Rewriting the script of early childhood education Premium

Strategic investments in early childhood education could help young Indians in having a richer learning journey

“Some kids win the lottery at birth; far too many don’t — and most people struggle to catch up,” said the Nobel Laureate Prof. James Heckman. This holds true for India as well where its employment problem is partly a consequence of this “lottery of birth”. A child born in India has a one-in-five chance of being born into poverty, affecting their health, nutrition, learning and earning potential. Yet, there is a way to beat these odds. From the decision by Uttar Pradesh to hire 11,000 dedicated Early Childhood Care and Education educators for Balavatikas to Odisha launching Shishu Vatikas and Jaduipedi Kits, States in India are showing the way.

The Heckman curve was a powerful economic model that provided a simple yet profound insight — of the relationship between age and the rate of return on investments in human capital. Heckman found that every dollar invested in early childhood education yields a return that ranges from $7 to $12, with lasting impacts: children who receive quality early education are four times more likely to have higher earnings and three times more likely to own a home as adults. By age five, many gaps in outcomes — such as earning potential and quality of life — are already evident. Children often struggle throughout life if motivation and learning habits are not nurtured early.

Yet, India’s ECE system faces three major challenges. First, children are not receiving sufficient instructional time. Nearly 5.5 crore children between ages three to six are enrolled in 14 lakh operational Anganwadis and 56,000 government pre-primary schools. However, Anganwadi workers spend only 38 minutes per day on preschool instruction, which is far short of the scheduled two hours, and only 9% of pre-primary schools have a dedicated ECE teacher. We are planting trees without the right care to help them grow. The effects are reflected in learning outcomes. The India Early Childhood Education Impact Study found that only 15% of pre-primary children could match basic objects, a skill essential for letter recognition in Class one. Similarly, only 30% could identify larger and smaller numbers, which are foundational for arithmetic. As a result, children often start formal schooling without the skills they need, with many bypassing essential ECE years entirely: 2% of three-year-olds, 5.1% of four-year-olds, and nearly one-fourth of five-year-olds are enrolled directly in Class one.

Second, the thoughtful optimisation of resources for early childhood education remains a challenge. The Government of India spends only ₹1,263 a child annually on ECE compared to ₹37,000 a student on school education — largely on producing teaching-learning materials that are often underused. There simply are not enough teachers to implement these resources, and there is a lack of oversight — one supervisor is responsible for monitoring 282 Anganwadis. To improve oversight, we need targeted funding to hire more supervisors and dedicated ECE teachers. These measures, though modest, promise high returns.

Uttar Pradesh has now moved ahead on the hiring of nearly 11,000 ECE educators for Balavatikas in all districts. The State also organised a six-day residential training programme for 50 master trainers from 13 districts to train them on ECE pedagogy. Odisha has taken the decision to open Shishu Vatikas in all government schools to make children in the age group five to six school ready.

While increased funding would lead to immediate improvements, sustaining these gains depends on engaging parents, and here lies the third challenge. Most parents care deeply about their children’s education but may lack guidance on supporting early learning. Empowering parents with simple, effective ECE practices can make a significant difference. For instance, providing worksheets or encouraging their participation in ECE centre activities can deepen their involvement.

In Madhya Pradesh, the monthly Bal Choupal programme engages with parents directly by showing them the importance of play-based learning. With smartphone access nearly universal, parental engagement can be further strengthened through WhatsApp or EdTech apps, allowing parents to support their children’s development.