KARACHI: The Sindh government has decided to review its Early Childhood Education (ECE) policy and incorporate the foundation learning mechanism into its framework.

A meeting, chaired by Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah, focused on enhancing the ECE programme and including foundation learning and numeracy in the policy draft.

Participants included School Education Secretary Zahid Ali Abbasi, Zindagi Trust’s Shehzad Roy, Durbeen CEO Salma Ahmed, chief curriculum adviser Dr Fauzia and others.

The meeting highlighted that the ECE policy was implemented in Sindh in 2015. Currently, 6,000 ECE classes are operational, educating over 800,000 children aged 3 to 8. Teachers have been recruited and trained, with learning materials and workbooks in English, Urdu, and Sindhi already developed to support the programme.

Minister Shah emphasised the need to strengthen activity-based learning and incorporate the foundation learning and numeracy mechanism into the policy. He underlined the importance of nurturing children’s physical, mental, emotional, and social development during the transition from early education to primary classes.

The minister also stressed focusing on psychological development and modern learning methods, such as picture books, educational games, and creative tools, to achieve ECE goals. He noted that the foundation learning mechanism would enhance teacher-parent coordination, aid in addressing psychological challenges, and build foundational literacy and numeracy skills essential for future learning.

Additionally, he directed private schools to hire trained ECE teachers and urged universities to develop ECE programmes and diploma courses.

Salma Ahmed, CEO of Durbeen, suggested prioritising early education in the mother tongue, allowing children to build connections and learn effectively before transitioning to other languages.

The minister welcomed the recommendations, reiterating Sindh’s commitment to providing ECE materials in three languages and further improving the curriculum to enhance learning outcomes.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2024