National Curriculum Framework(NCF) for Foundational Stage 

National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage: Relevance for UPSC

GS 2: Education, Government Policies & Interventions

National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage: Why in news?

Recently, the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the National Curriculum Framework for foundational stage education of children in the three to eight years age group.

National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage: What is The National Education Policy 2020?

• NEP 2020 is transforming education in India.
• It has set our education system on a path to delivering the highest quality education for all, with equity and inclusion.
• Amongst the most transformative aspects of NEP 2020 is the new 5+3+3+4 curricular structure which integrates Early Childhood Care and Education for all children of ages 3 to 8.
• Early childhood lays the foundation for life-long learning and development – it is a key determinant of the quality of overall life.
• This framework is expected to deliver the highest quality Foundational Education, across all types of institutions in the country.

National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage: What is National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage 2022?

• The NCF (National Curriculum Framework) is an important step taken to implement the New Education Policy-2020.
• As articulated in NEP 2020, National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage, uses ‘play,’ at the core of the conceptual, operational, and transactional approaches to curriculum organization, pedagogy, time and content organization, and the overall experience of the child.
• Children learn best through play, hence learning envisaged by the National Curriculum Framework will provide stimulating experiences for the child’s development in all dimensions – cognitive, social-emotional, physical, and will also enable the achievement of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy for all our children.
• The NCF has an institutional focus, the importance of the home environment cannot be overemphasized – including family, extended family, neighbours, and others in the close community – all of whom have a very significant impact on the child, particularly in this age cohort of 3-8 years.
• Hence, this NCF will deal with the role of teachers as well as parents and communities in enabling and enhancing the developmental outcomes that are sought during this stage.

National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage: Four Sections of NCF 2022

The NCF-2022 has four sections:

• The National Curriculum Framework for School Education
• The National Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education
• The National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education and
• The National Curriculum Framework for Adult Education.

National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage: What is ‘panchakosha’ Concept?

• The framework has listed the ‘panchakosha’ concept for education of children and its five parts are physical development (sharirik vikas), development of life energy (pranik vikas), emotional and mental development (manasik vikas), intellectual development (bauddhik vikas) and spiritual development (chaitsik vikas).
• Panchakosha is an ancient explication of the importance of the body-mind complex in human experience and understanding.
• This non-dichotomous approach to human development gives clear pathways and direction towards a more holistic education.

National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage: Way Forward

• Research from across the world on education, neuroscience and economics demonstrates clearly that ensuring free, accessible, high quality early childhood care and education is perhaps the very best investment that any country can make for its future, according to the NCF for foundational stage.
• Since more than 85% of a child’s cumulative brain development occurs prior to the age of 6, providing appropriate care to stimulate their brain and support their physical and emotional development is essential for every child.
• All these engagements are aimed at achieving the three developmental goals of:

• • maintaining good health and well-being,
  • becoming effective communicators; and
  • becoming involved learners.

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