Early Childhood Care & Education at Anganwadi Centres

Chandigarh ।
 
Early Childhood Care & Education at Anganwadi Centres
​​Department of Social Welfare, Women & Child Development organized a Capacity building workshop of Anganwadi Workers for Pre-school Education at Kajheri Anganwadi Centre on 4th July, 2022, the same is attended by 35 Anganwadi Workers. 450 Anganwadi Centres are functional under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) to ensure the learning and holistic development of child. Pre-School Education is one of the vital component is being catered by these centres. Presently, 8004 nos. of Children in age group of 3-6 are attending the Anganwadi Centres excluding for pre-schooling.
​​During COVID, Department of Social Welfare, Women and Child Development, U.T. Chandigarh, started a unique initiative “Smart Anganwadi”, an online pre-school education program for all children enrolled at 450 Anganwadi Centers in collaboration with the NGO “Rocket Learning” to ensure uninterrupted pre-school education to the targeted beneficiaries. Over the last two years, more than 900 no. of Smart Anganwadi Whatsapp groups have been created and approx. 25,000 children in the age group of 3 – 6 years have been connected with online preschool education & learning every day.
​​The children are getting preschool education through Smart Anganwadi Whatsapp groups. The curriculum of NCERT is followed while sharing videos, posters, graphics etc in the said Whatsapp groups on daily basis. Parents are reverting back with the assignments being performed by children. These groups are functional in addition to physical class.
​​For ensuring the pre-school education as per National Education Policy, 2022, all 450 Anganwadi Centres have been mapped with nearby pre primary Govt. schools for providing academic support to the children in age group of 3 - 6years. For this purpose, the Head Masters of School are responsible to provide education services to the children of mapped Anganwadi Centres. The Department of Education is ensuring hand holding of Anganwadi Workers by providing training and orientation workshops and convergence at cluster level through 19 Cluster Resource Coordinators and 85 Early Childhood Care & Education interns.
​​During COVID 26,873 no. of children in the age group of 3-6 years were enrolled at Anganwadi Centres and after successful mapping with nearby pre primary Govt. schools total 18869 no. of children in age group of 3 – 6 years have been enrolled in Govt. and Private Schools for getting formal education. Now, 8004 nos. of Children in age group of 3-6 are getting preschool education at Anganwadi Centres as per the norms of Ministry of Women & Child Development, Govt. of India.