Early Childhood Care & Education

PREFACE

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is considered as the most important issue of this century and so is emerging as an area of top most priority. It is the period of most rapid growth and faster development and so is critical for survival.

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) encompasses the inseparable elements of care, health, nutrition, play and early stimulation for learning and development within a secure, safe and enriched environment. It is an indispensable foundation for lifelong learning and development with a lasting impact on the personality. It is imperative to accord undivided attention to ECCE and invest in it as it is the most cost-effective way to break the intergenerational cycle of multiple disadvantages by removing inequality and injustice leading to long-term, social, emotional and economic benefits. The main objective of compiling this book is to textualize the subject of ECCE as per curriculum guidelines.

This will also facilitate understanding the holistic concept and critical issues of ECCE, particularly the issues related to social equity and the rationale for including preschool within the formal school setup. This book also delves deep into the educational theories and principles propounded by different thinkers and educationists in ECCE to make the pupil teachers to understand their contribution in the field.

The pupil teachers and teacher educators will also become familiar with the historical evolution of ECCE in India with reference to previous as well as current policies and provisions across public, private and voluntary sectors.

I presume this will become handy to understand socio-cultural, economic and language diversity in childhood in Indian context and also to know its implications for planning and adopting relevant approaches in ECCE.

I, express my deepest gratitude to my students, colleagues, friends and family who inspired and motivated me to do the