Union Government released new guidelines to facilitate the co-location of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) with primary schools, aiming to ensure a seamless transition from early childhood care to formal education in Class 1. The move aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes foundational learning and holistic child development.
Key Highlights
Issued by:
- Ministry of Education (MoE)
- Ministry of Women & Child Development (MoWCD)
Current Status:
- 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) in India.
- 9.16 lakh schools with Class 1.
- 2.9 lakh AWCs already co-located with schools.
- Target: 11 lakh AWCs to be co-located.
Objective:
- Smooth transition from pre-school (0–6 yrs) to primary school.
- Improve health, nutrition, and early learning outcomes.
- Increase retention in schools.
- Strengthen community participation.
Digital Push:
- Nearly 2 lakh schools to be connected with broadband within 3 years.
- Integration with NIPUN Bharat & Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi initiatives.
Convergence Guidelines
- Before this, there were no synergy guidelines for AWCs and schools.
- New framework emphasizes:
- Curriculum alignment between AWCs & primary schools.
- Joint planning of activities by anganwadi workers & teachers.
- Use of ‘Aadharshila’ curriculum for children aged 3–6 years.
- Community engagement in implementation.
- Roadmap provided to States/UTs for better co-location procedures.
Single ID from Birth – Child Tracking System
Database Convergence:
- MoE tracks schools via UDISE+.
- MoWCD tracks AWCs via Poshan Tracker.
- Guidelines call for interoperability to track each child.
APAAR IDs (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry):
- Currently issued from Class 1 onwards.
- To be extended to children 3–6 yrs in AWCs.
Aadhar & Civil Registration Linkage:
- Discussions with UIDAI to assign unique ID at birth.
- This ID will stay through life, transitioning into Poshan Tracker ID & APAAR ID, ensuring continuous monitoring of a child’s development.
Challenges in Co-Location
- In some schools, AWCs run in spare rooms/verandas without proper facilities.
- Balvatika classes (5–6 yrs) in schools and AWC pre-school (3–5 yrs) often lack coordination.
- Co-located AWCs sometimes miss electricity, kitchens, and learning resources.
- Relocation challenges:
- Children/pregnant women shouldn’t travel more than 500m (urban) or 1 km (rural).
- Not more than 2 AWCs per school; extra AWCs should be mapped, not physically relocated.
Expected Outcomes
- Holistic care for children (nutrition + education + health).
- Stronger foundation of learning in line with NEP 2020.
- Better tracking of children through unique IDs.
- Enhanced digital learning opportunities via broadband schools.
- Improved retention in primary education for low-income families.
Background & Significance
- Anganwadi Centres (AWCs): Established under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme.
- They cater to nutrition, health check-ups, and early education for children (0–6 yrs).
- NEP 2020: Emphasizes Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) as foundation of the new 5+3+3+4 education system.
- NIPUN Bharat Mission: Aims to ensure foundational literacy & numeracy by Grade 3.