Curriculum framework for kids in 3-8 yrs group

New Delhi, October 20

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday launched the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for children in the eight age group. Now, children aged three will be brought into the formal schooling system as proposed in the National Education Policy-2020 (NEP).

Four components

• National Curriculum Framework for School Education
• National Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education
• National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education
• National Curriculum Framework for Adult Education

Besides the curriculum for early childhood care and education (ECCE), the first of the four NCFs in the making, Pradhan also launched Balvatikas (pre-primary classes) at Kendriya Vidyalayas. ECCE under the anganwari system, till now, primarily focused on nutrition and health of a child while in the private space the play school system was unregulated.

“The most important aspect of the NEP has been the development of the national curriculum for school education because it is futuristic. Preparing the curriculum for the three to eight age group has been the most critical and challenging task because experts and scientists have proved that 85 per cent of brain development happens by the age of seven or eight,” Pradhan said.

“I am optimistic that the NCERT by next Basant Panchami will bring out syllabus and textbooks and other necessary methodologies,” he added. The NCF-2022 has four sections — the National Curriculum Framework for School Education, the National Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education, the National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education and the National Curriculum Framework for Adult Education.

Research from across the world on education, neuroscience and economics demonstrates that ensuring free, accessible, high-quality early childhood care and education is perhaps the very best investment that any country can make for its future.