NEW DELHI: A webinar on Early Childhood Care and Educationwas organized by Ministry of Education under ShikshakParv initiative to highlight the salient features of the New Education Policy (NEP 2020) today. Ministry of Education organised ShikshakParv from 8th September- 25th September, 2020 to felicitate the Teachers and to take New Education Policy 2020 forward.
The session on ECCE was moderated by Dr RomilaSoni, Associate Professor, NCERT. Dr. VenitaKaul, Ambedkar University, Prof. SunitiSanwal, NCERT and ShriMotilalKoirala, Principal, Govt Sr. Sec School, Kewzing, South district Sikkim eminent speakers .
Prof. Suniti initiated the discussion by explaining the recommendations of the National Education Policy 2020 with regard to ECCE. Continuing the talk, she spoke about the importance of nutrition in the early years of life right from the conception till the age of 2 years of child. She further elaborated the relationship between nutrition, health and learning. The rapid development of the child in early 2 years of life was also explained at length. The speaker further emphasized that research studies show that in a child’s early years of life, nutrition is significantly linked to their health and academic performance in later years.
Kaul explained the focal areas for Implementation of NEP and further emphasized that developing socialising skills among children is important in addition to the development of academic skills at early stages. Advocacy at community level and parental role was highly emphasized in delivering quality ECCE. The importance of developmentally appropriate content and pedagogy was highlighted by the speaker through examples of joyful, play-based and interest based activities for children. Dr. Kaul appreciated the NEP 2020 stating that the upward extension of curriculum would be highly impactful for the smooth transition of children from pre-school to grade 1.
ShriMotilalKoirala, Principal, Govt Sr. Sec School, Kewzing, South district of Sikkim, shared the innovations and activities under ECCE such as child Yoga to keep children active, fit and ready for learning. Sh. Koirala further informed that the children are provided toys, play equipments, books and print rich classrooms in the school so that children indulge into learning activities in a playful manner. He further emphasized that these activities would help in attracting the children to the school thereby increasing the enrolment.
In his concluding remarks Dr. Senapaty summarised the session’s proceedings and elaborated that the New Education Policy 2020 would help in enriching Indian culture that reflects the values to be inculcated from the stage of ECCE.