NCERT plans national syllabus for preschools

There are five preschool centres of NCERT and they are already working on preparing not only the curriculum, but the material that should be used by the teachers.

NCERT is working on finalising a national curriculum for playschools across the country. Work on preparing the curriculum is under way and is likely to be introduced from 2018-19, officials said.

There is no clear policy yet about preschools and most of them are privately run and have their own curriculum.

“There are five preschool centres of NCERT and they are already working on preparing not only the curriculum, but the material that should be used by the teachers. For instance, to prepare the student for Class 1, many preschools end up promoting rote learning, which is detrimental to the growth of the student,” said a senior NCERT official.

Schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Kendriya and Navodya Vidyalayas follow the curriculum prepared by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

Officials said the material will be prepared for two years as most students study for this period before taking admission in Class 1. The curriculum will also explain how the students should be taught. “The preschool centres are conducting researches on how much should students be taught at such a young age. What impact it has on their overall development and growth and whether techniques should vary for different students. The cognitive and emotional aspects also have to be taken into account,” added the official.

NCERT director Dr Hrushikesh Senapaty said they would come out with the material on teaching methods and techniques too. “We are working on a model framework for preschool education in the country,” he said.

Preschools across the country do not fall under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, which applies to children aged between six and 14 years. A proposal was mooted earlier to bring preschools under the fold of the children’s Right to Education.