Srikakulam: Pre-school education interrupted at Anganwadi centres

Srikakulam: Pre-school education and child care events have been affected at all Anganwadi centres in Srikakulam district and also across the State as well since March this year in the wake of Covid pandemic.

Total 2,955 Anganwadi centres are being maintained across Srikakulam district by the Integrated Child Development Society (ICDS) working under the Women and Child Welfare department. In all these centres, total children in the age group of 0 to six years are 90,000.

At these Anganwadi centres, children up to 3 years of age are being trained in playing with dolls etc.

Between 3 and 6 years, pre-school preparation is being provided to the children like learning of numbers, Telugu, English letters etc. Later these children would be admitted into regular schools. Aim of the government in establishing Anganwadi centres is to ensure the growth of children physically and mentally and to prepare them for regular schooling.

In the wake of Covid pandemic, all 2,955 Anganwadi centres have been closed since March 22 and only nutritious food is being supplied to the children at their home once in every 15 days.

Out of the 2,955 Anganwadi centres, 1,200 centres are being maintained in government buildings and 1,755 are being run in rented buildings.

The State government is planning to provide own buildings for all Anganwadi centres in the district. Following the outbreak of the pandemic, children are confined to their houses.

In this backdrop, Anganwadi staff and teachers are guiding the parents on how to provide pre-school education to their children.

"We have taken all measures to distribute nutritious food to the children as per the fixed menu and also for pre-school training in the wake of lockdown," Project Director (PD) for ICDS, G Jaya Devi explained to The Hans India.