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Panel Discussion: New ECE innovations

EducationWorld January 12 | EducationWorld
Although the Union HRD ministry seems content to remain ignorant, Indias globally-tuned, upwardly mobile middle class has been quick to embrace early childhood education (ECE). Currently there are an estimated 50,000 privately-promoted preschools countrywide, whose aggregate revenue is growing at 35 percent per year. And far beyond discussing the merits and demerits of ECE, promoters and educators in private preschools are anxious to make the ECE experience more enjoyable and meaningful for their students.At EducationWorlds ECE Global Conference 2011, a panel discussion convened to discuss new innovations in ECE and their applicability in preschools in India, drew a full house. Chaired by Sally May Tan (SMT), chief executive (South-east Asia) of Knowledge Universe — the worlds largest proprietory preschools company — the panel convened to discuss ‘New innovations making preschool education more effective included Prajodh Rajan (PR), chief executive of EuroKids International Ltd, Indias largest preschool education company with 29 owned and 783 franchised ECE institutions in 280 urban habitations countrywide; Kavita Sabharwal (KS), an alumna of Harvard Business School and promoter-managing director of Neev Schools Pvt. Ltd, which owns and manages four Neev preschools in Bangalore with an aggregate 450 children mentored by 85 teachers; and Dr. Mithu Alur (MA), founder chairperson of ADAPT (formerly Spastics Society of India), member Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) and pioneer in the field of inclusive education. Excerpts from the 100 minute panel discussion. SMT: Id like to invite Prajodh to start todays conversation with whats on your mind when you talk about innovations in early childhood education. PR: Until recently ECE in India was fragmented and unorganised, with teaching being subject oriented, teacher directed, monotonous, and rote-learning centric. K-12 schools viewed ECE as a downward extension of their primary programme, and transferred many of their primary goals to preschool. This led to some innovation. But most of the recent innovations in ECE have been driven by awareness within Indias fast-expanding middle class of the impor-tance of quality ECE. Parents now appreciate that starting early makes a big difference to future learning. Consequently with professionalisation of ECE in the private sector, theres increased emphasis on child-friendly infrastructure, age-appropriate curriculums and child-centric content. We have moved from instructor-led to facilitator-led teaching. Im no academ-ician but over the past decade Ive seen the advantages of free play and sequential development being integrated into the EuroKids curriculum. I believe the most significant innovation in ECE in India is the emergence of profess-ionally managed preschools. This has helped increase access, and ensured standardisation in infrastructure, content and delivery mechanisms. MA: As highlighted by Dr. Jeremy Williams in his enlightening presentation on latest brain development research, the early years — when 80 percent of intelligence and cognitive abilities develop — are equally critical for children with special needs. In the Convention of the Rights of the Child and Dakar Conference, the importance of inclusive education took centre-stage. In fact the Right to Education Act, 2009 mandates inclusion of children between six-14 years with disabilities in mainstream schools
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