Delhi government to turn Anganwadi into early childhood learning centre: Chief Minister

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government wants to turn Anganwadi into an early childhood learning centre, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday. Launching the early childhood care and education (ECCE) kit developed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) Delhi and Anganwadi team, Kejriwal said that children will soon be taught moral values and their emotional and psychological needs will be fulfilled at Anganwadi centres.

"So far Anganwadi used to be considered to be a centre for providing midday meals and nutrition to children, but now, we want to change that concept. We will turn it into an early childhood learning centre, where children will be taught moral values and their emotional and psychological needs will be fulfilled," Kejriwal said.

He further stated that the SCERT has prepared the "best" kit for the Anganwadi children to provide them with a proper early childhood programme.

"The SCERT has prepared the best kit for the Anganwadi children. Every child in this country should get equal education whether they come from a rich or poor background. So far, the poor used to send their children to government schools and the rich to private schools but when we came to power, we focused on developing the government schools in Delhi," he said.

Delhi Minister Atishi said that games, puzzles and learning tools will be provided in all 11,000 Aganwadis now and that, the Anganwadi workers will educate, guide and "enhance the future of the children."

"The whole nation has great hopes from you because children who are getting into the Aganwadi belong from a category where parents can't afford to provide them good education. So now, it is the responsibility of all anganwadi workers to educate, guide and enhance the future of these kids," Atishi said.