Under the Right To Education Act, it is not mandatory for the state to provide for the care of the children until the age of 6 years when most social, emotional and cognitive skills are formed by this age.  

A cursory glance at the streets of urban Indian cities and towns will show you the increasing number of infants and toddlers in the country. While most of them are perched on their mother’s hips, thereby being used as an indirect source of income for the family, the elder ones can be found playing on the pavement. One fine day, I had the opportunity to observe such a group of children. Until my auto came to an halt at a signal, they were playing among themselves. It was more of a role play, I could see from far. I could not really make out what roles they were assuming but I could vividly see their eyes full of glee and myriad expressions. Once the vehicles halted, they immediately came begging with the same glee stuck to their face. Many of the onlookers would have even wondered – are they really hungry? Why are they here? Sometimes I think it’s not just food. Theater and role play techniques are being taught in teacher training courses in order for those to be used as effective teaching tools for the preschool children. Who taught these kids on the streets ?

Once again, the words of Maria Montessori flashed in front of my eyes. “Education is a natural process carried out by the human individual and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences in the environment”. But have we provided the right environment for these children – an environment which will help them realize their potential to the fullest?

The Right to Education Act of 2009 was implemented recently in the country. I have, myself, been a part of many discussions about the act and how effective it has been to reduce the dropout rates. But a part of me was always skeptical. This was because I was interested in children of the age group 2-6 years. All articles and reports wrote about free education from the age of 6 to 14 years as a fundamental right. What I feared turned out to be true. Article 45 of the constitution has been amended to say “Provision for early childhood care and education to children below the age of six years — The State shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years.” One more endeavour added to the list of the state. It is not mandatory for the state to provide for the care of the children until the age of 6 years. I personally thought this was a major setback. Why? Because everyday we are striving to eradicate crimes like thefts, gang rapes, murders and so on. A closer look at why these happen will reveal to us a disturbed childhood.

When I say childhood, I am referring to their early childhood here. Scientific studies have revealed that most social, emotional and cognitive skills are formed until the age of 6 years. Early childhood development has emerged as one of the prime research areas in most nations in order to build a stable society for the future. Sure, it does make sense. If we can invest in our children of today, we expect to reap the benefit of a truly civilized society tomorrow. The earlier we invest, the more economical it is. Also, fostering a nourishing environment for the toddlers and the preschoolers will instill in them an interest to continue their schooling, which in turn will make the job of the state easier by actually reducing the dropout rates.

I also stumbled upon the history of preschool education in India. I was awestruck. Social and educational reformer Tarabai Modak was fondly referred to as “India’s Montessori”. She started the Balwadis, which are now operational in many states across India. She applied Montessori principles to suit the local conditions. The concept of neighbourhood schooling coupled with the non-formal nature of the education provides for the social, physical and mental health of the children. Her co-worker Anutai Wagh is also well known for her work to educate the tribal population. Gandhi’s framework of pre-basic education is highly relevant in today’s conditions. He envisaged an inexpensive preschool system in the neighbourhood community of children, where they are free to develop themselves by engaging in multitude of creative activities. Such an interaction with the environment is also expected to strengthen their moral as well as cultural values. Isn’t this what education is all about?

Well, it’s about time we recognized that they are not just preschoolers but the building blocks of tomorrow’s nation!

source:::: a thought provoking article by Aarthi Nandakumar in  “The Alternative ”  ….
Aarthi is a preschool educator at Jakarta. She is trained in the Montessori method of education and is passionate about working with children in the age group between 2 and 6 years. She believes that children are bestowed with endless potential and loves to explore them in her journey. As Maria Montessori says “The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”

natarajan