Role of Anganwadis in early childhood care
Description
Role of Anganwadis in early childhood care and education
Children in the age group 0-6 years constitute around 158 million of the population of India (2011 Census). These Children are the future human resource of the country. Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing various schemes for welfare, development and protection of children.
One of such flagship scheme is the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme also known as Anganwadi Services.
About Anganwadi Centres
• Anganwadi is a type of rural child care centre in India. They were started by the Indian government in 1975 as part of the Integrated Child Development Services program to combat child hunger and malnutrition. Anganwadi means "courtyard shelter" in Indian languages.
• A typical Anganwadi centre provides basic health care in Indian villages. It is a part of the Indian public health care system.
• Basic health care activities include contraceptive counseling and supply, nutrition education and supplementation, as well as pre-school activities. The centres may be used as depots for oral rehydration salts, basic medicines and contraceptives.
• These centres provide supplementary nutrition, non-formal pre-school education, nutrition and health education, immunization, health check-up and referral services of which later three services are provided in convergence with public health systems.
Role of Anganwadis in early childhood care and education
The National Education Policy, 2020 has rightly highlighted the importance of early childhood care and education (ECCE), vital for the young child’s early cognitive, social, and emotional development.
However, the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) finds only 13.6 per cent of children enrolled in pre-primary schools. Therefore, the nearly 1.4 million anganwadis of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) across India must provide ECCE for the millions of young children in low-income households.
Admittedly, with its overriding focus on health and nutrition, ECCE has hitherto been the weakest link of the anganwadi system. Multiple administrative duties have left anganwadi workers with little time for ECCE.
The existing system at best serves the age group of 3-6 years, ignoring infants and toddlers. Nevertheless, a child’s early learning begins at birth, initially through stimulation, play, interactions, non-verbal and verbal communication, and gradually through observation and cues from the immediate environment and increasingly structured activities. Unfortunately, due to a lack of parental awareness compounded by the daily stresses of poverty, disadvantaged households are unable to provide an early learning environment.
Many low-income families have begun to send their children to low-cost pre-schools. However, these mostly have a developmentally inappropriate teaching approach.
Hence, a meaningful ECCE programme in anganwadis is not only a more intelligent and cost-effective strategy but is also feasible to implement through seven concerted actions
Steps needed
• First, to design and put in place a meaningful activity-based ECCE framework that recognises the ground realities with autonomy to reflect the local context and setting.
• Second, routine tasks of anganwadi workers can be reduced and non-ICDS work, such as surveys, removed altogether. Many anganwadi helpers have studied upto matriculation. With training and an additional incentive, helpers can be redesignated as childcare workers and handle routine work.
• Third, anganwadi hours can be extended by at least three hours by providing staff with an increase in their present remuneration, with the additional time devoted for ECCE. Karnataka has already taken the lead; its anganwadis work from 9.30 am to 4 pm. This will have the added benefit of serving as partial daycare, enabling poor mothers to earn a livelihood.
• Fourth, ICDS needs a change in policy mindset, both at central and state levels, by prioritising and monitoring ECCE. This will additionally require all ICDS functionaries to be fully trained in ECCE, including assessment through group activities and child observation.
• Fifth, anganwadi workers must be re-oriented to closely engage with parents, as they play a crucial role in the cognitive development of young children. Responsive parenting requires both parents to play an active role in ECCE activities at home; therefore, anganwadi workers should be asked to consciously engage with fathers too. Appropriate messaging and low-cost affordable teaching materials can be designed and made accessible to parents.
• Sixth, ICDS must supply age-appropriate activity-based play material in adequate quantities regularly, and anganwadi workers encouraged to utilise them in a liberal manner.
• Finally, states should invest in research and training to support early childhood education, and ensure that the ECCE programme is not a downward extension of school education.
