Towards a Pre-School Learning Programme in Rural Jharkhand

1. Towards a Pre-School Learning Programme in Rural Jharkhand Govt. of Jharkhand

2. Background • Starting point: Dropout rate in class 1 is high! (˜ 20%) • State wide socio linguistic survey indicated > 94% children in the state have home language/s different from school’s Hindi language • Majority of children fail to understand teacher and text; Also there is attitudinal issues! • Anganwadis focused on khichdi (nutrition) than learning! Learning outcomes remained unsatisfactory; • Majority of children enter class 1 without any school readiness • Poor awareness regarding significance of pre-school learning programme in state!

3. Shifts in perspective and action • Focus laid on pre-school learning as a starting point! • Advocated for quality pre-school learning programme in rural areas – with both departments HRD n WCD • Senior officials visited AP, Kerala, TN, Karnataka • Notified Anganwadis as Anganwadi Nursery School Kendras with thrust on learning aspects - WCD • Designed and supplied Pre-School Learning Kit (Rs. 1000 per center) for first time to every ANSK - WCD • Designed School Preparedness package Ankur for ensuring interest and preliminary skills of 5 - 6 year olds in basic literacy and numeracy – HRD • Trained every Primary School teacher in 2011 to use Ankur as a starting point in class 1 - HRD

4. Some major activities in 2011 • Identified 50 Anganwadi centers in all 24 districts for • strengthening school readiness • creation of learning environment • transition from pre-school to primary school • Trained Anganwadi Sevikas and Local Volunteers (literacy workers) in every district • Theme books developed in training workshops for use in ANSKs • Guidelines issued to ANSKs and AWTCs for thrust on activity based learning

5. Formulation of a theoretical perspective • Attempted to organise our system more systematically for pre-school learning • Discussed the MWCD’s Policy, curriculum and standards in different forums – departments, CSOs, Tribal forums, ….. • Formulated state specific

6. Further interaction in National Forum • Organised National Forum on ‘Quality Pre-School Learning programme in Rural Areas – July 24-25, 2012 at Ranchi • Dialogue on international/national/rural perspective, sharing of ideas/experiences, exhibition, simulations and debates • Convergent initiative to discuss: designing a broad ECE perspective, developmentally appropriate ECE programmes, teacher preparation, and a framework for quality improvement. • Key forum recommendations to be shared with MWCD/MHRD/others

7. National Forum on Quality Pre-School Learning Programme in Rural Areas Organised by HRD, WCD and Unicef – 190 delegates, govt. representatives from Center and 18 states, 20 resource agencies including Unesco, Unicef, NCERT, NIPCCD, CECED, CARE, CLR, Parenting Network, Andhra Mahila Sabha, GGS Sim, Save the Children, and practitioners

8. Key issues discussed – Ranchi Forum • First six to eight years of life are critical in a child's life >80% of brain development in first three years • Nutrition based ICDS is insufficient as compared to the rapid growth at this age. • Lack of a holistic and uniform ECCE policy for all the states and all sorts of ECE centers. • Non inclusion of ECCE in the RTE Act • Lack of infrastructural facilities and age appropriate learning materials for young children. • Diverse academic capacity and low motivational level of Anganwadi workers within states and districts.

9. Key issues discussed – Ranchi Forum - 2 • Lack of convergence at higher levels • Anganwadi centers are Khichdi centers instead of learning center. • Strategy not defined for children living in conflict and disaster affected areas as well as children from tribal communities, especially from primitive tribes • Problem of language transition from mother tongue to school language in states with multilingual communities. • Low budgetary provisions made by MWCD for ECCE activities under ICDS. • Lack of community participation in terms of ECCE.

10. Glimpses from Picture Dictionaries

11. Key Recommendations • Mobilize strong commitment to Pre-School Learning in terms of legislation, policies, budget and strategies • Advocacy for inclusion of holistic child development and ECCE in RTE • Develop a holistic ECCE policy harmonized with all the other related policies and provisions • Enhance the budgetary allocation for ECE under ICDS. Make budgetary provisions to ensure infrastructural facilities to be child-friendly • Development of a National Curriculum with flexibility for states to be followed by AWCs and private pre schools • Ensure the availability of developmentally appropriate curriculum/materials • Develop guidelines on ECE standards as well as adequate monitoring tools • Standardize curriculum/norms to be introduced by the AWTCs, B.Ed colleges and private institutions • Devise a strategy to reward and motivate Anganwadi workers • Consider arrangements for an additional AWW to support ECCE activities • Regularly organize ECCE forums and workshops • Document good practices and conduct studies

12. Key Recommendations • Ensure smooth transition to school - Programmatic and Pedagogical issues for creation of appropriate Learning Environment • AWC mapping and issuance of guidelines/circulars for ensuring the physical presence of AWCs / in the campus of primary school • Regulations for the construction of AWCS within the premises of the primary schools • Guidelines for regular visits of primary teachers to AWCs and for joint activities • Revision of primary curriculum in accordance with pre school curriculum • Development of strategy to address the problem of transition from home language to school language • Ensuring registration of children below 6 years in the AWC catchment area • Provide certificate to children after completing their pre school. • Provisions to be made for a specifically trained female teachers for Class I of primary school

13. Key Recommendations • Provide all possible support for Early Learning - Capacity Building of Trainers, Supervisors, Parents and Community • Listing of localized/contextualized contents for communication with parents • Orientation for parents on the criteria to measure the impacts of ECCE • Dissemination of the legislations & regulations related to child care and preprimary education, as well as the provisions of RTE • Awareness generation on the entitlements of child and the limitations of Anganwadi workers regarding ECE and other services • Development of state/area specific communication packages for community • Capacity building of ICDS personals on ECCE related counseling skills • Public private partnerships to be encouraged for awareness generation and capacity building at all levels • ECCE Policy to be designed in support of local autonomy and parents to be addressed in the policy framework • Incorporation of parents advocacy skills in ECCE Diploma curriculum • ECCE Policy to address strategies in emergencies (conflicts/natural disasters) • Efforts for Institutional capacity building at all levels.

15. Thank you!