In Uttar Pradesh, many primary schools are getting merged due to low student enrollment. When two nearby government schools are merged, one of them becomes vacant. The government has now decided to use these empty schools in a useful way. All such empty school buildings will now have Anganwadi centers. This decision was made by the Chief Secretary of the Women and Child Development Department, Ms. Leena Johri. She has sent clear instructions to all district officers.
The Anganwadi centers that are located within 500 meters of these empty schools will be shifted to these school campuses. These schools will now work as new learning places for small children between the ages of 3 and 6. These children will get pre-primary education, just like in a playschool. This new classroom setup is called Bal Vatika. It is being done under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) program.
Children will be taught in a fun and easy way using games, stories, songs, and colorful pictures. The education will not be too hard for them. The classes will help children to become ready for big school in the future. These small kids will get used to the school building, classrooms, and teachers. So, when they move to primary school, they will feel comfortable.
Each Bal Vatika class will be managed by two types of teachers. First are Anganwadi workers who are already trained to teach small children. Second are ECCE educators who will be hired on contract. The process to hire 8,800 ECCE educators has already started. These new teachers will be posted in different districts and will be selected by the Basic Education Officers (BSA).
The government has started working fast on this plan. First, they merged many nearby primary and upper primary schools. Now, they are working to shift Anganwadi centers to these empty school buildings. After a physical check of the school campus, the Anganwadi centers will move there. Once this is done, the classes for 3 to 6-year-old children will begin.
Experts say this is a very good decision. If small children stay in the same school building where they will later study in classes 1 and 2, they will feel happy and confident. They will already know the teachers, the classroom, and the rules of the school. It will also help save money for the government because they won’t need to make new buildings for Anganwadi centers. Also, children’s learning and health will improve.
Under this new setup, each Anganwadi center will look like a playschool. There will be a school bell, regular classes, and proper student attendance. The children will have three classes every day. These will be fun learning sessions where they will learn basic things like colors, numbers, letters, shapes, and good habits. The idea is to make learning enjoyable and easy.
The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) department has started preparing for this change. Till now, Anganwadi centers were mainly known for giving nutritious food to children and pregnant women. But now, along with food, there will be daily learning activities also. This will bring a big change in the way Anganwadi centers work.
Children will be divided into three groups based on age: 3 to 4 years, 4 to 5 years, and 5 to 6 years. Each group will get activities based on their age. This grouping will help children learn better and stay active during class. It will also prepare them for the formal school system when they enter class 1.
This new method will be introduced in August, in the second or third week. The classrooms will be made beautiful and colorful, like in central schools or good play schools. This will attract children and increase their interest in learning. The ECCE educators and Anganwadi workers will get special training so they can teach in a fun way.
Parents are also happy with this step. Many of them feel that their children are now getting a better start to education. Earlier, Anganwadi centers only provided food and basic care. Now, they will also give useful education. The children will get used to classroom life, learning tools, and friendly teaching methods.
This step will also increase enrollment in government schools. When parents see their children learning and enjoying in the Bal Vatika classes, they will most likely send them to nearby government schools for class 1. This will solve the problem of low enrollment in some schools.
Teachers and education experts believe that this is a positive move. It brings learning and nutrition together in one place. Children will get better care and better education. Also, they will stay safe in school buildings, which are stronger and have better facilities than small Anganwadi huts or rented rooms.
With the government hiring more ECCE educators and providing training to Anganwadi workers, the quality of early childhood education is expected to become much better. The buildings that were earlier going unused will now be filled with the voices and laughter of small children.
This system is good not just for the children but also for the community. Schools that were earlier closed or empty will now become centers of activity again. Villagers will see that the government is using resources properly. It will also help women workers, like Anganwadi staff, who will get better facilities and better working environments.
In the long run, this step can improve the entire education system. When children are given a strong foundation from the age of 3, they will do much better in later classes. Their reading, writing, and math skills will be stronger. Their confidence will grow. They will love coming to school every day.
So, this step by the Uttar Pradesh government to shift Anganwadi centers to empty school campuses and turn them into Bal Vatika classrooms is a smart and helpful idea. It is good for children, good for parents, and good for teachers. It saves money, uses space wisely, and gives young children a bright start to their education journey.
