Saluting India's unsung teachers, the anganwadis
As the nation celebrates Teachers’ Day, it would be appropriate to spare a thought for our most precious teachers: the anganwadi workers who help to ensure the healthy growth of young children and prepare them for school.
As the nation celebrates Teachers’ Day, it would be appropriate to spare a thought for our most precious teachers: the anganwadi workers who help to ensure the healthy growth of young children and prepare them for school.
The first six years of life have a decisive and lasting influence on a child’s health, well being, aptitudes and opportunities. Yet this age group gets little attention in public policy & democratic politics. If the right to education means anything, far-reaching action is urgently required to ensure that all children reach the age of six years in a state of good health and adequate preparedness for schooling.
This involves giving basic health and nutrition services as well as pre-school education facilities. The best means of doing so is to universalise the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), the only major national programme addressed to this age group.
ICDS is a relatively well-designed programme, but its reach is limited and the quality of services is also well below potential, because the well being of children is not a political priority. Financial allocations for ICDS, are meagre: barely one tenth of 1% of India’s GDP, for an age group that accounts for 15% of the population.
The universalisation of ICDS is one of the core commitments of the CMP. It is needed for compliance with the SC orders. Yet little has been done to redeem these pledges and obligations. The Approach Paper of the 11th Plan, says nothing on ICDS, beyond the grandiose announcement that “development of children is at the centre of the 11th Plan”.
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The real challenge is not just universalisation, but also improving the quality of ICDS services — “universalisation with quality”. This is where anganwadi workers have a crucial role to play. Indeed, the success of an anganwadi depends first on the skill and motivation of the workers, and on the support they get from the administration and the community. A recent study of ICDS in six states (Chhattisgarh, HP, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan & UP), initiated by the Centre for Equity Studies, sheds some light on this issue. In all sample states, anganwadi workers generally came across as able women who could do a great deal to enhance the levels of nutrition and health in their community, with the necessary support and facilities.
The main issue is to create the circumstances that enable this potential to flourish. This involves careful selection, regular training, adequate equipment, timely remuneration, constructive supervision, active community support, among other enabling factors.
In Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, many of these enabling factors were in place and anganwadi workers were highly effective. In other states, they felt demotivated due to various problems. Improving the work environment of these workers, and addressing their concerns, is essential to enable them to become true “teachers”.
Jean Dreze
Prof, Delhi School of Economics
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