Page 12 - EW March 2021

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There’s clear danger that the gains Moreover the grim forecast that
and advances made by the country’s 115 million children are at risk of
early childhood educators to impact malnutrition needs to be urgently
the importance of ECCE upon par- addressed. Large-scale child mal-
ents and governments have been lost nutrition can severely cripple their
in the pandemic. Across the country, cognitive development as well as
hundreds of preschools have shut their future workplace productivity
down, thousands of teachers have and earnings.
lost their jobs and millions of chil- Teesta G osw ami
dren have lost critically important KOLKATA
foundational early years education.
Unfortunately, our politicians and
bureaucrats who frame public poli- Impressive young achievers
cies seem unmoved by the financial I AM A regular reader of Educa-
distress of preschool teachers or the tionWorld. I am impressed by the
massive learning loss of youngest accomplishments of young achievers
FEBRUARY 2021 children. Kian Godhwani and Nandini Bhat-
What a contrast to governments tacharya profiled in your February
in the West including the UK, US issue. It’s very commendable of them
and France! Most of them never shut to launch an online peer-counseling
Reopen preschools now! down their preschools even during start-up HappyInc. The pandemic
CONGRATULATIONS FOR your the height of the pandemic. More and closure of education institutions
detailed cover story ‘Pandemic pertinently, they pumped millions of is playing havoc with the psycho-
Thunderbolt Endangers Early Years dollars into early childhood educa- logical and emotional well-being of
Education’ (EW February). It sends tion during the Corona crisis. The children and adolescents who are
out a strong message to the Central BJP government should learn from suffering incremental anxiety, fear
and state governments to walk the the example of these countries. and stress.
talk — the National Education Policy S umit A garw al It’s tragic that mental health is
2020 accords high importance to DELHI not given due importance in schools
early childhood care and education and colleges. Teachers should take
(ECCE) — and provide a pandemic the lead in educating parents and
relief package to India’s struggling Urgent action call speak out against the social stigma
pre-primary education sector. As you YOUR SPECIAL REPORT ‘Counting attached to counseling and treatment
have highlighted, almost 50 percent the cost of Covid child damage’ (EW of mental health problems.
of private preschools have shut down February) focuses a timely spotlight Puj a S eal
countrywide and promoters and on the scope and scale of the damage MUMBAI
teachers have suffered huge financial inflicted by the pandemic on India’s
losses. Also, closure of government children.
anganw adis has put millions of As rightly mentioned in the Amazing initiative
under-privileged children at risk of report, socio-economically disad- THANK YOU for the Education-
malnutrition. vantaged children are worst affected World India School Rankings 2020-
I wholly endorse your demand for and unless state governments double 21 Awards on Wheels (Pictorial
reopening preschools and angan - their efforts to make up for the Essay, EW February). The EWISR
w adis with short-duration in-person nutrition and learning loss suffered Awards on Wheels initiative was
classes subject to parental consent. by them during almost a full year, amazing, innovative and much ap-
G agandeep K aur on EMAIL their own and the country’s future, preciated. We were delighted to host
is doomed. A nganw adis and schools EducationWorld and its partners
must reopen without further delay, on our school campus, and it was
Pandemic contrasts and intensive remedial learning an honour for our chairman Naresh
THANK YOU for an eye-opening programmes should be introduced Bothra and the management to re-
and hard-hitting cover story on the forthwith. While the children of ceive this valuable award before the
devastating impact of the Covid-19 the affluent are continuing to learn school’s teachers and staff.
pandemic on India’s nascent through the digital mode, the poor Prak ash R athore
early childhood care and education especially in rural India, are deprived Bodhi International School
(ECCE) sector (EW February). of any learning. JODHPUR

12 EDUCATIONWORLD MARCH 2021