– By Rupsikha Baruah, Communication Associate
Every morning across India, millions of tiny footsteps echo in village lanes and city bylanes alike of children walking with their parents to their first classroom, often an Anganwadi centre. These are the spaces where curiosity first takes root, where a child’s laughter mingles with rhymes and stories. For the parents, this isn’t just education. It’s hope; the promise of a brighter, more secure future. It determines not only a child’s future, but also the country’s economic and social development.
As we mark the National Education Day, their journey reminds us why investing in early childhood education is one of the most transformative investments that we can make. Research shows that over 85% of brain development occurs before the age of six, shaping cognitive, social, and emotional growth. Nobel Laureate economist James Heckman estimated that every dollar invested in early childhood programmes yields a return of $7 to $13 in economic benefits long term.
These returns manifest through improved education, increased earnings, reduced crime rates, and better lifelong health. Simply put, early learning isn’t charity; it’s nation-building in its purest form.
On the policy front, India has made ECCE a national priority. The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) recently celebrated 50 years of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), one of the world’s largest early childhood development programmes, reaching over 100 million children and mothers.
Building on this foundation, the government has introduced innovative frameworks such as Aadharshila and Navachetana — empowering Anganwadi workers (AWWs) and parents/caregivers with practical, play-based learning tools. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) further strengthen this vision, positioning ECCE as the cornerstone of India’s education reform.
Together, these efforts are transforming Anganwadis from supposedly porridge centres into vibrant learning spaces.
This momentum is further amplified by philanthropists, impact investors, and global development leaders. Around the world, ECCE is championed under UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (target 4.2), which calls for ensuring all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education by 2030. Building scalable, tech-enabled, and community-driven models in partnership with government systems makes early learning accessible to every child, everywhere, thus boosting the country’s Human Capital Index.
Their collective message is clear and urgent: to build India’s future, we must start with its youngest citizens.
On National Education Day, as India commemorates the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, his vision feels more alive than ever. The path to Viksit Bharat @2047 begins right here — in the joy that lights up every corner of Anganwadi centres, in the dedication of educators and caregivers shaping young minds, and in the limitless dreams of children.