The draft National Education Policy (NEP) has a separate chapter on early childhood care and education (ECCE).
This ECCE has said to omit certain factors.
What did the draft NEP omit?
The draft NEP states that the learning process for a child commences immediately at birth.
Higher cognitive function attains peak growth between the ages of 1 and 3, before school education begins.
However, the draft also says that over 85% of a child’s cumulative brain development occurs prior to the age of 6.
Stretching the window of opportunity to 6 years is a mistake because the global focus for optimal brain development is on the first 1,000 days of a person’s life.
How is the foundation laid?
These 1,000 days are when rapid and dramatic changes take place in the brain and fundamental cognitive and interpersonal skills are developed.
Pregnancy and infancy are important periods for the formation of the brain and the foundation for the development of cognitive, motor and socio-emotional skills is laid.
Apart from genetic determinants, environmental determinants play an equally critical role in shaping personality.
What does the draft NEP lack in?
The drafting committee of the NEP should have consulted a paediatrician or developmental neurologist on what needs to be done in the first 1,000 days.
The policy has rightly categorised early childhood education into two parts.
Children below the age of 3 years.
Children aged 3 to 6 years (Anganwadi centres’ target)
The section on ECCE up to 3 years is sketchy and inadequate.
It only mentions health and nutrition services for both mothers and children.
The responsibility to provide psycho-social stimulation for development is left entirely to the parents or family members.
Children below age 3 are not enrolled in the daily services of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) centre/ Anganwadi centre.
How to fill the gap?
This gross design defect in the architecture of the ICDS has existed since its inception.
Policy directions and strategies for, care concept with early stimulation for child development are lacking in the ICDS.
The solution is to have an additional worker in every Anganwadi, who will impart psychosocial stimulation of the child.
This stimulation is useful for the development of the brain through 5 sensory organs of the body.
How does development take place?
The intensity and frequency of flow of the above-mentioned stimulation during early childhood determines the level of intelligence and mental development attained.
The baby’s explorative learning and storage of such inputs into the brain takes place every moment of her early life.
The baby also derives analytical conclusions based on which she develops value systems and character.
What could the parents/caregivers do?
Cleaning the baby, using tactile and pressure stimulation adds to the baby’s understanding of love and care.
The concentration should be given for providing her security, improving her social interaction skills, improving visualisation, improving the auditory areas and other sensory learning.
By the time the child is two or three, she will be asking questions. Stories stretch their imagination.
Policymakers – May have a look at the Chhattisgarh’s experimental project of Fulwari or community-managed crèches, for its replication.
