Pre-School Education

The Integrated Scheme for School Education envisages the ‘school’ as a continuum from PreSchool to Senior Secondary levels. These would cover preschools referred to by all nomenclatures such as Anganwadi, Balwadi, nursery, preschool, preparatory, pre-school, LKG, UKG, play centres, crèches, Bal Vatikas etc.

1. Section 11 of the RTE Act, 2009 states that “with a view to prepare children above the age of three years for elementary education and to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years, the appropriate government may make necessary arrangements for pre-school education for such children.”

2. Research and experience have repeatedly demonstrated that Early Childhood Development and Education not only increases the progress and achievement of children in primary schools and lay the foundation for future growth, learning and development, but also develop positive attitudes and the desire to learn. Therefore, it becomes imperative to provide quality pre-school experiences to children.

3. The preschool programme may be of upto 2 years duration that is for children of the age group 4-6 years.

4. States and UTs have been asked to examine the possibility of shifting the Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) to the campus of the nearby primary schools located in the habitation of AWCs catchment with a view to improve child preparedness for going to school and to ensure smooth transition from preschool to formal schooling. States and UTs have taken steps to locate the ICDS centers within the school complex (wherever feasible) to ensure smooth transition of children from Pre-school in the Anganwadi Centre to the formal school. Nationally, 41.3 percent of government primary schools have a co-located Anganwadi Centre (UDISE-2015-16). It is important to emphasize that co- location of Anganwadis run under ICDS programme should lead to greater convergence with the school. The school and the Anganwadi should work as part of each other so that co-location of anganwadies in schools does not only remain physical co location. The Principal of the Primary School should look after and help to develop the educational component of the anganwadi centre. S/he should ensure that the teachers of Primary school and the anganwadi workers work in a collaborative manner. The child centered pedagogies should also be extended to early grades i.e. classes 1 and 2. District education officers (DEO) and Child Development Project officers (CDPO) will organize joint meetings of the Principals/headmaster and anganwadi workers/supervisors and work out strategies to bring about convergence at the local level.