Page 4 - ISSUES AND DIRECTIONS.pmd

Issues and Directions in ECCE

Concerted efforts at the government level and at the level of the ECCE centre
are required to build an accessible and respectful environment for all children.

Notes
5.1.7 Administrative/ Management Issues

Administrative/ management issues are critical to the development and
sustainability of an ECCE centre. These issues encompass the following:

• Monitoring and Supervision: Monitoring and supervision system is most
important aspect of the management/administration of an ECCE centre.
However, it is also one of the weakest dimensions of ECCE programmes.
There is no clear monitoring and supervision mechanism for ensuring the
quality of ECCE centres at macro and micro level. The stakeholders such
as teachers, parents, policy makers, educational planners and administrators
are not aware of these mechanisms and their role at different levels. Hence,
they are not able to contribute to the provision of quality ECCE centres.

• Regulatory Framework: In order to ensure the quality of existing ECCE
centres and to prevent mushrooming of unregulated ECCE centres, which
do not meet the minimum standards of quality ECCE, a robust regulatory
framework is imperative. However, there is no well-defined regulatory
framework available both at the national and the state level. Some states
have developed their state specific regulatory framework which may not
be applicable in the context of other states. However, it is encouraging to
know that the MWCD has constituted National ECCE Council though not
functional but it is a step in the right direction.

• Convergence/Coordination: There is a lack of a strong and consistent
convergence/ coordination between governments leading to uncertainty
about their roles and responsibilities. Similarly, different ministries and
institutions address different needs of the children related to their education,
care, health and safety. Thus, there is a strong need to build a strong and
consistent convergence and coordination between institutions, concerned
ministries and governments for different programmes and services for
children.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 5.1

Match column A with column B

Column A Column B
(i) Convergence/coordination a) Qualified and trained

(ii) Play materials b) Play and activity based

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION 67