Govt Floats National Curriculum Framework For Education Of Children In 3-8 Yrs Age-group

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday rolled out the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for the foundational stage for children between age three to eight

This is the first time the NCF has been prepared for the foundational stage and children aged three will be brought into the formal schooling system as documented in the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP). Besides the curriculum for early childhood care and education (ECCE), the first of the four NCFs in the making, Education Minister also rolled out Balvatikas (pre-primary classes) at Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs).

ECCE under the anganwadi system, till now, mainly focussed on health and nutrition of a child whereas in the private space, the play school system was unregulated. The most significant element of the NEP has been the development of the national curriculum for school education because it is futuristic, Pradhan stated.

"Preparing the curriculum for the age group of three to eight has been the most critical as well as challenging because experts and scientists have proved that 85 per cent of brain development happens by the age of seven or eight. Therefore, designing the curriculum for foundational stage is the most important aspect of the NCF," he stated.