MSF to assess kid centres
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 27 2024:
Manipuri Students Federation (MSF) has announced that it will look into the functioning and services of pre-school/kids' centres including franchisees operating in different parts of the state.
The Federation also urged the government to frame a standard guidelines for such centres.
Informing this in a press meet held at its Kwakeithel Thounaojam Leikai office premises, here, on Saturday, MSF president Hijam Roshan said that the new guidelines provided by the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is 5+3+3+4 education system.
The first five years is the foundational stage and the initial three years fall into the pre-school/pre-primary stage/Anganwadi stage, which is 3 to 6 years of age for the child.
Standard 1 and 2 are also included in this foundational stage.
Under NEP, schools are mandated to include preschool classes.
On the other hand, there are several such schools/centres providing pre-school services through different stages like Pre-nursery, Nursery, KG, LKG and UKG under their own sets of rules without any approval from the government, he pointed out, while urging the relevant department to look into the matter.
Though people may take it lightly, the pre-school stage is one of the most important foundational stages of education and the government should take the matter Seriously, he said.
He also stressed the need for a uniformed approach/system in all such kids' centres or pre-schools incorporating not only reading or writing skills but also other skills like self-expression, creativity, motor skill, physical development, mental/emotional development, sympathy learning, behaviour and moral character among others.
Upon broad observation of the large number of such centres in the state, MSF finds that these centres do not apply Point 7 of the Package of Services of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) which deals with pre-school education (to children in the age group of 3 to 6 years).
As such, MSF has decided to look into the functioning and services of these centres, he added.