Gist Of Yojana | February 2022: National Education Policy 2020 | Chapter 10: Teach Them Young For UPSC IAS Current Affairs Preparation

Table of Contents

Context

The emerging socio-economic environment in India is driving the need for standardization of quality Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).

Gist of Yojana Magazine For UPSC IAS Current Affairs Preparation

ECE in India started with the Kothari Commission Report of 1965-66.
It continued with the Right to Education Act of 2009, which did not recognise education as a fundamental right for children between three to six years.
In contrast, the NEP 2020 envisages a five-year foundational stage of education: Three years of ECE and the first two years of primary school.

The NEP identifies that over 85 percent of a child’s brain develops by the age of 6 and emphasizes providing critical importance to appropriate care and stimulation of the brain in a child’s early years for healthy brain development and growth.
It states that it is, therefore, of utmost importance that every child has access to quality early childhood care and education (ECCE).

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ECCE is being given formal recognition through NEP 2020 policy but no move has been made to modify the RTE act and include ECCE as a fundamental right.
ECCE implementation framework envisaged centralizing tendencies of the policy. A national-level curricular and pedagogical framework cannot be uniformly implemented as a ‘one size fits all’ strict framework to be followed.
The empowerment of Anganwadi workers/teachers is a neglected area that is in need of much attention and reform.
The policy does not provide a very satisfactory or hopeful roadmap for the empowerment of these workers/teachers that can play a major role in ECCE.

Gist of Yojana Magazine For UPSC IAS Current Affairs Preparation

Flexible Learning gives learners the freedom and choice to learn according to their intelligence, aptitude, talents, and interests and to learn at their own pace.
Multifaceted learning means going beyond the traditional focus on developing 21st-century skills – the 5Cs: communication skills, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and character building.
Play-based learning – makes learning a fun, pleasurable and collaborative experience.
Activity-based learning – ensures active engagement of learners with concepts and instructional materials.
Discovery-based learning – encourages learners to inquire into new concepts by building upon their prior knowledge and experiences.

Literacy development is a continuous process and is an important aspect of children’s development.