NATIONAL CURRICULUM FOR
EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION 2024 - GOVERNANCE
News: centre releases curriculum
framework for three to six-year-olds
what's in the news?
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the ministry of women and child development (mwcd) has released the national
curriculum for early childhood care and education 2024 titled ‘aadharshila’.
key takeaways:
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india has 14
lakh anganwadis spread across villages, serving as key centers for health
and nutrition support for pregnant mothers and children.
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the ministry of women and child development (mwcd),
in collaboration with the ministry of education, aims to transform these anganwadis into preschools.
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they envision anganwadis to provide both health services and basic education to
children.
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this shift aims to strengthen children’s foundational literacy and numeracy skills from an early age.
aadharshila:
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the aadharshila curriculum is released by the
ministry of women and child development (mwcd).
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this curriculum aligns with the national education
policy 2020 and the national curriculum framework.
objective:
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it aims to boost basic reading and math skills for three to six-year-old children in anganwadis.
important takeaways:
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it is a detailed 48-week curriculum of learning over three years.
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the framework covers various domains, including cognitive, physical, social, and
emotional development.
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these competencies prepare children for a smooth transition into grade 1.
curriculum framework
development by:
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the framework is crafted by an internal committee
representing various government departments, educational institutions, and
civil society organizations.
key components of
aadharshila:
1. weekly play calendar
- a structured approach:
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first four weeks: the curriculum includes a weekly plan for play
activities, starting with four weeks focused on academic activities to help
children transition from home to the anganwadi center.
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next 36 weeks: the next 36 weeks prioritize exploration and free
play, along with conversations, creative activities like storytelling and art,
and reflecting on experiences.
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storytelling themes cover important lessons like
conflict resolution, responsibility, and cooperation.
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last eight weeks: the last eight weeks are spent in recap and
reinforcing the learnings of previous weeks with worksheets and observation of
kid’s performance.
2. learning content:
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children learn about colors, shapes, numbers,
senses, body parts, family dynamics, and social interactions.
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they practice listening, following instructions,
basic counting, and recognizing sounds.
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themes also include seasonal changes, festivals,
and food.
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recap and reinforcement.
3. revision of previous
lesson:
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the final eight weeks focus on revisiting previous
lessons through worksheets and observing children’s progress.
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tailored age group activities - activities and
schedules are tailored to different age groups, with detailed instructions,
materials lists, and goals to guide teachers.
4. promoting development
- building essential skills:
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the curriculum aids in developing listening skills,
vocabulary, imagination, storytelling, following directions, creativity, and
social skills.
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it nurtures self-expression and self-esteem, laying
a strong foundation for transitioning to grade 1.
5. supporting state
solutions:
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the national framework for children aged three to
six will guide states in creating their own suitable curriculums.
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this approach addresses later school challenges by
offering tailored solutions.
6. integration with
training programs:
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the ‘poshan
bhi, padhai bhi’ scheme initiated training for anganwadi workers in early
childhood education last year.
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now, this curriculum will be integrated into
ongoing training sessions, helping anganwadi workers transition into preschool
instructors.
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currently, 6,758 state-level master trainers from
329 districts across 32 states have undergone training under the ‘poshan bhi,
padhai bhi’ program.
7. inclusive:
● a special focus has been given for the screening, inclusion, and referrals of divyang children in every activity.