NATIONAL FRAMEWORK OF
EARLY CHILDHOOD STIMULATION, 2024 - GOVERNANCE
News: Activity-based curriculum
drawn up for anganwadis
What's in the news?
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A child’s learning begins at month zero, emphasises
the National Framework of Early Childhood Stimulation 2024, which lays down
month-by-month activities to be conducted by parents, anganwadi staff and ASHA
workers for children from birth to the age of three.
Key takeaways:
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The framework document has been finalised by an internal committee comprising
representatives from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Department of School Education and
Literacy, the Ministry of Education, the National Council of Educational
Research and Training, the Institute of Home Economics, the Delhi University
and civil society organisations.
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Titled ‘Navchetana’,
the activity-based curriculum follows the National Education Policy 2020 that
calls for a continuum of learning.
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Staff in 14 lakh anganwadis will be given training on the curriculum.
National Framework of
Early Childhood Stimulation 2024:
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The National Framework for Early Childhood
Stimulation 2024 is a comprehensive guide for caregivers and Anganwadi workers
to promote optimal development in
children during the crucial early years.
Aim:
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To empower caregivers and Anganwadi workers through
‘responsive caregiving’ and ‘providing opportunities’ for early
learning for children from birth up to the age of three.
Objective:
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To be a developmental pathway that comprehensively
covers early childhood stimulation throughout the vulnerable period of time that includes the first three years of
life.
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To prevent the child from experiencing the
inadequate care and stimulation, which in turn may hamper the development of
their cognitive, socio-emotional, language, motor, and creative skills.
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To put forward the framework is to conduct the
caregivers and Anganwadi centre workers to provide individual care and chances
of cognitive development, reaching to the best of child development.
Focus:
The framework focuses on two key components such as
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Supportive childcare
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Making education implementation for the little
children.
Key Features:
The framework provides a combination of activities, including:
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In-centre and at-home activities
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Indoor and outdoor activities
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Child-led and educator-led activities
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Robust assessment tools to track child development
Age Range:
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The framework is designed for children from birth
to three years, with activities tailored to specific age groups: 0-6 months, 7-12 months, 13-18 months, 19-24
months, and 25-36 months.
Activities:
The framework lists 36 month-wise activities which can be conducted at the
home as well in the Anganwadi centres or creches. Activities include:
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Sensory play
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Music and movement
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Storytelling
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Play with toys and objects
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Outdoor play
Implementation:
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The provisions of the framework, including weekly
activity schedules, home visit guidance, assessment tools for tracking child
development, etc., will be included in the Poshan
Tracker mobile application.
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This will facilitate easy access and implementation
of the framework by caregivers and
Anganwadi workers.
Navchetana Curriculum:
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Early childhood is a crucial phase where the
foundation for a child’s lifelong learning, behaviour, and health is laid.
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Recognizing this, the National Framework of Early
Childhood Stimulation 2024 introduces the Navchetana Curriculum, a comprehensive approach to support
children’s development from birth to the age of three.
Adapting to Individual
Needs: