Page 1 - ISSUES AND DIRECTIONS.pmd

Issues and Directions in ECCE

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Notes

ISSUES AND DIRECTIONS

IN ECCE

Early childhood is a significant period which sets the base for later learning
and development. During this time, the experiences and opportunities provided
to children influence their development, especially that of the brain. So,
ensuring access to quality and equitable early care and education becomes
imperative.
The Incheon Declaration for Education 2030 also encourages the provision of
at least one year of free and compulsory quality preschool education for all
children. With this view, access to equitable and early investment in quality
Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) services and programmes became
vital in India. The initiatives taken by the Government of India clearly reflect
the influence of and adherence to this global ECCE commitment. Recently, an
all India educational survey conducted by the NCERT and NUEPA indicate the
constant increase in the accessibility of ECCE services to all children. However,
the surveys reveal that the quality of ECCE is at risk especially the education
component for the age group of three to six years. The reasons behind them
are the lack of age and developmentally appropriate curriculum, facilities,
infrastructure, teaching learning material, resources, funds, qualified and
trained teachers, standard assessment system, and convergence. Apart from this,
predominance of formal teaching and rote memorization, inadequate attention
to classroom arrangement and display, ignorance of age and developmental
needs and capabilities of children, lack of community ownership, lack of
hygienic and healthy habits etc. are critical issues. These need to be attended
to and rectified at individual, institutional and government levels.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
After studying this lesson, you will be able to:

• explain the issues in ECCE; and
• discuss the directions to address the issues in ECCE.

64 EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION