How India Can Improve Early Childhood Care and Education: What Needs to Change

Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is the foundation for a child’s lifelong learning, behaviour, and health. In India, a large number of children between the ages of 0–6 depend on anganwadi centres, preschools, and informal care setups for their early development. But the quality of education and care in many of these centres still needs serious improvement. From lack of trained staff to outdated learning methods, ECCE in many areas isn’t giving children the right start they need.

I wanted to write about this because I believe that the conversation around education often skips the most crucial stage—the early years. Most policies and debates focus on board exams, higher education, or job skills. But by the time a child enters Class 1, a lot of brain development has already happened. If we don’t get the basics right early on, it becomes much harder to fix gaps later. This topic matters not just for parents or teachers but for all of us who care about India’s future, because strong ECCE can improve school readiness, reduce dropouts, and even improve health outcomes in the long run.

Why Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Matters

Studies show that over 85% of a child’s brain development happens by the age of 6. This means that learning during these early years shapes everything—from how a child thinks and behaves to how they perform in school later. That’s why ECCE isn’t just about babysitting or playtime. It’s about creating a safe, engaging, and learning-rich environment where children grow emotionally, socially, and mentally.

In India, the main government-run ECCE centres are the anganwadis under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). These centres provide nutrition, health check-ups, and some basic learning. But while they’re doing valuable work, there are major gaps that need fixing if we want to provide high-quality ECCE.

Key Challenges in India’s ECCE System

1. Lack of Trained Educators

Most anganwadi workers are not trained as early childhood educators. Their main training is in nutrition and health, not in age-appropriate learning techniques. As a result, the teaching quality is inconsistent, and many activities turn into rote learning instead of creative exploration.

2. Poor Learning Material and Environment

Many centres lack proper books, toys, or child-friendly spaces. Learning for 3 to 6-year-olds should involve storytelling, music, games, and hands-on play. But due to lack of funds and planning, most centres don’t offer such resources.

3. Disjointed Systems Between Health and Education

There’s often confusion over whether ECCE is the job of the Education Ministry or the Women and Child Development Ministry. This overlapping responsibility leads to delays in policy execution and poor coordination at the local level.

4. Inadequate Monitoring and Accountability

There is no regular system to check what children are learning, how the centres are functioning, or whether children are school-ready by the time they turn six.

5. Urban-Rural Divide

While private preschools are booming in cities, rural children mostly depend on government centres with far fewer facilities. This creates a learning gap that continues through school life.

What Needs to Be Done

1. One National ECCE Framework

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 already talks about ECCE being a critical area. But we need one common curriculum that every centre follows, whether it’s a private preschool or a rural anganwadi.

2. Train the Educators

We should invest in large-scale training programmes for anganwadi workers. Teaching small children isn’t easy—it requires patience, creativity, and a deep understanding of child psychology. Workers should be trained not just once but through regular refresher courses.

3. Improve Infrastructure

Each anganwadi should have a clean space, colourful walls, age-appropriate toys, books, puzzles, and interactive games. Creating such environments does not need fancy gadgets—just thoughtful planning and some community support.

4. Involve Parents

Parents should be regularly involved in the child’s learning journey. Many parents don’t know what to expect from ECCE and see it as just a feeding centre. Awareness drives, home visits, and parenting workshops can help bridge this gap.

5. Use Local Language and Culture

Children connect better with stories, songs, and activities that reflect their own language and surroundings. ECCE content should reflect the child’s culture to make learning natural and joyful.

6. Monitor Outcomes

Instead of just counting attendance or meals, the focus should shift to what children are actually learning. Simple tools can be used to track developmental milestones and school readiness.

Role of the Government and Society

The government has made some promising moves under NEP 2020, like preparing a national curriculum framework for ECCE. But the implementation must be quick and widespread. Budgets must go beyond food and health to include learning material, training, and infrastructure.

At the same time, local communities, NGOs, and even young parents can get involved. Something as simple as donating storybooks or volunteering to paint an anganwadi wall can make a real difference.

Education and Employment Can Transform Society: Dinesh Gundu Rao Highlights the Way Forward

During a recent public address in Mangaluru, Karnataka’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stressed that education and employment are two powerful tools that can shape the future of any society. He pointed out that when people are educated and have meaningful jobs, they can rise above social divisions, poverty, and other long-standing issues. His statement came while addressing students and faculty at a function organised at Srinivas University, where he also touched on the importance of knowledge-driven growth.

I felt the need to write about this because it’s rare to hear such a strong political focus on the link between education, employment and overall societal transformation. We often hear about schemes, budgets and infrastructure, but rarely is the bigger picture discussed—how these two sectors can change the life of a common person. This topic matters to all of us, especially the youth, who are navigating a fast-changing job market while also dealing with rising academic pressure. By writing about this, I hope more people start thinking seriously about how education is not just about degrees, and employment is not just about money—it’s about dignity, stability and progress.

Why Education and Employment Matter Together

Education and employment are often treated as separate issues, but in reality, they go hand-in-hand. Education gives people the ability to think, create and contribute. Employment gives them the opportunity to apply what they know, support their families, and be part of the economy. According to Dinesh Gundu Rao, these two pillars must be developed together if we want a fairer and more productive society.

He stressed that:

Lack of access to education pushes people into poverty.
Unemployment leads to frustration, crime, and brain drain.
A society that fails to create job-ready youth will always remain unequal.

This is why investing in schools, colleges, and job-oriented courses is not just a policy decision—it’s a moral responsibility.

Government’s Role in Creating Equal Opportunities

During the event, Rao mentioned that governments should focus not only on building schools and colleges but also on ensuring the quality of education. He said students from rural areas often struggle because they don’t have the same access to English-medium teaching or computer labs as those in urban areas. This kind of inequality reflects in the job market too, where rural youth get fewer chances.

He also pointed out that:

Many graduates remain unemployed or underemployed because they are not industry-ready.
There is a big gap between what is taught in classrooms and what the job market demands.
Career counselling and vocational training should start at the school level.

According to him, if we want to see real change, we need long-term thinking and serious government commitment—not just one-time policies or election promises.

Importance of Social Harmony for Progress

One of the key messages Rao delivered was about unity. He said education should be a tool to unite people and not divide them. The minister raised concern about how communalism and polarisation are slowly taking attention away from important issues like job creation and educational reform.

He added that:

When youth are unemployed, they are more vulnerable to divisive ideologies.
Education can help people develop critical thinking and tolerance.
A strong education and employment ecosystem reduces dependence on populist politics.

He urged young people to stay informed, ask questions, and focus on real-life issues rather than distractions.