Government releases guidelines for nationwide co-location of anganwadis with schools
With more than 2.9 lakh anganwadi centres already operating within school premises, the guidelines offer operational clarity to help states and union territories scale up this integrated model.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), in collaboration with the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education, released the Guidelines for Co-location of Anganwadi Centres with Schools at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
According to a PIB release, the event saw the participation of Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Annpurna Devi, and Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan. Senior officials from MoWCD and MoE, representatives from States/UTs, and Anganwadi workers also participated in the event.
The initiative, under the theme “From Anganwadi to school – one campus, one vision”, aims to provide children with a seamless transition from early childhood care to formal schooling. With more than 2.9 lakh anganwadi centres already operating within school premises, the guidelines offer operational clarity to help states and union territories scale up this integrated model.
Guidelines for Co-location of Anganwadi Centres with Schools have the following objectives:
- To ensure school preparedness and smooth transition of children from AWC to Grade 1 in primary schools.
- To have better linkages and convergence between AWCs and primary schools for providing joyful learning experiences and a stimulating environment, leading to the holistic development of children.
- To ensure an enhanced retention rate of children at the primary level to gain higher achievement at different levels of learning.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Annpurna Devi said the co-location of Anganwadis with schools will strengthen the foundation of children’s learning and ensure their holistic development. She added that the guidelines mark an important step towards fulfilling the Prime Minister’s vision of building a healthy, educated, and empowered young generation.
Minister Dharmendra Pradhan highlighted that early childhood education is the bedrock of lifelong learning. By aligning Anganwadis with schools, he said, India is creating an enabling environment that strengthens foundational literacy and numeracy while nurturing human capital for the vision of Viksit Bharat.