Aadharshila: National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education 2024

Context

The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has released the National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education 2024 titled ‘Aadharshila’.

Centre Releases Curriculum Framework for 3 to 6-Year-Olds

• India has 14 lakh anganwadis spread across villages, serving as key centers for health and nutrition support for pregnant mothers and children.
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, aims to transform these anganwadis into preschools.
• They envision anganwadis to provide both  health services and basic education to children.
  • This shift aims to strengthen children’s foundational literacy and numeracy skills from an early age.

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About Aadharshila

• Aadharshila curriculum is released by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD).
• This curriculum aligns with the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework.
• Objective: It aims to boost basic reading and math skills for three to six-year-old children in anganwadis.
• It is a detailed 48-week curriculum of learning over three years.
• The framework covers various domains, including cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development.

Curriculum Framework Development By:

• The framework is crafted by an internal committee representing various government departments, educational institutions, and civil society organizations.

Key Components of Aadharshila

• Weekly Play Calendar: A Structured Approach

  • Four Weeks: The curriculum includes a weekly plan for play activities, starting with four weeks focused on academic activities to help children transition from home to the anganwadi center.
  • 36 Weeks: The next 36 weeks prioritize exploration and free play, along with conversations, creative activities like storytelling and art, and reflecting on experiences.
    • Storytelling themes cover important lessons like conflict resolution, responsibility, and cooperation.

• Learning Content: 

  • Children learn about colors, shapes, numbers, senses, body parts, family dynamics, and social interactions.
  • They practice listening, following instructions, basic counting, and recognizing sounds.
  • Themes also include seasonal changes, festivals, and food.

• Recap and Reinforcement: 

  • Revision of  previous lesson: The final eight weeks focus on revisiting previous lessons through worksheets and observing children’s progress.
  • Tailored age group Activities:  Activities and schedules are tailored to different age groups, with detailed instructions, materials lists, and goals to guide teachers.

• Promoting Development: Building Essential Skills:

  • The curriculum aids in developing listening skills, vocabulary, imagination, storytelling, following directions, creativity, and social skills.
  • It nurtures self-expression and self-esteem, laying a strong foundation for transitioning to Grade 1.

National Framework for Preschool Education: Empowering States

• Supporting State Solutions:

  • The national framework for children aged three to six will guide states in creating their own suitable curriculums.
  • This approach addresses later school challenges by offering tailored solutions.

• Importance of Structured Guidance:

  • Before, states without a curriculum treated preschool as an extension of primary education, mainly focused on reading and writing.

• • It provides specific guidance on activities and organization to ensure effective preschool learning.

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• Integration with Training Programs:

  • The ‘Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi’ scheme initiated training for anganwadi workers in early childhood education last year.
  • Now, this curriculum will be integrated into ongoing training sessions, helping anganwadi workers transition into preschool instructors.
    • Currently, 6,758 state-level master trainers from 329 districts across 32 states have undergone training under the ‘Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi’ program.

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