Question : Regulation of Pre-School Education

(a) whether the Government had introduced the National Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Policy to monitor pre-school education in the country and if so, the salient features thereof;
(b) whether the Government has taken note of recent incidents of sexual and physical abuse of children reported in play schools in various parts of the country and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes a policy framework to introduce guidelines to regulate the standards in pre/play schools being run by Anganwadi centres as well as private sector/agencies and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the proposed guidelines will cover issues such as teacher-student ratio, curriculum, infrastructure and the age of admission to pre-schools apart from safety and security aspects and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the time by which such guidelines are likely to be introduced and implemented?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD EVELOPMENT
(SMT KRISHNA RAJ)

(a) Yes, Madam. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has notified the National Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Policy to monitor pre-school education in the country. The salient features/ key areas of the Policy are as below:

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
(b) Yes, Madam. The Government has taken note of three recent incidents of sexual and physical abuse of children at Play School/ Day Care Centre i.e. (i) Private Day Care Centre at Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra; (ii) as reported in Amar Ujala, Delhi on 19.09.2016; and (iii) as reported in ‘The Times of India’, Delhi on 30.09.2016. In all the three cases the investigations have been completed and the accused have been arrested.
(c) to (e) The Government has developed regulatory framework for ECCE Curriculum and Quality Standards and circulated to the States/UTs on 23.01.2014. The framework includes detailed guidelines and non-negotiable quality standards and specifications to regulate the standards in pre/play schools, which are mandatory for all public, private and non-governmental ECCE service providers. The guidelines, inter alia include issues such as building and infrastructure; safety and security aspects; pupil-teacher interaction; caregiver: child ratio; learning experiences planned for children; health, nutrition and protection measures; qualification and professional development of staff; parent and community involvement and organisation and management of the ECCE provision.

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