Reforms in School Education as per NEP 2020
Pre-school Education
10 + 2 structure of the schools are replaced by 5 + 3 + 3 + 4 model covering ages from 3 to18. In this structure a stronger base of early childhood care and education (ECCE) from age 3 is also included which is aimed at promoting better overall learning, development and well being.
Why pre-school education is so important?
To give the answer to this question let's study the different stages of brain development in the early years after the birth of a child. From birth to average 2 years old - is called the sensory motor stage, when the infants learn about the world through their senses and motor abilities and develop an understanding of causality and object performance. From 2 years to 7 years - it is called pre-operational stage. During this stage children develop the ability to use symbols to represent things and they begin to learn language. 7 to 11 years is called concrete operational stage when children begin to develop logical and rational thought and their ability to manipulate their minds to solve problems. 12 years old to adulthood is called the formal operational stage of the brain. This is a stage of cognitive development that involves the ability to think logically and abstractly and to solve problems using hypothetical thinking.
Therefore the early preschool age (3 yrs to 7 yrs, pre operational stage) is important for a child's development because it helps them build a foundation for academic and personal success. Preschoolers brain grow faster in this first five years than at any other time. That's why pre school is so vital. Preschool teachers make learning for preschoolers interesting and they teach things beyond what kids learn at home. Kids get social time too and this lays a strong future foundation. ECE provides a stimulation during this critical early years. It also helps them to develop social skills, language, be independent and a love of learning. The preschool education helps to improve behavioural concerns, children gain self confidence through learning in a playful way, provide children with cognitive skills that can't learn at home. Research shows that children who graduate from preschool have improved academic readiness and have lower incarceration rate and have better academic performance, better self help skills, confidence and autonomy and better attention span. ECE can help children develop life long enthusiasm for reading and learning. High quality ECE programs can narrow the achievement gap.
NEP gives importance to preprimary education
In our country preschool education is a mix of formal schooling and informal learning at home. It includes Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for children up to 6 years old and is divided into 3 stages - 1st stage often called Nursery up to 3 years, 2nd stage Lower Kindergarten or LKg up to 4 years and 3rd stage Upper kindergarten or UKg up to 5 years. But there is a disparity in access to quality preschool education across regions with urban areas having more high quality pre-school than rural areas. The socioeconomic inequalities affect the preschool education from region to region. Government and NGOs are investing in preschool education recognising it's role in shaping the future of the countries. However despite its importance pre primary schooling have largely been neglected in India. The Right to Education act (RTE) 2009 which was the most important act with respect to education in India focused on universalising school for children aged between 6 to 14 years but there was no consorted effort to increase enrollment for children between 3 to 6 years of age except bringing the concept in the form of Anganwadis, suggesting that all children should have some pre primary education before enrolling in the primary grade. The NEP 2020 acknowledges that the quality of ECE is not available to millions of young children in India particularly for the socio-economically disadvantaged groups and calls for strong investment in early childhood care and education (ECCE) initiatives to reduce inquality in access.
Skill development in pre-school days
It will be easier for the preschool teachers to prepare themselves as a monitor and guide for the kids if we first dicuss about the skills to be developed or sharpened in the preschool days. According to NEP 2020 the preschool is considered from 3 years to 8 years of a child.Our main focus will be to make the children ready for the school (school readiness program) especially making them ready for reading, writing, arithmetic and communication.
For ease of the discussion let us break these five years again into 2 divisions, ie for first 3 years and the next 2 years. The first 3 years will be specially designed for preparatory stage and the second part will be utilized for the application of the school readiness program in much more critical manner.
The skills to be developed, improved and strengthened are:-
1. Gross motor skill which involve development of large muscles in the arms, legs and torso and include crawling, jumping, running, climbing, throwing and catching balls and other physical skills like balance, string agility and hand coordination.
2. Fine motor skill where hands and fingers when involved in gripping and pincer gripping. This will help in writing, drawing, grasping small objects. Different craft activities which require children to use markers, work with scissors, sculpt objects and other dexterity focused creative play develops children's fine motor skills which will be necessary for more complex projects as they get older.
3. Social skills preschoolers learn to get along with others through collaborative play and learn how to respect and get along with others which further develops their language skills, self control and overall social skills. Teachers guide children through resolving conflicts that may arise during creative play or structured learning projects.
4. Emotional skills preschoolers learn to understand their feelings and the feelings of others. This entails being able to identify emotions as well as control them and the actions that go along with them.
5. Cognitive skills children learn to think more complexly, solve problems and make decisions.
6. Literacy skills learn about the world around them by asking questions about objects, animals and events. Slowly they develop reading and writing skill. They also develop spatial skill and use the terms like fast and slow, up and down etc.
7. Listening skills a child's total social and academic learning depends on the child's development and listening skills which allow them to follow instructions and comprehend what is being taught to them. Preschool settings encourage activities that help the children develop their listening abilities.
8. Communication skill kids need speaking and use body language to get what they want or ask questions. They also show feelings through communication. Pre school teaches this important skill to express themselves correctly.
9. Enhancing focus duration skill it is challenging for young students to focus and remain still for extended periods. Pre schools provide a controlled and caring setting that helps youngsters develop their attention spans in preparation for the more demanding classroom environment that come next.
10. Mathematical skill Preschoolers who learn to recognise numbers and count objects are better able to understand the application of mathematics in everyday life. This provides the ground work for the increasingly sophisticated mathematical curricula that follow.
11. Problem solving skill This skill is the most important skill for living. Preschool is the best time to start building this talent through play, tasks and hanging out with others.
12. Creative Skill when a child is allowed to express themselves creatively they become more self assured and can view problems from several angles. Engaging in artistic endeavours kids are able to form their distinct identities and serves as a means for caregivers to acknowledge and value each child's individuality. This can be in the form of visual art or performing art.
Formulation of the Preschool Curriculum
Let's first focus on NEP 2020, ECCE program for preschool curriculum. The curriculum is splitted into two sections for children ages 3 - 8 with the focus on fundamental learning for children ages 3 to 6. The curriculum includes basic arts, crafts, humanities, games, sports, fitness, languages, literature, culture and values in addition to science and mathematics. The preschool environment should aim to provide all children free, secure and high quality ambience. A playful pedagogy encourages and emphasizes experiencial and joyful learning. The curriculum of preschool must aim to foster the holistic development of children, encompassing their cognitive, physical, social, emotional and ethical aspects. The another very important aspect while developing the curriculum of preschool is it should be universal and equal for all. It must prioritize equity and inclusivity ensuring equal access and engagement for all children. After all the preschool curriculum should be such that there will be a smooth transition from home to pre primary school and onwards.
Now I am discussing the pre primary school syllabus in details according to the directive of the NCERT.
The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for the Foundational Stage is developed based on the vision of the NEP 2020, and to enable its implementation. The first 8 years of a child's life are truely critical and lay the foundation for lifelong well being and overall growth and development across all dimensions - physical, cognitive and socio-emotional. The pace of brain development in these years is more rapid, over 85% of an individual's brain development occurs by the age of 6, indicating the critical importance of appropriate care and stimulation in a child's early years to promote sustained and healthy brain development and growth. The most current research also demonstrates that children under the age of 8 tend not to follow linear, age based educational trajectories. It is only at about the age of 8 that children begin to converge in their learning trajectories. ECCE is thus generally defined as the care and education of children from birth to eight years.
Up to Age 3 the child should remain at home, the institutional setting starts from age 3 to 8 years which is appropriate for ECCE in institutional environment, 3 - 6 years ECCE programs in Anganwadi/ Balvatika or preschools and 6 to 8 early primary education program in school grades 1and 2.
Guiding principles for the ECCE curriculum based on NEP 2020
1. Every child is capable of learning regardless of the circumstances of birth or background.
2. Each child is different and grows learns and develops at their own pace.
3. Children are natural researchers with great observation of skills. They are constructors of their own learning experiences and express feelings and ideas through different representations.
4. Children are social beings; they learn through observation, imitation and collaboration. Children learn through concrete experiences using their senses and acting upon the environment. 5. Children's experiences and ways of learning must be acknowledged and included. Children learn best when they are respected, valued and fully involved in the learning process.
6. Play and activity are the primary ways of learning and development with continuous opportunities for children to experience, explore and experiment with the environment.
7. Children must engage with material, activities and environments that are developmentaly and culturally appropriate and develop conceptual understanding and problem solving skill.
8. Content should be drawn from the experiences of children. The novelty of the content or its challenges should be based on the familiar experiences of children.
9. Content should be suited to the developmental needs of children and should provide several opportunities for fantasy, story telling, art, music and play.
10. Equity in issues such as gender, caste, class and disability should be emphasized in the content.
11.Teachers should facilitate and mediate the learning of the children. Scaffolding should be provided by asking open ended questions, enabling exploration.
12. Family and community are partners in this process and are to be involved in multiple ways.
13. Care is central to learning. Children at this age naturally perceive familiar adults as caregivers first. Teachers should be sensitive and responsive to the needs and moods of children. Classroom activities must emphasize the emotional aspect of learning (e.g through story telling or art).
Assessment of preschool
According to the NEP 2020 assessment for pre primary students should primarily focused on observational methods and a total record of portfolios and play based activities to evaluate holistic development. Emphasizing skills like social interaction, creativity, critical thinking and motor skills and overall cognitive development rather than traditional testing method to test solely academic knowledge. The main focus should be on formative assessment to provide continuous feedback and support for each child's progress.
Key points about NEP guidelines for pre primary assessment Holistic development :- assessment should not be limited to academic but should consider various aspects like cognitive, social, emotional and physical development, behaviour and interactions during play and daily activities to record their progress about specific instances of a child.
Observation based:- Teachers should observe children's behaviour and interactions during play and daily activities to assess their progress.
Play based learning:- play is used as a primary tool for learning and assessment as it allows children to explore and demonstrate their skills naturally.
Formative assessment:- continuous feedback throughout the learning process is crucial to identify areas of strength and improvement.
No standardised testing:- avoid using traditional tests that might be inappropriate for young children.
Parent involvement:- encourage active parent participation in the assessment process to gain insights into a child's development.
Focus on developmental milestones:- Assess children based on age appropriate developmental milestones rather than comparing them to peers.
Some assessment methods suitable for pre primary students under NEP guidelines
Anecdotal records:- teacher can document observations of children's behaviour and key learning moments.
Checklists:- use checklists to track children's progress on specific skills and developmental areas.
Portfolios:- collect children's work samples, such as drawings, writings and project creations to showcase their development.
Peer assessment:- encourage children to provide constructive feedback to each other in a supportive environment.
