Govt. plans to link 11 lakh anganwadis with schools , Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Union government issued guidelines on Wednesday to co-locate nearly 11 lakh anganwadis within primary school premises.
• Approximately 2.9 lakh anganwadis have already been co-located with nearby schools, out of 14 lakh anganwadis and 9.16 lakh schools with Class 1.
• The guidelines were jointly issued by the Ministries of Education and Women and Child Development.
• The Union government has introduced a curriculum named ‘Aadharshila’ for children aged three to six years.

Detailed Insights:

• The initiative aims to ensure a seamless transition for children from early childhood education at anganwadis to formal schooling in Class 1.
• The co-location facilitates convergence between anganwadi staff and school teachers, promoting joint activities and curriculum alignment.
• The guidelines offer States and Union Territories a framework to enhance their co-location procedures and data reconciliation.
• APAAR IDs, currently for school children from Class 1, may be extended to children aged three to six in anganwadis for easier tracking.
• The Ministry of Education is discussing with UIDAI to link civil registration and Aadhar databases for children from birth.
• Mapping anganwadis to the nearest schools ensures that children from lower-income groups have access to pre-primary education.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Anganwadi: Rural child care centers providing basic health care and education.
• Aadharshila: A curriculum for children aged three to six years.
• APAAR ID: Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry ID for school children.