training institutions are unable to demonstrate or place trainees in model ECCE programme in the field. Most of the teacher training programmes give theoretical exposure or practice in a unrelated situation , at best in a simulated situation • Hence every training institute should adopt 20 to 25 model ECCE centres(POA) • Prepare modules to upgrade skills and knowledge of teachers/caregivers

26. Building Training Capacity – cont. • Refresher courses for teachers atleast once in five years • Good training depends on practical exposure during training period. Good practical exposure is possible when good centres are available. A good centre needs to follow a good programme • Training along with institution of regulation and control will emerge as the most critical element which impacts on the quality of ECCE programme • Multiple models & multipronged approaches are needed, program specific vocational training courses, mobile training, formal University/ professional courses and open distance learning • Modular courses with facility of credit accumulation for career mobility across levels should form part of planning

27. Needed Action • Address diversity by catering to a variety of situations, contexts, components and levels (from helpers to teacher-educators) • Encourage flexibility and innovativeness. • Emphasize practical “hands-on” training rather than resort to outdated formal and heavily theoretical approaches, particularly for the grassroots level • Develop innovative and practical in-service courses through distance education for the “untrained” especially in the private sector • Certify and recognize ECCE training to promote both self-employment and public employment • Strengthen inter-sectoral collaboration by sharing and networking of resource expertise and resource materials in ECCE

28. Filling the Gaps ... Bridge Courses These are intended to enable the certification of those with long experience but without formal training or even minimum qualifications. All training programmes should be recognized ones conducted by approved institutions • The design of the course must include field work in real-life settings, skill practice and experience • Resource and instructional materials for training must be developed in all media-print, audio-visual and electronic to reinforce trainers • Trainers must be prepared through TOT before courses are launched The existing body of research related to capacity building needs to be strengthened. There is a need to venture into other crucial areas. ECE should benefit from advances in other disciplines. University departments should be alerted to take research in this area.

29. Diverse needs - capacity building

30. Lessons from other Initiatives • Contextualisation • Curriculum: A short intervention for reviewing the existing pre-school programmes in the Southern States as a part of contextualisation of the programme helped in re-defining the roles of Teachers/Workers , role clarity for supervisors and ICDS hierarchy • Contextualisation of content for pre-reading and picture reading skills - bilingual methods adopted for tribal groups. • School readiness programmes Tailor made programmes for children from various settings- tribal , rural and urban • Joint training of partners from the sectors involved Anganwadi workers and class I teachers were provided joined training under DPEP – built better links between Anganwadi centre and primary school. • Community based centres . Balabadis under SERP Balabadis started with the support of SERP in A.P Active participation of the community. Functioned as best practices under innovation. However could not been scaled up for want of coordination and convergence between the different departments

31. Capacity building for Master Trainers of Chennai, Karnataka, Kerala at NIPCCD, Banglore Ambedkar University Distance Education AzimPremji Foundation

32. Issues and concerns • ownership of ECCE • quality and regulation of ECE • development based and age appropriate programme • linkage with primary school programme • effective communicative strategies • advocacy

33. Drawing from Experience Quality ECCE program depends on • Trained and committed professional • Appropriate ECCE environments • Context-sensitive curricula and materials • Shared responsibility across sectors and departments, parents, communities and private sector

34. Action points • Plan alternative interventions move from traditional approach to a business plan approach • Shift from centralised standardized planning to contextualised decentralised and convergent planning as a village plan for children. • Provide for training and support during transition period for necessary capacity building. • The village plan should be • Comprehensive outcomes based one • Focussed on a specific geographical area • Identifiable target groups • Facilitates convergence of all provisions in a consistent and complementary way to promote development of children. • Draw on existing schemes across the sectors. • Establish National/State Resource Centres for ECCE

35. Technology Support-Online knowledge hub on children • SishuVikasKendras providing online support to care givers • Expansion of child line facility • Develop Research tested and contextualised curriculum • Web based professional development • Technology driven monitoring of child’s learning • Collaborative initiatives with electronic media for advocacy, on-job training to field functionaries, provision of stimulating experiences to children • Create facilities for manufacturing quality learning and play materials at affordable rates • Finally establishment of a National University for children

36. Our obligation • The message we draw from various studies clearly emphasises the need for a comprehensive multi-spectral and integrated approach in addressing child development and child education matters. • High quality pre-school programmes can have a remarkable long losting impact on lives of children both educationally and in terms of life long productivity. • It is therefore imperative on our part to pool all our efforts in raising the overall quality of pre-school education. It is non-negotiable as children in vulnerable settings benefit only when it is of high quality.

37. THANK YOU

38. Standing Tall… Spreading Wide SRC-ECE of AMS today enjoys the privilege of being an expert ECE agency in the State of AP. It has been associated with • Women Development & Child Welfare Dept. of A.P - to design different training courses; prepare training packages; organize a number of training programmes for ECE functionaries, etc. • DPEP (Education Dept.) – to prepare the programmme of ECE training of key resource personnel, etc. • NCERT – to implement nationally approved programmes • Different agencies for developing prototypes of materials and training modules • Voluntary organizations to provide training support • Different organizations for taking up studies related to ECE Associates • UNICEF • NCERT • DPEP • NIPPCD • NIMH • NIMH • Home Science Department • State Department of Women and Child Welfare • Various NGOs – RDF (Rural Development Foundation), Samskar, PLAN, Seva Bharti, etc.