Question : National Early Childhood Care and Education Policy

(a) whether the Ministry of Women and Child Development had introduced the National Early Childhood Care and Education Policy to monitor preschool education that is being provided in educational institutions under different names such as play schools, pre-schools, nursery schools etc., if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether any assessment has been conducted in this regard, if so, the details thereof along with the guidelines to regulate pre-school education; and
(c) whether the guidelines cover issues such as teacher-student ratio, curriculum, infrastructure and the age of admission to pre-schools apart from the safety and security aspects and if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) to (C): Early Childhood Care and Education Policy (ECCE) is one of the six free services provided to children in the age group of 3-6 years under Anganwadi Services. Under this, pre-school Education kits are provided to all AWCs and Mini-AWCs @ Rs.5000/- per AWC per annum for meeting the cost of PSE Kit, activity books, training, etc. Under New Education Policy (NEP), 2020, to make the child school ready this Ministry has convergence with Department of School Education & Literacy to promote high quality ECCE as envisaged under NEP 2020.


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