The NCF addresses learning gaps both perpetual and those exacerbated by the pandemic
One of the critical components of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is excellence for all, consistent with realising an equitable, inclusive, and plural society as envisaged by our constitution. A robust Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is the only route to achieving this aspiration. The release of the first-ever integrated framework for children between 3-8 years of age, the National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage (NCF), is a historic step.
Over the years, an informal socio-cultural practice of raising children with values and social skills has given way to more formal institution-based care and education for early childhood. The NCF draws its inspiration from the pioneering works of Gijubhai Badheka, Tarabai Modak, Maria Montessori, Friedrich Froebel, and Mahatma Gandhi's ideas of Basic-Education.
The guiding principles of the curriculum framework for the foundational stage include a firm belief in the child’s agency—the perfection within, as Swami Vivekananda emphasised. This belief translates to the ability of the child to learn and excel irrespective of her birth or background. The framework recognises the natural presence of curiosity, exploration and observational skills in young children.
The need for love, respect, trust, value and importance is not only an adult phenomenon. It is evidenced by research that children learn the best when they are fully engaged in an environment of love and acceptance. The use of manipulatives and a rich play store of experience, and exploring materials and activities help develop concepts, understanding and problem-solving in the early stages. The NCF acknowledges that content alien to the child’s experience neither challenges their curiosity nor inspires a love for learning.
The success of early childhood education hinges on how fast we do away with the pedagogy of rote learning and bring in a playbook replete with fantasy building, roleplay, storytelling, art, music, toy-based learning, nature walks, field trips and play. Sensitive and committed caregivers should bring equity and inclusion to provide an opportunity for excellence in each child.
The NEP 2020 and its sequels—the NCF, National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN), Vidya Pravesh and Balvatika—have come out against the backdrop of correcting historical aberrations, redesigning early child education, and addressing the learning gaps both perpetual and those exacerbated by the pandemic.
The significant issue of the role of medium of instruction in early childhood education is dealt with deftly in the NCF released by education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The framework states its curricular goal, “Children develop practical communication skills for day-to-day interactions in two languages.” This mandates that young children develop competency in reading picture books and identifying objects and actions, listening to ‘read alouds’, responding to questions, participating in shared and guided reading, and finally emerging as independent readers of books with text and visuals.
Giving space to languages spoken at home and languages necessary to navigate in a larger universe, a new approach to language education in the NCF aims to optimise learning in all domains, communication skills, both oral and written, and socio-emotional skills during the early years and throughout their lives.
The 360-page document promises updates will continue as the foundational stage NCF merges with the full NCF for School Education. However, to initiate transformations in the ECCE, we need not go further than this complete playbook comprising the principles, curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and role of teachers, parents and community. The NCF promises to the present generation to happily add to what the previous generations have.
The article was first published in Financial Express, https://www.financialexpress.com/education-2/national-curriculum-framework-skill-education/2730107/ , Oct 2022
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