Sindh govt to review early childhood education policy, integrate foundation learning mechanism

The Sindh government has decided to review its early childhood education (ECE) policy and incorporate the foundation learning mechanism into its framework, a statement said on Wednesday.

A meeting chaired by Sindh Minister for Education and Mineral Development 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, Chief Program Manager RSU Dr Junaid Samo, Zindagi Trust’s Shehzad Roy, CEO Durbeen Salma, Chief Curriculum Advisor Dr Fauzia, STEDA Executive Director Syed Rasool Bux Shah, Development Consultant Prem Sagar, and education researcher Dr Fatima Dar.

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.

Shah emphasized 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, Shah directed private schools to hire trained ECE teachers and urged universities to develop ECE programmes and diploma courses. Salma, CEO of Durbeen, suggested prioritizing 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.