(a) whether the Government has taken note that a number of play schools are mushrooming in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has taken any initiative to regulate the operation of play schools in various parts of the country, especially in view of the increasing incidents of atrocities against young children; and
(c) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(Dr.VIRENDRA KUMAR)
(a) No Madam, this Ministry is not maintaining any data on play schools functioning in the country.
(b) & (c): The Government of India has laid down a National Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) Policy, 2013 and its salient features are as under:
i. Access with equity and inclusion in programmes and interventions across service providers;
ii. Improving quality, Strengthening Capacity, Monitoring and Supervision;
iii. Research and Documentation;
iv. Advocacy and awareness generation;
v. Convergence and Coordination among policies and programmes;
vi. Institutional and Implementation Arrangements;
vii. Partnerships, Periodic Review and Increased investment towards ECCE.
The objectives of the ECCE Policy, 2013 are:
i. Facilitate comprehensive childcare supports, infrastructure and services aimed at holistic well-being of children and responsive to their developmental needs alongwith the continuum of care from conception to age of six years.
ii. Universalise and reinforce ECCE and ensure adaptive strategies for inclusion of all children with specific attention to vulnerable children.
iii. Engage capable human resources and build their capacity to enhance and develop quality services for children and their families.
iv. Set out the quality standards and curriculum framework for ECCE provisions and ensure their application and practice through advocacy and enforcement through appropriate institutional arrangements.
v. Raise awareness and create common understanding about the significance of ECCE and promote strong partnerships with communities and families in order to improve the quality of life of young children through institutional and programmatic means and appropriate use of technology as required.
vi. Recognise diversity of contexts, develop and promote culturally appropriate strategies and materials and work within the framework of decentralized governance using participating and locally responsive approaches.
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