From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Mar 25: The Departments of School Education and Literacy and Women and Child Development have released the report of the Group that prepared a draft of Karnataka State Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage.

The State Curriculum Framework adapts the National Curriculum Framework released in October 2022 for the education of children from three to eight years of age to Karnataka context and is meant for the use by the departments and agencies that manage Foundational programmes.

By this, Karnataka has become the first state to prepare a State Curricular Framework for the Foundation Stage (3-8 years) as per the NEP 2020 and NCF 2022.

After understanding the comments and responses from the stakeholders, practitioners, subject experts and general public, this Curricular Framework will be finalised and adopted for the use from 2023-24 academic year.

The framework proposes changes in the curriculum of existing practises of ‘Chilipili’ in Anganwadis and ‘Nali Kali’ in 1-3 grades of primary schools, which in turn will influence the way education in the foundational stages (3-8 years) is carried out in the state and details out the reasons for the suggested modifications.

These changes will contribute not just to systemic reforms, but also in effectively improving the quality of education during the Early childhood years.

The framework document elaborates:

• The concept and objectives of the new Foundational stage of School Education;

• The need, rationale and importance of this structural change which consists of the curricular integration, upward continuity, and a smooth transition across the two developmental sub-stages – i.e., 3 to 6 years and 6 to 8 years;

• The objectives, structure, and content of an age/developmentally appropriate and outcome-focused curriculum, within the Foundational stage;

• The rationale and curricular implications for the emphasis on play and discovery- based pedagogy as stated in the NCF (2022) for the Foundational stage;

• The systemic reforms required – be it support to parents or stakeholders, and teachers, monitoring and mentoring, and providing appropriate service conditions for all functionaries thereby ensuring successful implementation of the framework and achieving its aims and objectives;

• Basic principles or guidelines for adoption of a comprehensive and coordinated approach to make sure that the proposed reforms receive the attention, time, and resources, necessary for equitable and quality services to reach all children between the ages of 3 and 8.

The document is available in Kannada and English. This report is of one of the six group’s constituted to develop a revamped Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in the State.

The reports of other groups also will be released soon. The successful implementation of this new State Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage will ensure that children between 3-8 years in Karnataka will experience quality education and services in what is the most crucial stage of learning and overall development.

With the interventions under Department of School Education and Literacy like addition of ‘Viveka’ class rooms, induction of 15,000 teachers, continuation of KalikaChethrike etc., and the interventions under the Department of Women and Child Development like redesignatinganganwadi workers as Angadi teachers, adoption of new eligibility norms for new Anganwadi staff, commencing 3000+ new Anganwadis etc., the Children in the State will be supported well by the State Government for a better future.