The social awareness campaigns need to be undertaken in order to promote and raise awareness for pre-school education,” Anil Swarup, secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development said at an ASSOCHAM interactive session held recently in New Delhi.
“Right now, the age for pre-school level is not defined. The child psychology should be made compulsory in all teachers training programmes. The training of teachers needs to include special emphasis on handling pre-school students. The standards need to be set, to institutionalise the appropriate certifications for teachers,” Swarup said while addressing industry interactive session on Participation of Private Industry Players with Government in pre-school education.
ASSOCHAM has run a national campaign called Pehle Preschool to promote and raise awareness for the need of formal pre-schooling in India. Swarup emphasised that the sole aim of the education policy should be to provide quality education to children. While the newer ideas are welcome, they should be practical and workable at the ground level.
A special curriculum had been developed by NCERT which was being refined and the necessary facilities and equipment were being decided to ensure children receive the much needed pre-school education that prepares them for further learning when they reach Class I.