In India, Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is being prioritized through new initiatives. The Union Minister for Women and Child Development recently introduced the government’s flagship program ‘Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi’. This national endeavor focusses on enhancing ECCE at Anganwadis across the country. This central component is a crucial aspect of the Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0), developed under the National Education Policy.
Major Highlights of the Program
The Indian Ministry has invested Rs 600 crore specifically for the coaching of Anganwadi Workers (AWW), ensuring they can implement ECCE in an effective manner. The National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) is tasked with providing this training.
The main goal of the program is to morph Anganwadi Centers from solely nutrition hubs into dual roles of also education-imparting centers. ECCE education will be given priority in the mother tongue, adhering to the principles of the New Education Policy. As part of the “Poshan bhi, Padhai bhi” ECCE initiative, a minimum of two hours of high-quality pre-school instruction will be provided daily.
Understanding Anganwadis
Anganwadi, a type of rural childcare center in India, was established as part of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program. These centers provide basic healthcare, nutrition, and early childhood education for children under six years. Anganwadi literally means “courtyard shelter”. To date, approximately 13.9 lakh operational Anganwadi centres nationwide are providing supplementary nutrition and early care to around 8 crore beneficiary children, establishing it as the largest public provisioning of such services worldwide.
Role and Responsibilities of AWW
AWW are charged with organizing non-formal pre-school activities, designing toys and play equipment of indigenous origin, distributing supplementary nutrition, providing health and nutrition education, counseling breastfeeding mothers, encouraging family planning, collecting birth data, guiding Accredited Social Health Activists, identifying disability among children, and supporting Pulse Polio Immunization (PPI) drives.
Challenges with Anganwadis
Despite its benefits, Anganwadis face several issues, including inadequate infrastructure, shortage of trained staff, low remuneration for workers, limited outreach in marginalized and remote communities, and lack of robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
Recommended Solutions
To address these problems, actions such as fostering community-based learning, promoting nutritional gardening at centers, conducting nutrition-focused cooking demonstrations, and enhancing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are suggested.
Context of Previous UPSC Civil Services Examination
In the previous 2017 UPSC Civil Services Examination, a question was asked about the objectives of the ‘National Nutrition Mission’. The correct answer highlighted that the mission focuses on creating awareness about malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers, and reducing the incidence of anemia among young children, adolescent girls, and women. However, it does not specifically promote the consumption of millets, coarse cereals, unpolished rice, and poultry eggs. This examination question underscores the importance of understanding the various facets and challenges related to early childhood care and education in India.