Pressure Is Counterproductive
By Manu Shrivastava
The National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) in a report on pre-primary / pre-school education recommends avoiding formal education at that age and stating ‘Early focus on developing knowledge, skills and cognitive abilities in children harms their ability to develop a positive attitude, disposition to learn, be reflective, be inquisitive, be inventive, be resourceful, and being a problem solver’.
In September 2019, pre-primary education is slated to become a part of the school system as declared in the Draft National Policy 2019. At a meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), the highest policy-making body on education, the approval came. The draft National Education policy is set to make early childhood care and education (ECCE) i.e. from age zero to six years, part of the Indian school system.
The highly unregulated pre-primary school set their own curriculum and standards. There is a need to bring them under the purview of law to have a universal, formally-designed curriculum. The pressure on young children (and parents) to acquire academic excellence at that age must be questioned. The age is ripe for children to learn freely out of their natural curiosity, eagerness to experiment and their limitless imagination and must not be spoilt with formal education.
The National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) in a report on pre-primary / pre-school education recommends avoiding formal education at that age and stating ‘Early focus on developing knowledge, skills and cognitive abilities in children harms their ability to develop a positive attitude, disposition to learn, be reflective, be inquisitive, be inventive, be resourceful, and being a problem solver’.
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| There are ample studies that indicate brain connections or neuron synapses multiply exponentially in the first three years of a child’s life making it the optimal time for a child’s development |
The highly unregulated pre-primary school set their own curriculum and standards. There is a need to bring them under the purview of law to have a universal, formally-designed curriculum. The pressure on young children (and parents) to acquire academic excellence at that age must be questioned. The age is ripe for children to learn freely out of their natural curiosity, eagerness to experiment and their limitless imagination and must not be spoilt with formal education.
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