START EARLY – AN EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION PROJECT
Start Early is an Early Childhood Care &
Education Programme by FIF, with the goal of creating a pre-school
learning experience for underprivileged children that is on par with the
contemporary educational standard of private pre-schools today.
Underprivileged children enrolled in this learning centre that makes learning an attractive experience in a non-formalized environment by providing the best possible facilities, resources and framework to support the children’s learning and all-round development.
Start Early Project assists in educating children and their families about the benefits and importance of education, with a sustained focus on providing functional literacy to children which will aid them in their lives as adults.
Problem Statement The difference that a quality education makes in the life of a child cannot be overestimated. One of the main factors that makes children vulnerable to street life, trafficking, child labour or adult unemployment is a lack of education. Today, education of its children remains one of India's greatest challenges as a country. Approximately a hundred and thirty-seven million Indian children are illiterate.
Reading, writing and calculating are essential skills for living in today’s world. Literacy and numeracy enhance self-esteem, contribute to empowerment and educational attainment, increase employment opportunities and lower child mortality. Despite these advantages for individuals and societies, literacy remains an elusive goal for many of the marginalized sections of society.
Although many children enroll in government schools in their younger years, a high percentage of these children fail to receive a quality education which prepares them for life and equips them with the skills needed to become educated, socially aware members of society. On a national average, almost 50% of school-going children in government schools do not know their basic 3R’s even after four years of schooling. A survey conducted in 2007 of children in government schools by ASER Foundation found that fewer than half the children in grade 3 could read a text designed for grade 1 students; only 58% of students in grade 3 and 38% in grade 4 could subtract or divide.
An effective school learning environment relies on basic infrastructure, professional leadership, motivated teachers, sufficient instructional time and learning materials, and an appropriate student/teacher ratio. Yet many essential resources, such as electricity, seats, desks, textbooks and libraries, are not present in existing schools for children in disadvantaged sections of society.
Children who are receiving a substandard education in overcrowded schools that lack proper facilities will not gain the necessary motivation to study hard and excel in their grades and will eventually lose their desire to learn and educate themselves. This attitude will then be passed on to their children, and the cycle will continue on unless broken. Approximately 40% of children drop out of school before the age of ten due to lack of incentive, family pressures, and inadequate schooling facilities among a plethora of other issues.
Primary education is the most essential part of providing functional literacy to children today. Early Childhood Care and Education can make a difference through equipping children with cognitive, behavioural and social skills that will transform their life and empower them for adulthood. It is crucial that children learn these skills and character traits as the mindsets, habits, and behaviour patterns that children form in their early years will be the basis for shaping their personality as adults.
There are many deep-rooted issues which contribute to the overwhelming illiteracy rate in India. But the lack of provision for quality primary education is a major contributing factor to illiteracy in India. Families of children from disadvantaged backgrounds do not place a high emphasis on literacy and education due to financial incapacity and lack of foresight. This social myopia creates a society where families are content to have their children work as labourers for below minimum wage at a very early age because they are unable to envision the brighter future for their children which education can create opportunities for.
Solutions to the problem of illiteracy are many, but it begins with motivating the child and inculcating in him a love for learning. A child’s mind is like a delicate sapling that must be nurtured with utmost love and care in order to grow and mature. All children deserve the opportunity to receive the best education possible in order to unlock their inner potential. Providing basic education is not sufficient to bringing about change but is only the first step.
What is required is an ongoing program for overall development— educational, physical, and moral, that will stimulate the child’s mind and help them discover the joys of learning. This will create an environment in which children are happy to learn and discover more about the world and develop and shape their personalities as they learn.
Goals and Objectives 1. To create a pre-school learning experience that incorporates all the important aspects of children’s primary education and is on par with international standards.
START EARLY THANE, MUMBAI – FIF has established its first community learning centre in Thane, near Mumbai which provides pre-primary education for underprivileged children. This project is in partnership with REAP (Reach Education Action Program) who work for eradication of illiteracy through a non-formal education program which takes literacy to the doorstep of the poor
Underprivileged children enrolled in this learning centre that makes learning an attractive experience in a non-formalized environment by providing the best possible facilities, resources and framework to support the children’s learning and all-round development.
Start Early Project assists in educating children and their families about the benefits and importance of education, with a sustained focus on providing functional literacy to children which will aid them in their lives as adults.
Problem Statement The difference that a quality education makes in the life of a child cannot be overestimated. One of the main factors that makes children vulnerable to street life, trafficking, child labour or adult unemployment is a lack of education. Today, education of its children remains one of India's greatest challenges as a country. Approximately a hundred and thirty-seven million Indian children are illiterate.
Reading, writing and calculating are essential skills for living in today’s world. Literacy and numeracy enhance self-esteem, contribute to empowerment and educational attainment, increase employment opportunities and lower child mortality. Despite these advantages for individuals and societies, literacy remains an elusive goal for many of the marginalized sections of society.
Although many children enroll in government schools in their younger years, a high percentage of these children fail to receive a quality education which prepares them for life and equips them with the skills needed to become educated, socially aware members of society. On a national average, almost 50% of school-going children in government schools do not know their basic 3R’s even after four years of schooling. A survey conducted in 2007 of children in government schools by ASER Foundation found that fewer than half the children in grade 3 could read a text designed for grade 1 students; only 58% of students in grade 3 and 38% in grade 4 could subtract or divide.
An effective school learning environment relies on basic infrastructure, professional leadership, motivated teachers, sufficient instructional time and learning materials, and an appropriate student/teacher ratio. Yet many essential resources, such as electricity, seats, desks, textbooks and libraries, are not present in existing schools for children in disadvantaged sections of society.
Children who are receiving a substandard education in overcrowded schools that lack proper facilities will not gain the necessary motivation to study hard and excel in their grades and will eventually lose their desire to learn and educate themselves. This attitude will then be passed on to their children, and the cycle will continue on unless broken. Approximately 40% of children drop out of school before the age of ten due to lack of incentive, family pressures, and inadequate schooling facilities among a plethora of other issues.
Primary education is the most essential part of providing functional literacy to children today. Early Childhood Care and Education can make a difference through equipping children with cognitive, behavioural and social skills that will transform their life and empower them for adulthood. It is crucial that children learn these skills and character traits as the mindsets, habits, and behaviour patterns that children form in their early years will be the basis for shaping their personality as adults.
There are many deep-rooted issues which contribute to the overwhelming illiteracy rate in India. But the lack of provision for quality primary education is a major contributing factor to illiteracy in India. Families of children from disadvantaged backgrounds do not place a high emphasis on literacy and education due to financial incapacity and lack of foresight. This social myopia creates a society where families are content to have their children work as labourers for below minimum wage at a very early age because they are unable to envision the brighter future for their children which education can create opportunities for.
Solutions to the problem of illiteracy are many, but it begins with motivating the child and inculcating in him a love for learning. A child’s mind is like a delicate sapling that must be nurtured with utmost love and care in order to grow and mature. All children deserve the opportunity to receive the best education possible in order to unlock their inner potential. Providing basic education is not sufficient to bringing about change but is only the first step.
What is required is an ongoing program for overall development— educational, physical, and moral, that will stimulate the child’s mind and help them discover the joys of learning. This will create an environment in which children are happy to learn and discover more about the world and develop and shape their personalities as they learn.
Goals and Objectives 1. To create a pre-school learning experience that incorporates all the important aspects of children’s primary education and is on par with international standards.
- OBJECTIVES
- To establish a learning center that provides a clean, safe learning environment where children can learn and develop their innate abilities.
- Utilize tried and proven methodologies to broaden the children’s intellectual horizons and strengthen their problem solving abilities
- To provide moral training in good manners, etiquette and social habits which will teach them to be responsible, aware children
- To provide one balanced healthy mid-day meal each day
- To incorporate regular education outings and educational field trips into the schooling curriculum to familiarize children with the outside world
- To provide regular health care checkups and educate the children about health and nutrition
- To give the children training in cleanliness and hygiene and help them to build habits which will last a lifetime
- OBJECTIVES
- To teach children to be able to read, write and verbally communicate up to a 1st grade proficiency level in English and Hindi
- To teach children number recognition and to familiarize them with mathematical concepts
- Utilize modern techniques to fine tune their motor skills and overall physical development
- OBJECTIVES
- To utilize community involvement to procure sponsorship and placements for graduates of Start Early
- To hold meetings with parents of Start Early students informing them of their children’s progress in order to ensure their full support for their child’s education.
- Our vision is to set up a model that is effective for pre-school education and replicate this model in other parts of Mumbai and India.
- Develop a handbook that will assist us with replicating centers.
- Motor skill development
- Basic English grammar and comprehension
- Number recognition and mathematics
- Manners and Etiquette
- Value-based education
- Cleanliness and hygiene training
- Special Outings and Excursions
START EARLY THANE, MUMBAI – FIF has established its first community learning centre in Thane, near Mumbai which provides pre-primary education for underprivileged children. This project is in partnership with REAP (Reach Education Action Program) who work for eradication of illiteracy through a non-formal education program which takes literacy to the doorstep of the poor
