Anganwadi centres show no signs of going vibrant

KOZHIKODE : The informal preschool education in the district is yet to go vibrant, thanks to the inability of government to retrieve land for construction of Anganwadi centres (AWC) in the district. Unavailability of purampokku land and high price of private land are hindering the upcoming of anganwadis, and hence crippling the Vibrant Scheme.
Though the Central government allotted huge sums for the construction of buildings for AWCs, identification of purampokku land or private land for the purpose has become an impossible task, said T P Saramma, district programme officer of Integrated Child Development Scheme.
According to official statistics only less than 1000 AWC in Kozhikode are functioning in own buildings.
Apart from creating difficulties for children, the absence of own buildings for Anganwadis is sure to affect implementation of national policy on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), as the policy stipulates a set of rules regarding the amenities in the building and it’s spaciousness for an AWC to be functional.
Special village and block level monitoring committees, were formed to ensure restructuring of Anganwadi Centres as Vibrant- child friendly Early Child Development Centres (Vibrant ECDs) to convert AWCs.
“The formation of the village and block level monitoring committees has already been completed,” said an ICDS official. However, the committees have not started convening monthly meetings or initiating activities, the official admitted.
Though the focus of Anganwadi centres (AWC) includes child care and learning, lack of funding and proper monitoring has converted AWC s to mere feeding centres. With the Vibrant ECD scheme, special village level monitoring committees comprising parents, Anganwadi workers (AWW) non-governmental organizations and others will be made responsible for the functioning of anganwadis.
According to plans, fixed monthly ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education) Day that will provide a common platform for interface between the AWWs, parents and community members, should also be observed every month.