Early childhood models from Haryana
This article is authored by Amneet P Kumar, IAS, former commissioner and secretary, government of Haryana.
In recent years, experts have increasingly emphasised the urgent need for investments in early childhood education, particularly for disadvantaged families. While many countries begin formal education at ages six and above, they often overlook a critical period: The first five years of life, during which 85% of brain development occurs. This foundational stage is crucial, as skills beget skills in a dynamic interplay that can set the trajectory for a child’s future.
India is home to 137 million children under 6, of whom 88.8 million receive early learning through a 1.4 million strong network of government daycare centres, known as anganwadi centres. Haryana is home to approximately 3.4 million of those children and 25,000 of those centres, offers models that can be adapted and replicated, in India and other developing countries of the Global South.
India's commitment to early childhood education is reflected in its ratification of international conventions. The 1989 International Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4) underscore the global recognition of the importance of quality early childhood education, particularly in ensuring equitable access for all children. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aligns with these goals by emphasising the importance of early childhood and care (ECCE) as foundational for lifelong learning. International standards, such as UNESCO’s Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care, advocate for child-centered, inclusive practices that promote holistic development—principles that resonate with India’s efforts to enhance the quality of early childhood education.
A significant milestone was achieved this year, when the ministry of women and child development (MWCD) released the National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education 2024, titled Aadharshila, aligning with NEP 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage 2022. MWCD envisions these anganwadi centres as dual-purpose centers that not only address health needs but also serve as pre-schools, fostering foundational literacy and numeracy among young children. Many of these national level steps build upon pioneering efforts undertaken in Haryana in the last two years.
In 2022, the Haryana government took an innovative decision to transform 4,000 existing Anganwadi centres into playschools. This initiative focused on creating vibrant learning environments that emphasized on play-based education under NEP 2020. As a result, learning outcomes of children attending the play schools have notably improved, with the percentage of children performing well increasing from 25% to 49%, as per an independent assessment conducted by the state.
This remarkable increase has been achieved through structured curricula guided by annual calendars, with motivated anganwadi workers facilitating the learning process. As they are community-based workers more familiar with nutrition, there was a deeply felt need for additional training and capacity-building. Within six months, 25,000 anganwadi workers of the state received specialised training, enhancing their ability to support children's cognitive, socio-emotional, physical and cultural development with fun learning activities requiring simple low-cost locally sourced materials.
To improve implementation effectiveness, district-level early childhood care and education committees have been established to monitor progress. Further, the department of women and child development, Haryana, regularly collaborates with civil society organisations to standardise training processes and introduce innovative interventions to facilitate better transmission of ECCE. These partnerships focus on the capacity building of the anganwadi workers for improved in-centre facilitation through interactive content, improving digital literacy through targeted trainings and tech-enabled behavioural nudges With this multi-pronged approach, Haryana is laying a strong foundation for the educational journeys of its youngest citizens, fostering a holistic approach to early childhood development and learning.
Demonstrating the power of concerted political will, administrative efforts and civil society partnerships, Haryana can serve as inspiration for other Indian states. Investing in early childhood education benefits individual children and their families, and plays a vital role in achieving broader national and global development agendas. The lessons learned in Haryana can illuminate a path toward a more equitable and prosperous world, where every child has the opportunity to thrive. The time to act is now.
This article is authored by Amneet P Kumar, IAS, former commissioner and secretary, government of Haryana.