 EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE & EDUCATION

THE PRESENT SITUATION

1. Some of the significant parameters of the quality of life of any nation are the infant mortality rate, incidence of malnutrition, the morbidity picture and the literacy rates. The infant mortality rate today stands at 104 (1984). The rural-urban IMR differential is striking, being 113 and 66. Respiratory disorders, diarrhoea and parasitic infestations and nutritional deficiencies are significant contributors of child morbidity. Eightythree per cent of children have body weights below normal standards. These include 42 per cent mildly malnourished, 35 per cent moderately malnourished and six per cent severely malnourished. Cognitive stimulation at home during early childhood, which is so vital for the later years of life, is poor because of low female literacy rate which is 24-88. At present, by the most generous estimate, only around 12 per cent of the child population (0-6 years) of the country is being reached by one or more of the six services in the ICDS package, though within ICDS project areas, a large proportion of disadvantaged children are benefitted by the comprehensive package of six services. Taking into account the various other programmes and that ECCE age group is 0-6 while the other programmes cater to differently defined age group (mostly 3-6), it appears that less than 10 per cent of the child population (0-6 years) of the country receives all the essential services, from conception to the age of 6 years.

2. Realising the crucial importance of rapid physical and mental growth during early childhood, Government started a number of programmes of early childhood care and education (ECCE). Declaration of a National Policy for Children (1974) shows the commitment of Government for the development of children. The existing ECCE programmes include:

(i) Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS);

(ii) Scheme of assistance to voluntary organisations for conducting early childhood education centres (ECE);

(iii) Balwadis and day-care centres run by voluntary agencies with Government's assistance;

(iv) Pre-primary schools run by the State Governments, Municipal Corporations and other agencies;

(v) Maternal and child health services through primary health centres and sub-centres and other agencies.

The Integrated Child Development Services is currently the biggest

programme of early childhood development. This programme over the years has demonstrated that even a modest investment in child development goes a long way in developing human resources. It needs to be fully integrated with the Universal immunisation programme started with effect from 19th November, 1985.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN NPE

3. The National Policy on Education has given a great deal of importance to ECCE. It views ECCE as an important input in the strategy of human resource development, as a feeder and support programme for primary education and as a support service for working women of the disadvantaged sections of society. It has also taken into account the holistic nature of ECCE and has pointed out the need for organising programmes for the all-round development of the child. The significance of play and activity approach and the need for child- centredness in the programmes of ECCE as well as in primary school education have been spelt out, and it cautions against the dangers of using formal methods of teaching and early introduction of the 3 R's. The importance of community involvement has also been highlighted. The need to establish a linkage between ICDS and ECCE programmes has been pointed out. The desirability of a modular, development so as to upgrade the former into the latter institution on a full-blown basis has been mentioned. In addition, there is also a commitment to taking up other diverse kinds of day-care centres. The Policy specifically focusses on the need for early care and stimulation of children belonging to the poverty groups.

THE STRATEGY OF IMPLEMENTATION

4. The ECCE involves the total development of child, i.e. physical, motor, cognitive, language, emotional, social and moral. The age span under consideration in ECCE is from conception to about 6 years. Even a modest development process during this period includes care of mother during pregnancy (ante-natal health check-up, nutritional support, control of anaemia, immunization for prevention of tetanus following delivery, etc.), hygienic and skilled birth attendance, nutritional care of mother during lactation, correct infant feeding practices, immunization of infant from communicable diseases, mothers' education in child care, early childhood stimulation,and health and nutritional support throughout. Thus, ECCE is a complex integral function. it requires workers with integrated ECCE training, integrated worksites or ECCE centres where the essential services flow to young children through the period of their growth and preparation for formal education, and coordinated functioning of various agencies, governmental and non-governmental, striving to meet different needs of young children.

5. One of the weakest points in the existing programmes is inadequate child: worker ratio. Efforts will be made to strengthen the programmes and make them developmental instead of providing mere custodial care, the worker force would need to be

suitably augmented. The size and personnel of the centre would be so chosen that it would take care of the diverse items of the programmes fully within' a given population.

6. Similarly, adequate remuneration to the workers is an impor- tant factor in successful implementation of any programme. Effort will be made with immediate effect to see that in the case of day- care centres, the remuneration of full time workers is not less than the wages earned by unskilled workers. However, the long term goal should be to bring the trained full-time child care workers on par with primary school teachers. Part-time child care workers should be paid not less than minimum wages proportionate to their hours of work. To ensure proper supervision, ratio of supervisors to the number of ECCE Centres should be improved. Considering the nature of work, which requires rapport with mothers and tenderness to children, ECCE workers and their supervisors should invariably be women.

7. Keeping in mind the role of ECCE as a support service in universalisation of elementary education, as well as for human resource development, ECCE will be, in the first instance, directed to the most underprivileged groups, those who are still outside the mainstream of formal education. Some of these can be defined as follows:

(i) very poor urban slum communities;

(ii) ecologically deprived areas where children are required to fetch fuel, fodder,water and do other household chores;

(iii) family labour and household chores in rural areas and artisan households;

(iv) working children in the unorganised sector;

(v) itinerant, or seasonal labour, who have a mobile and transient life-style, like road workers;

(vi) construction workers in urban and rural areas;

(vii)landless agricultural labour;

(viii)nomadic communities and pastoralists; (ix) forest dwellers and tribals in remote areas; (x) residents of remote isolated hamlets.

Girls in these groups may require support services like child care, sometime in very small units. Special attention should be given to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in all the above defined categories.

TARGETS AND PHASING

8. Ethically speaking, every child should be assured access to the fulfilment of all basic needs. Yet, facing the existing realities of outreach and utilisation, it is suggested that 70% of the target groups (children 0-6 years) should be covered by all services by 2000 AD, whereas health and nutrition services should be extended to all the needy groups as early as possible. By the end of the-Seventh Plan, a modest network of ECCE facilities should be established in all tribal development blocks, blocks having substantial scheduled caste population and slums in large cities. A minimum of 2.50 lakh centres should be established by 1990. Though various schemes need to be improved and expanded, this coverage will be predominantly achieved by expansion of ICDS. ECCE will be expanded to a level of 10 lakh centres by 1995 and 20 lakh by the year 2000. Most of the coverage will be through ICDS but diverse kinds of preprimary education centres and day-care centres, mainly for the population group mentioned at para 6, will also be ecouraged and supported.

9. The emphasis in short term would be on upgradation, expansion and strengthening of the existing programmes. Efforts will also be made to extend these programmes to areas and target groups unserved by them so far. The programme of action in this behalf will consist of development of the following modular packages:

(a) INTEGRATED CHILD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

Preschool education component. needs to be strengthened in ICDS- For this following steps will be taken:

(i) Each Anganwadi Workers' Training Centre should be given the responsibility of running at least 25 anganwadi centres so as to provide the trainees with adequate field practice areas.

(ii) The trainees should be placed for a minimum of one month in the anganwadis for practical training.

(iii) Instructional materials for use of trainers and the trainees should be developed.

(iv) Materials for children - picture books, pictures, posters, minimum essential play materials - should be made available to all anganwadis and replenished periodically.

(v) The trainers, supervisors and CDPOs should be oriented through Refresher Courses in preschool education component and given field training so that it is strengthened both at pre-service and in-service levels.

(vi) The CDPO's office should be developed into a Resource Centre and be well-equipped with training materials.

A beginning will be made in ICDS by developing a small percentage of Anganwadis as day care centres and effort will be made to coordinate the timings of ICDS anganwadis with the primary schools.

(b) ECE CENTRES (DEPARTMENT OF-EDUCATION)

The ECE scheme as it stands, does not have components of health and nutrition, Neither does it have any provision for the training of teachers. The following measures will, therefore, be taken with immediate effect:

(i) Adding health and nutrition components;

(ii) Provision for training the personnel;

(iii) supply of educational materials for children;

(iv) Using play way method and discouraging teaching of 3 R's;

(v) System of monitoring to be developed and linked with the renewal of grants.

(C) BALWADIS RUN BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES

There are varieties of patterns in the Balwadis. Each scheme has its own history and background. All programmes of child development implemented through voluntary agencies will have an integrated approach, offering a comprehensive package and avoiding duplication. Where this does not happen, the existing activities will be merged in some comprehensive and integrated programme. Most of the programmes run by voluntary agencies do not have all the components of health, nutrition and education. They need to be converted into total child development centres.

(D) PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF THE STATE GOVERNMENTS AND MUNICIPALITIES

They essentially focus on education. Therefore they require:

(i) Adding components of health and nutrition;

(ii) Discouraging the early introduction of the three R's;

(iii) Using play-way method;

(iv) Developing a relationship between home and community.

(E) DAY CARE CENTRES

The creches and day-care centres being run with CSWK support and otherwise need to be reviewed and strengthened on an immediate

basis. The following requirements will be ensured:

(i) Timing co-terminous with school working hours or mothers' working hours;

(ii) Adequate, safe and hygienic space;

(iii) Adequate child worker ratio;

(iv) Drinking water;

(v) Supplementary nutrition;

(vi) Paramedical care under medical supervision;

(vii) Minimum equipment including linen, cradles;

(viii)Toys and play materials;

(ix) Training and supervision of workers.

10. A further emphasis during Seventh and Eighth Plan will be on experimentation for evolving low cost and context-specific models. The models which are in experimentation stages at the moment would be encouraged and expanded. Appropriate agencies will undertake a survey of such models. Some of the models which are already being experimented and which have much promise are as follows:

(a) Home-Based Model (from conception to 6 years): This model involves developing techniques of stimulation that can be taught to and done by parents or other members of the family to foster child development. It requires (i) training of local women who will play the leadership role in conducting home visits and encouraging family members to conduct stimulation programmes for their children, (ii) development of low cost play materials to be used by the family, (iii) development of audio and video programmes for the mass media for wide implementation, and (iv) creation of a mobile supervisory cadre.

(b) Day Care Centres (From birth to 6 years) : This model is a support service to free older children and working women. Some voluntary organisations are successfully implementing these programmes. Such Day care centres should be established at all construction sites and other work centres where women are employed in substantial numbers. While support for voluntary agencies should be provided on a liberal scale by Government, the expenditure on the centres run on work sites should be the responsibility of the employers.

may or may not be viable. In this model, a suitable woman from the same group is identified as the home care worker, and given the necessary materials, training, supervision, and infrastructural support, including food, to take care of five or six children in her own home. It is envisaged that every cluster of about 10 home-care units would be supervised, guided and supported by a supervisory worker who is competent to give the necessary support.

TRAINING

11. In all models of ECCE programmes, the component of training will be strengthened. Training would include a strong component of field placement under supervision. As the early childhood care and education programmes are bound to expand considerably over the next two decades, corresponding training facilities will be made available for all levels of functionaries. Following would be some of the important parameters for meeting the training requirements:

(i) Initiating a two-year vocational course in ECCE at +2 level with the objective to create basic skills which can later be adopted through job training for specific situations;

(ii) Strengthening the educational content of ICDS' functionaries, training by providing appropriate training inputs, resources, materials etc. and extending it, where possible, to include a component of day care management;

(iii) Taking steps for setting up a higher course in ECCE for senior level functionaries of ICDS, trainers in the various training institutions and the supervisory personnel;

(iv) Creating a system of a accreditation of training institutions dealing with ECCE and review of the existing training programmes; and

(v) Working out appropriate, task specific, flexible models for day care training at field level in rural areas.

12. Media support is essential for conveying to the parents and community the messages of ECCE. It is also necessary for the training of personnel in ECCE. Side by side with the development of meaningful programmes for the adults, attention should be paid to the development of stimulating programmes for children. Concerted efforts will be made by all concerned organisations such as Doordarshan, AIR, NCERT, NIPCCD and other related organisations in developing the software in all major regional languages.

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE & EDUCATION