Bengaluru: What is the ideal strength of a kindergarten classroom and what is the best hour to make kids school ready? In a city like Bengaluru, class hours are fixed as per the whims and fancies of the parents and school authorities. The classroom strength is decided based on demand. No scientific rule is applied while taking decisions. But here is the answer.
A study conducted by Reeba Roshan and MC Mathew, Christian Medical College, Vellore, which was presented in the two-day National Conference on Rede?ning the Early Childhood Development Profession in India, organised by the Azim Premji University in association with UNICEF and Association of Early Childhood Education and Development, ideal class strength should be 25 and toddlers should attend classes for four hours to be ‘school ready’. According to the study, which surveyed 520 children, the ideal class strength should be 25 and class hours should not exceed four hours. The study found that children who attend kindergarten classes for more than four hours a day and go to class rooms with a strength of over 25 were found not ‘school ready’.
Mahmuda Akhter, Institute of Child and Human Development (ICHD), Bangladesh, said that in her country, most Pre Primary Education (PPE) teachers have graduate level education, while some have master’s degrees. “The basic training on PPE has been incorporated in the Diploma in Education Programme (one-and-a -half year) by which all the primary teachers will receive the pedagogy of the early child hood development,” she said.
A case study presented on the physical setup of the 40 anganawadi centres revealed that only 20% of these centres have classroom space for children to sit comfortably. No toilets were found in 95% of the anganawadi centres. Only 20% of anganawadis have clean surroundings, only 28% have safe buildings and 75% have one or more hazardous conditions.
Commitment to a new generation
Ms Uma Mahadevan, Principal Secretary, state Women and Child Department, said, “We should pay greater attention to the critical work that the early educators are doing to ensure a better future for children and acknowledge their commitment to the new generation”.
Ms Sukanya Subramanian, Education Specialist, UNICEF, presented a paper on early childhood development and sustainable development goals. “Sustainable development goals are a framework within which we work till 2030 to ensure equitable and inclusive quality education at primary level. Access to quality early childhood education is the most important investment in the domain of human development and capital formation as it creates ripple effects for the entire lifespan of the beneficiary,” she said. The first day of the conference witnessed over 250 participants. The conference will bring together policy makers, teachers, teachers’ training institutes, academics, researchers and representatives from all sectors – private, NGO and government from ECCE domains.
