State targets 1 lakh KG admissions in anganwadis

The School Education Department introduced LKG and UKG in more than 2,300 anganwadi centres in the State-owned middle schools in January this year.

Having earmarked Rs 7 crore for the purpose, the government has instructed all the district education officers to ensure maximum enrolment in their respective areas to achieve the target.

With the process of recruiting teachers for the kindergarten classes already started, the government has provided Rs 5,000 each to the anganwadi centres for procuring educational kits, including blackboards.

When contacted, a senior official from the Directorate of School Education said the authorities should ensure that each anganwadi centre admits at least 50 children in the coming academic year.

On its part, the government will launch an awareness campaign among the public highlighting the facilities of the KG classes in its schools, which the official said will function on par with those in private institutions.

Stating that the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has already compiled a syllabus for pre-school children, he said it was prepared by teachers, officials from the Social Welfare Department, authorities from Integrated Child Development Services and experts from New Delhi.

“Since it is mandatory for all the schools, including private institutions, to adopt SCERT syllabus from the coming academic year, it will not be a problem for education officials to convince parents to admit their children in government schools,” the official said.

The official also said the government has constituted a committee to conduct a survey and study the feedback given by parents and teachers about the KG classes in anganwadi centres. “Based on the findings, measures will be taken to improve the classes,” he added.