Set 3 as school entry age for children: Educators

Early childhood educators in Maharashtra are calling for a change in the entry age for schooling, which is currently 2.5 years, in order to align with national frameworks. The Early Childhood Association emphasizes the negative impact of the age criterion on children's learning and development. Efforts to rectify this misalignment have been ongoing, but there has been a lack of government response. The association highlights the importance of language, social, and emotional development and urges Maharashtra to lead in setting child-centric standards in early education.

Mumbai: Early childhood educators have called for a change in the entry age of children for schooling in Maharashtra, where it is 2.5 years, a deviation from the NEP’s (New Education Policy) defined age of 3 years.

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In a letter to Governor Ramesh Bais, the Early Childhood Association (ECA) has emphasised the urgency of realigning the state’s educational policies with the national frameworks.

“We are writing to you to draw your attention to the age criterion for nursery admissions in Maharashtra, which requires to be changed immediately as it is not in line with the NCF (National Curriculum Framework)-2022 or NEP-2020 and the age criterion adversely impacts children’s learning and development,” said Swati Popat Vats, president of the ECA.

The ECA’s plea is rooted in the NEP’s foundational stage of education, which commences at age 3 and extends to age 8, as well as the NCF and the National Early Childhood Education Policy, 2013. The association highlighted the discrepancy between the curriculum design and the age of entry, noting that children are expected to be more than 6 years old when entering Class I, whereas in Maharashtra, they often start at 5.5 years.

Efforts to rectify this misalignment have been on since August 2023, with the ECA expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of governmental response. Vatsa said, “Enrolments in schools for the next academic year have begun in Maharashtra and this age disparity needs to be corrected immediately.”

Moreover, the association highlighted the implications of early entry, particularly the importance of language, social, and emotional development. The curriculum is tailored for three-year-olds, thus placing younger entrants at a disadvantage and potentially impeding their long-term educational journey, the letter said.

Vatsa concluded, “Maharashtra needs to lead the country in setting a child-centric standard in early years’ education. ASER report also laments when children enter Class I before age 6, they are unable to cope with the curriculum.”

As the debate unfolds, stakeholders await a definitive response from the government, recognising the profound impact that timely educational reforms can have on shaping the trajectory of children’s learning experiences.