The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) on March 11, 2024, issued a notification regarding the launch of a National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education for Children.
The following has been stated: -
•The National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education for Children covers children of age group Three to Six Years and a National Framework for Early Childhood Stimulation for Children from Birth to Three Years.
•The Ministry of Women and Child Development empowers and supports mothers and their children under six years through Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, together with the Palna and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) Schemes under Mission Shakti.
•The Curriculum is structured to provide a weekly calendar comprising 36 weeks of active learning, 8 weeks of reinforcement, and 4 weeks of initiation, together with 5+1 days of play-based learning in one week, and three blocks of activities in one day. It provides for a combination of activities, including in-center and at-home, indoor and outdoor, child-led and educator-led, etc. Robust assessment tools are provided for tracking progress, tailoring learning, and celebrating each child's unique journey. A special focus has been given to the screening, inclusion, and referrals of Divyang children in every activity. Community engagement has been facilitated through monthly ECCE days and a continuum of home learning activities for each week.
•For children from birth to three years, the National Framework for Early Childhood Stimulation 2024 aims to empower caregivers and Anganwadi Workers for holistic early stimulation, through responsive caregiving and opportunities for early learning, for optimal development of children, both body and brain. It fills conceptual and practical gaps in the understanding of care and stimulation, based on the Nurturing Care Framework.
[Release ID: 2013429]
