The domain of early childhood care and education sets the tone for a country’s sustainable development. Indeed, the notion of ‘Children are the future’ attaches a literal meaning to this context. The first eight years are crucial for every child with their fundamental contribution to cognitive, psychomotor, social and emotional development within them and thus, forms an integral part of their journey to adulthood.
The focus on the early childhood education in India though no longer a subject of negligence but it sure needs more vigorous attention. It is a proven fact, with proper utilization of specific techniques and strategies young learners tend to respond best which helps them stimulate their developmental progress – the aim is to do it the right way.
India is certainly still coping with several struggles in early childhood care and education to reach every corner of the country – to make it standardized and uniform.
5 Challenges of Early Childhood Education Faced by India in Today’s Date!
The Struggle of Defining the Standard
India is a multilingual country for its diversity in culture. So, we get that, standardizing the curriculum is not an easy task! However, assuring standards is the only way to ensure a progressive outlook. Though some of the private institutions are managing to maintain their standards on the ground such as safety, hygiene, nutrition and well-being it is not enough when we talk about the collective. Bodies like Balwadi and Anganwadi that are run by the government/NGO for economically weaker sections are now in need to form quality standards towards establishing uniformity.
Teachers Lacking in Modernized Training
What are those two most important qualities needed to support preschoolers!
It is Compassion and Creativity. Though the job of a preschool teacher seems lucrative in the beginning, an early childhood educator needs to be skillful and resourceful with a lot of enthusiasm to meet the expectation of the job role. A teacher needs to be aware of why certain activities are important for young learners and how they help in their developmental process. For example, why warmers are essential prior to start the lesson! Many preschool teachers are yet to overcome the traditional method to ingrain multifaceted qualities within themselves to provide younger ones quality teaching. More so, our educational industry is constantly growing and so teachers too need to be up-to-date well prepared and be acquainted with the latest techniques and skills to approach preschoolers.
A lot of this is also depended on the institution on how they set their bar while hiring and how much they are willing to invest in training programs for their in-house teachers.
To Grade or not to Grade!
We all agree that assessment is an integral part of education. However, Preschoolers are in their formative stage and it makes more sense to support them in their cognitive, motor, language and social development instead of pushing them with a simple grading system. There is a lot of on-going speculation considering how assessment should look like for ECE.
We cannot deny that assessment is intrinsic to guide preschoolers. But in terms of defining the criteria, it still requires new perspective as to what our objectives truly are! And we certainly must support each individual to improve their skill to their best interest.
Watch the video on why assessment is essential!
We as Ignorant Parents
Parents need to be conscious of the whole system and be thoughtful to not just be aware but to understand why their children need early childhood care and education. Truth be told, many of the parents are yet to come to their senses to make an informed decision as this is not just sending their child to a school to follow the society or to follow the crowd. More than just a stepping stone for primary school, the role ECE is to build developmental skills that facilitate life skill that is fundamental to every child’s growth.
Lack of Awareness
Despite the existence of government initiatives, ECE is still a program that educated parents offer to their children. There lies a big question about the rest of the country. Until we are able to reach every house, the collective growth is lost in the loop. As UNISEF reports an irregularity in the number of preschoolers and those who actually enroll for early childhood education, the government sure has a more role to play in this perspective.
By looking at the reality, early childhood care and education is in dire need of thought –provoking action. Yes, there are a lot of reforms that require larger bodies to pay attention in the arena but what can we do and how can we contribute is something to think about!
These mutually shared challenges are surely affecting the later stage of our children’s growth. Early childhood education in India is undoubtedly a need of the hour!
Written By : Soma
