
Experts for action to boost preschool edu in rural areas
This was stated by principal secretary, women and child development, Leena Johri during a collaborative roundtable, 'Early Foundations, Bright Futures,' convened in Lucknow.
"While infrastructure is important, real transformation lies in building child-friendly environments that spark curiosity, foster trust among parents, and make
anganwadis
welcoming, joyful spaces," Johri said.
Organised by Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Sesame Workshop India Trust (SWI), and Marico Limited, the event deliberated on the importance of scalable and inclusive early learning models aligned with NEP 2020 and NCF 2022.
Amit Bhasin of Marico Limited stressed the company's commitment to societal value through education, aiming to create a future-ready learning ecosystem.
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