When Teaching can’t get more Challenging ….. (and Rewarding)

“Those who educate children are more to be honoured than those who produce them” — Aristotle

Teachers are among the most significant formative influencers outside the family circle. Research after research has suggested that good and effective teachers remain the most important influence on pupil achievement.  This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. If anyone were to reminisce their school days and perhaps look back at any important achievement – scholastic or otherwise – am sure they would find the hand of a brilliant teacher/mentor who understood their weaknesses and polished their strengths. Where would we be without our teachers?

                        

Isn’t it therefore ironical that in the current times, finding a good teacher is one of the biggest challenges schools and colleges in the country are undergoing? There are myriad reasons of course,  from the lack of incentives that don’t make it more ‘lucrative’ career option to the reckless number of substandard education institutes coming up including teacher training teacher institutes producing unskilled teachers while also lapping up substandard pool of professionals.

Only weeks ago, the Centre banned creation of new B.Ed colleges due to concerns over dropping standards in such teacher training institutes. 2017 is to be considered a ‘zero year’ where no new institutes will be established but time will be spent on reviewing and auditing existing institutes to improve quality. While asking for quality affidavits only, the Centre has received 7,000 applications while 4000 Bed colleges were issued with show-cause notices. This drastic step might give an indication as to the severity of the problem faced. Then, again, with 8-9 lakh teacher training seats and 13,000 teacher training institutes it is highly unlikely that demand will outstrip supply!  

In our country, teaching has always been considered as a sacred job.  Teaching is not only a skill but an art. Which is what makes teaching ‘teaching,’ difficult. However, aptitude and intent of candidates backed with good curriculum, ample practical assignments and holistic assessment are key for a successful programme. This is more important for ECCE-teaching programmes wherein candidates are not only required to know the theoretical aspects but also the emotional psyche of the student at an age when s/he can’t even speak or not express what they feel in words. Gathering cues and being generally empathetic, juggling myriad work and projects along with giving individualised attention to each child all the while handling and quelling parents’ fears, is not everyone’s cup of tea.

Nothing inspires me more than watching my teachers at work and having the chance to groom them. Quality Teacher training institutes imparting ECCE are the need of the hour for an unregulated sector (ECCE). Providing quality preschool education remains a lifelong aim and hence it was natural for me to take a step further and establish a KITDR (Kangaroo Kids Institute for Teacher Development and Research) in Shastri Nagar, Lokhandwala. This Diploma allows the student teachers to transfer skills from other qualifications and up-skill in the area of early childhood teacher education by applying child development practices to practice, assess child growth and development, using best practices in teaching and learning and hands-on live classroom sessions to develop as professionals. 

It goes without saying that preschools need to move away from  the culture of being 'just Preschool' by being responsible for brain development and outcomes in the 0-8 years of a child's life. Only if management in schools understand this and enforce stringent measures and training mandatory in schools will we raise the bar and like all developed countries be able to leverage the position of a preschool teacher - making an impact in the Kindergarten industry, gradually adding value to the entire education industry.. 

MISSING - the ‘Care’ in Early Childhood Care Education!

Meera, a software engineer and a young mother was distraught when she had met us a year ago. She was at her wit’s end trying to get her child, Kiara (3.5 years) enrolled into a ‘good’ playschool. She had already tried two preschools – one a smaller establishment closer to her locality and another a larger one integrated within a renowned K-12 school, though the traveling time doubled. None worked. One had failed to engage Kiara at a holistic level and the other was a gigantic system which threatened to engulf Kiara’s uniqueness at such a young age. Having met and counselled numerous parents, it definitely wasn’t the first time I had encountered such agony. And a valid one.

Being a mother foremost and an educator, I can empathise and appreciate the concerns parents like Meera have. For a simple reason - it reverberates with the need to provide holistic, inclusive, quality and research-based education especially, Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) programmes, which has been a personal two-decade mission. It is an irony that even though the demand for ECCE has shot up considerably with numerous preschools and K-12 schools sprouting in every corner, parents are still devoid of options when choosing good ECCE programmes which are accessible, affordable, engaging, developmentally-centric and relevant. Most are compelled to compromise at some if not various levels, albeit critical. Many garner admissions in K-12 schools to avoid admission hassles later on without even checking if the school’s ECCE programme is relevant, enriching and suitable for their tots. At others, parents enrol their children in preschools with great infrastructure but poor ‘learning’ outcomes. The glut of poor-quality preschools due to lack of regulations in the sector compounded by lack of awareness among parents about benchmark practices has led to this vacuum. The cost of this oversight is unfortunately being borne by the children.

What defines a good preschool? There are a myriad of factors. However, according to me, it must definitely measure against these key three factors – Focussed and constructive attention to children, Enabling of Holistic growth, and one that facilitates seamless integration of the children into the primary programme. It is critical to ensure that every child is given the requisite attention to develop as per his/her potential and through methods that aren’t standardised. Perhaps opting for a preschool affiliated with a good K-12 school would be the best choice considering the focussed objectives, customised processes, guaranteed admission into the primary section of the affiliated school and ease of operations facilitated by the smaller setup as against a large K-12 school. However, undoubtedly, a well-researched, relevant and developmentally-appropriate curriculum, teacher qualifications and training, and an enabling environment are non-negotiable when it comes to choosing a good preschool.

The government needs to urgently look at setting policies and regulations for the setting up of a preschool while also expanding accessibility and provision of such ECCE programmes to all children. While the NPE (National Policy on Education) 1986 stressed upon the holistic nature of ECCE, and has been successful in bringing ECCE in balwadis through ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services), vast majority of such programmes are running as little primary schools, both in the government and private sector. Such formal didactic methods of teaching three-six year olds can actually prove detrimental to their overall development. A sound ECCE programme is critical for the success of the universal elementary education under the SSA, taken up by the government. Bridging the large gap in terms of skilled teachers, administrators, therapists etc. also need to be pursued doggedly (Read - Bridging the Skilled Resource Gap in ECCE) . In fact, it would do a lot good to have a minister of state for ECCE education, considering the significance, growth and expanse of this sector.

Every society’s abilities and resources are being constantly tried and tested to cope with the needs and development of our young generation. The need to make them future ready in this dynamic, ever-changing 21^st century should be the one guiding factor for our policy makers. Research after research has indicated that neurons and positive brain connections are critical in this age bracket between 0 to 6 years. Neurons that are wired together fire together!  Without a doubt, there is hardly any other surpassing need than the urgent one to invest in our young. NOW.

Bridging the Skilled-Resource-Gap in ECCE

Among the key problems facing the Indian ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education) sector currently is capacity utilisation and an equally critical unavailability of skilled resources. Most ECCE programs, though have spread to smaller towns, villages and urban slums etc., are yet to offer quality curriculums disseminated by skilled resources focusing on the holistic development of the child as against  the myopic standard, cryptic and isolated approach. Even though the government in 2013 had approved the proposal of the National Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) Policy, the focus is mostly on enhancing access and developing a national curriculum framework. Issues of training and developing of a skilled resource pool, critical to drive outcomes, have been side lined.

Unfortunately, it is also widely perceived that not much expertise or technical knowledge is required for the implementation of such programs and hence, the quality of ECCE programs has been adversely impacted.  Training systems are archaic and requisite qualifications are low due to absence of any such mandate by any state government. Undoubtedly, nothing could be more off-the-mark.  Various childcare programs from institutional care, adoption centres, maternal and child health programs, programs for children with special needs require well trained professionals with a sound knowledge regarding child development and requisite skills to work with children.

In the last two decades, issues relating to ECCE have been in focus since government’s adoption of the National Policy on Education (NPE) in 1986 and The Revised Policy Formation (POA) in 1992. In spite of this however, in India, home to the largest number of children in the world at 170 million children (census 2001) between 0-6 years, ECCE remains a privilege for majority of the children. A mere 32% of pre-primary age children are enrolled in such education programs. Even though there has been a marked increase in government-led ECCE programs, the coverage of children under such programs remain dismal. As per ‘ECCE: An Overview (MHRD 2003)’ - a mere 19.6% children between age group 3-6 years were covered under ECCE programs such as ICDS and ECE schemes, crèches and balwadis in the voluntary sector supported by DWCD in 1996-97.  

This is alarming if we were to look at scientific global studies having established that the first 6 to 8 years of a child’s life are most critical for lifelong development due to the rapid pace of development. Absence of a stimulating and enriching environment often irreversibly reduces the possibility of achieving ideal potential. Increased industrialisation, migration, change in traditional family patterns and urbanisation has impacted the quality of child care available. Hence the developing and initiating of quality early child care programs and enhancing inclusiveness is of utmost importance.  

At present most of the programs create their own in-service training for skills for specific programs, also curtailing mobility of workers.  The ability to understand the crux of the content, program and adapt the knowledge garnered and skills to create opportunities for children’s optimum growth and development is most essential though for now, grossly lacking.

In-line with the Modi government’s directive and impetus for advancing vocational training for skill development, recently, TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences), Mumbai, began its ‘school of vocational education programme’. I have had the privilege to connect with likeminded educators and professionals from ECCE and we are dedicatedly attempting to arrive at a dynamic and relevant curriculum framework and are excited with the prospects of the introduction of a first-of-its-kind vocational education programme in ECCE.  While there can’t be a better way than involving school operators and knowledgeable experts from the industry for this magnanimous task of also establishing a strong quality assurance system in place, it is also certain that there needs to be a holistic approach to tackle issues concerning ECCE.

One of the ways of developing and grooming such skilled workers is through concerted efforts to set up training programs while also amplifying policy measures in the sector. Vocational education courses in ECCE backed by relevant policy measures to build on awareness, capacity utilisation, requisite qualifications and guidelines, financial monitoring and evaluation is the need-of-the-hour. It’s time the government works alongside private sector players and encourages skilled, talented and committed professionals to take up the unparalleled goal of shaping the future of our country. We must make it our number one priority to provide quality childcare to ALL our children including the whopping 70% who are currently deprived of this basic right.