Cleanliness and G(o)odliness!

A recent international study by Rice University has established a well-known truth. It states that the feelings of disgust associated with an unclean work space might give rise to unethical behaviour. In other words, ethical behaviour can be promoted by keeping the immediate environment clean!

While this further gives an impetus to the much-touted Narendra Modi’s ‘Swacch Bharat Abiyan’, it just reaffirms what traditional sciences like FengShui, Vastu Shastra have delved on since ages - the importance of clearing of clutter to attract good energy.  

If one were to pick up the newspaper and look at most issues which are critical, these rule at any given point – vector-borne illnesses and deaths, garbage disposal and sanitation issues,  health of citizens, social issues like poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, malnutrition. It is tough to overlook the connection between apathy towards the environment and corresponding impact on its surrounding.

While under the Cleanliness Drive initiated by the Prime Minister, many municipal schools and societies across are taking the broom, hardly any program sustains in the long run without a holistic approach. Here the issue, apart from cleaning up mess is to stop generating mess.

Perception plays a key role in changing of behaviour and in turn habits. When a three-year-old sees his/her father or mother littering, or observes cleaning the house is the maid's cross to bear, How many such adults are going to own up to the mess accumulated outside one’s house? Much of this is due to apathy and ignorance.

It’s time the government started environmental education in schools and preschools. There needs to be a separate subject dealing in environmental education and separate project. Let alone need-of-the-hour initiatives as garbage recycling, garbage segregation, water conservation which goes a long way in preserving the environment, we need to sensitise people about the effects of inappropriate disposal of waste.  

Throughout the regular cleanliness drives we take, the most crucial ones forming the base, is the environmental awareness we induce in our tots. You will be surprised to know how receptive and conscientious a toddler can be. We have had parents share with us how their three-four year olds patronise them for a minor oversight – leaving the tap open while brushing teeth or throwing a wrapper out of the car or spitting gum on the road.  These young children serve as the best mirrors to the parents. Reflecting truth, not deflecting it. 

It is habits that form a society and also define it.  It’s hardly any rocket science that no good can come out of unhygienic, filthy and mauled environments. Neither a human being nor an animal deserves to dwell in such spaces.  

Cleanliness is G(o)odliness. 

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.

Each One Lead ‘OWN’

India is still reeling under its euphoria of bestowing a unified mandate for the formation of a new government – an event that received unparalleled attention, nationally and internationally. With the earlier United Progressive Alliance party having failed to deliver on various critical counts during its decade of uninterrupted rule, it wasn’t surprising that a change in government was in tow. Essentially, the country voted for the promise of ‘development’, their right to be seen, heard, be participants of growth rather than witness it from side lines. The promise for a better tomorrow heralding inclusive development – for each Indian to live among educated, literate, healthy and empowered societies – has been an elusive one since the Constitution was framed in 1950.

While the past few decades have witnessed India grow tremendously backed by rapid industrialisation, strong service sector and growth of agro-based industries, we still have a long way to go. There are belts still perishing due to malnutrition, hunger, sickness. It is about time we had a makeover to transform what drags down inclusive growth – illiteracy and lack of quality education, poor access to quality and affordable healthcare and dearth of employment opportunities. While the genesis and reasons these intertwined issues continue to plague us are myriad and merits a separate debate, the question arises is this - how much of a difference can  leadership account for?

In my experience as an educator, a principal, I have realised the importance of inclusive leadership, which I believe is especially relevant in environments that contain diverse communities. For e.g. the running of a successful school is critically aided by the vision of the management and refined and executed by the principal. However, it is equally important to have every stakeholder from the student, teachers, parents and management involved. It then is a joint responsibility to lead from at whatever level possible – to optimise resources, manage and cultivate talent, engage communities. 

One of the key takeaways from these elections is the people’s belief of the change a strong, dynamic and decisive ‘leader’ (‘from and of the masses’) Narendra Modi would do. While history is replete with examples where the greatest revolutions and changes were first conceived, visualised and driven by an involved and genius of a leader, it is equally evident that the vision will not be set in motion without the ‘cogs in the wheel’ place – here, the citizens in a democracy  – the you and me.

The entire nation had been rooting for a particular politician to come into power, believing that he is the panacea of most of the troubles that plague us – that he will be able to get our child in that preferred school, or let us take a guilt-free overseas trip, or gift our retired parents a chauffeur driven car, or get the prices of the vegetables down or help us spend more time with our family or stop corruption or help us get that promotion. It is in human nature – to seek externally for inspirations or for belief – religion has taught us that! It is ok and humane to be optimistic, to be hopeful, to want to be led, to be participants, to worship, to follow. However, it is equally important to lead, to take initiatives, to learn and educate, to ask questions rather than just seek solutions, to be without biases and hence have an inclusive mindset, to be civil, be vigilant, to speak up – to grow together.

When each one of us takes the responsibility of leading one’s course of actions with the goals of an ideal India as a backdrop is when the winds of change will begin swinging in our direction and elevate us – ALL of us.  For e.g. instead of only complaining about filthy streets or buildings, what if we stopped littering and cleaned our surroundings; instead of just asking what ministers could do for protecting women, how about believing in our daughters and teach them to defend themselves, stand up for themselves and teach our sons to respect a woman – by respecting their mothers; stand up when miscreants break law and harm someone else’s child…there are so many scenarios wherein we are in-charge, leading, perceived as leaders. 

While these are the tenets of what true education should aspire to inculcate within any learner, that we are still placing maximum obligation of being a change agent on just one man is perhaps the most unsettling observation through this election story. Clearly, we have yet to learn our lessons! It is only when we realise the importance of the role each one of us plays to make India the largest, DEVELOPED democracy, will we be able to really live in one. The importance of empowering ourselves and the people around us by being individual agents, leading change across the most basic realms, is a powerful lesson for us including our children. Surely, we must know that just one man cannot change a billion destinies while a billion choose to watch and believe that ‘good days are coming’!