An interview with Professor Amita Verma: a leader in early childhood education in India.

Amita Verma is one of the most renowned leaders and pioneers of early childhood education in modern India. A pioneer in the field, her contributions span 40 years. She has built a premier institution, the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, at Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) in Baroda, India, that has strengthened and expanded the field of early childhood education in that country. Furthermore, she has inspired many students to become early childhood educators and child development professionals. Many of those students have gone on to become leaders in the field themselves, both in India and abroad. Major early childhood scholars around the world are familiar with Verma's accomplishments.

Bhavnagri: I would first like to chronicle your initiatives as head of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Faculty of Home Science, at MSU that contributed to early childhood education and development. Please highlight some of your and the department's contributions to: 1) practices, 2) research and 3) policy in early childhood education and development at the national level.

Verma: Let me address the practices first, including professional training programs. In 1949, under the stewardship of our vice chancellor, Mrs. Hansa Mehta, we started our university preschool, "Chetan Balwadi." It was the first university-run preschool in the nation. In 1951, I became a faculty member in the college of Home Science, which is similar to home economics, human ecology or human resources in the United States. At that time, hardly any courses on early childhood education were offered to home science students.

Under my leadership, our department developed full-fledged bachelor's, master's and post graduate programs in early childhood education. Many of these programs were offered for the first time in India by our university. We later added courses on preadolescence, adolescence, marriage and family relations, and so now our department addresses the whole human life span.

Many of our early childhood students are now required to take a number of these relevant courses. This extended program offers a holistic and broad frame of reference and helps them fully comprehend early childhood education. Thus, our department has contributed nationally to the training and education of early childhood personnel at all levels.

Now I will highlight our research contribution at the national level. In 1960, under my initiative, we strengthened the research capabilities of our department. Through the technical cooperation mission of the United States and, later, the Ford Foundation, we received the resources to strengthen our research and graduate programs and to train faculty for other universities. We were again pioneers in starting research and graduate programs. We were able to make early childhood education an integral component of the new home science colleges that were opening up at other universities. Additionally, we took on two research programs. In one, we studied infants' motor and mental development using Bayley Scales. As a result of this project, we expanded our database and constructed Indian developmental norms that are used by many professionals, including pediatricians.

The second project focused on child rearing practices and social change. This research program has generated a wealth of data on the variations of traditional child rearing practices across geographical locations, social class, gender and subcultures in India. Since then, our department has undertaken a series of studies that are building a comprehensive pool of knowledge instead of merely accumulating fragmented knowledge based solely on graduate students' research. Additionally, we are undertaking research that is socially relevant, addresses our contemporary needs and influences our policies on children, families and communities.

Let me now discuss the policies. In 1951, when I entered this profession, early childhood education was a "no-man's land." No national movement, policies or legislation regarding early childhood education existed. For the few who knew something about it, preschool education was synonymous with Montessori education. Maria Montessori had visited India and trained others in her method. The play method, based on child development research and the nursery school movement, was virtually unknown. Our small professional community of early childhood educators was often rigid, dogmatic and not always receptive to new approaches.

Consequently, our department first began to influence policy on the local level. We helped our city municipal corporation offer preschool programs. I also organized professional associations that in turn would set the agenda for our children. I have been a founding member and president of the Indian Association of Preschool Education, Founding President of OMEP (Organization Mondiale Pour L'Education Prescolaire), a world organization for early childhood, and the Vice President of Home Economics Association of India. The conferences held by these associations and the resulting recommendations have also propelled the social agenda forward. In 1985, for example, the OMEP International Seminar that was held in Baroda, India, involved national leaders and policymakers.

In 1974, the parliament developed a new policy on children, resulting in the formation of a national children's board. More recently, a national policy on education was formulated, which included education prior to formal schooling. For example, the recent document titled National Policy on Education(1) includes a full chapter on early childhood education. I am proud to say that India now has a department on "Women and Child Development" and a "Ministry of Human Resource Development" that develops policies and programs for young children. Recent government 5-year plans have included early childhood education as one of their key priorities. However, we still do not have any mechanisms for maintaining high quality programs, such as a national standards board, certification, licensing or other monitoring and evaluation methods.

Involvement in various governmental national commissions and committees was an additional way we shaped national policies supporting women and children. I was a member of the Education Commission Task Force (1964-66)(2) that attempted to highlight the importance of providing integrated services, namely non-formal education, nutrition, health and welfare to young children; providing quality training to teachers; and building district-level resource centers for teachers. I served on the technical advisory committee of the National institute for Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCID), which is solely devoted to developing government-sponsored early childhood programs, and on the academic advisory committee on preschool and primary education of the National Council for Education, Research and Training (NCERT).

I have recently started advocating for the women's agenda, which is inextricably interrelated with early childhood education. I am now heavily involved in women's studies programs. Recently, I became the vice president for the Indian Association for Women's Studies, a relatively new organization in India. We are addressing the issue of providing early child care, not just for meeting young children's developmental needs, but also for meeting the specific needs of working mothers. I am currently directing a Ford Foundation funded research project, in which we are examining alternative strategies for providing child care to working women.

These are the platforms I have worked from incessantly as an advocate for children, women and families. My efforts have helped move the early childhood field into the national spotlight. It is now considered an important aspect of India's overall development.

Bhavnagri: The international professional community would like to know more about early childhood education in India. What are some of the sources you would recommend them to read?

Verma: It would be very difficult to cover all the appropriate and relevant sources. UNICEF(3) and NIPCCID(4) have prepared many suitable documents, including Future by UNICEF.(5) Many reputable Indian journals on social work(6), education(7) and developmental psychology report on early childhood development. There are many reports on education, like the famous education report of 1964, also known as the Kothari Commission Report. Scholarly books on research, policies, theories and practices on human development also address early childhood education in India.(8) The International Journal of Early Years and Education was launched in March 1993.(9) As an editorial board member, I hope to get Indian scholars to contribute to this journal so that our experience can be shared with the international community. Unfortunately, we do not have an Indian journal specifically devoted to early childhood education or child development. I hope that in the near future our department will start such a journal.

Bhavnagri: Which Indian national institutes have contributed to the advancement of early childhood education?

Verma: Several institutions have made outstanding contributions to early childhood education. The Children's Book Trust, for example, has published extremely readable and affordable paperbacks for children of all ages, starting with picture books. The books are attractive, focused on Indian content and relevant for our children. Previously, we depended heavily on rhymes and stories (e.g., Mother Goose rhymes, Aesop's fables; and Andersen's and Grimm's fairy tales) that were available in English. Indigenous children's literature in Indian languages has always been an integral part of our oral tradition. Now, the Children's Book Trust has made this indigenous literature easily accessible in the printed form. The books are printed in English and local languages, and are available in paperbacks and in local book stores.

NCERT is another national institute that has contributed enormously to the nations' research database on young children. It established a children's media laboratory where specialists have developed a variety of instructional aids to be used by teachers. Also, they administer numerous programs that promote and strengthen early childhood education. Currently, our department is working with NCERT and UNICEF to develop a learning resource center for teachers of young children.

NIPCCID, another national institute, is involved with a government-sponsored early childhood program called "Integrated Child Development Services" (ICDS). The world's largest preschool program, ICDS reaches out to more than 8.6 million children in 215,012 centers. This comprehensive program offers maternal and child health check-ups, supplementary nutrition, immunization, referral services, nutrition and health education for pregnant and nursing mothers, as well as early childhood education for children under 6. NIPCCID offers courses to train ICDS personnel, and, most important, monitors and evaluates the program.

Also, the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW) is a pioneer institute that contributes to early childhood education by way of setting up "balwadis" (children's gardens) in rural areas and training teachers for the centers. Today, ICCW also trains ICDS workers at the state level.

Bhavnagri: Who are some of the Indian philosophers and leaders that have influenced early childhood education in India and how have they done so?

Verma: Mahatma Gandhi was the designer of what is called the "Basic Education" approach in India. His philosophy of basic education focused on the concept of "experiential learning" or "learning by doing." He believed in getting children involved in activities and in our traditional arts and crafts. He recommended using the same approach for pre-basic education, which is what we call early childhood education. Second, he recognized the contribution of women as children's first teachers. Third, he further advocated that education for young Indian children should be made cost-effective by using India's abundant natural materials, tools and resources and easily available manmade objects. He was deeply influenced by Rousseau and, to a large extent, by Maria Montessori.

The philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore, Nobel Laureate, poet and freedom fighter, has also contributed to early childhood education in India. He, too, believed in providing children with the opportunity and freedom to learn, create and reach their full potential. He also encouraged children to learn from their natural Surroundings. Other pioneers include Gijubhai Badheka in Gujarat State, Tarabai Modek in Maharashtra State, Anutai Wagh in the tribal Villages between Maharashtra and Gujarat State and Shalini Moghe in Madhya Pradesh State. They made education relevant to the lives of Indian children in varied settings and also trained teachers.

Bhavnagri: You have studied in the United Kingdom and at the University of Michigan and have observed early childhood programs abroad. Please describe some of those programs and tell us how these visits have influenced you.

Verma: I have visited children's programs all over India, in most countries in Europe, in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and in many countries of the Far East, such as Japan and Thailand. I have visited schools for young children, hospitals with child development-oriented programs, institutions and programs for children with special needs, toy libraries for children and various other programs that address the physical, emotional, social and intellectual needs of children of all ages. I am deeply impressed with the wide variety of programs and services available to children. As a result, I believe that a variety of approaches can serve children and multiple innovations can be used when training personnel.

Thus, my visits have influenced me to take steps to ensure that Baroda City also has a wide range of necessary programs and services for children. For example, in preparation for the International Year of the Child (IYC), my students and I surveyed all the programs and services available in Baroda. We were astounded to learn that the services were most deficient in recreation and play. As a result, we formed a committee with the mayor, other education leaders and prominent citizens of Baroda that led to the establishment of a trust. Next, we appealed to the state Minister of Women and Child Development and received a large grant to develop a play and recreational center. It is named "Bal Bhavan," which means "a children's palace" or "house." Currently, thousands of children are using this center - both those with and without disabilities - ranging in ages from 5 to 16. It also provides non-formal education for impoverished children and dropouts.

I was impressed by the use of new teaching technologies in many of the programs that I visited. I have concluded, however, that the human beings (e.g., teachers, facilitators, etc.) are what is crucial about these programs. They are the ones who really determine whether a child benefits from any program. Therefore, I set a very high priority on training programs for those working with young children.

Bhavnagri: The Integrated Child Development Scheme is an Indian initiative. It is the world's largest early childhood government-sponsored program for the poor. In what way is it similar or different from the Head Start program?

Verma: Both programs are based on the assumption that a child's early years are critical for later development and achievement. Second, they both attempt to close the disparity between the "haves" and the "have-nots" in our societies by attempting to take care of children's physical and psychological needs at an early age. Third, neither program exclusively focuses only on the child; rather, they also concentrate on the family and community. Fourth, both programs have attempted to integrate various government services and use databases from different academic disciplines such as pediatrics, community health, social work, food and nutrition, child development, early childhood education and adult education. Finally, both programs are staffed with local community women from low-income families With limited education and have empowered these women through inservice training.

The Integrated Child Development Scheme is different from Head Start in one major way. When the U.S. government was developing early childhood programs as a strategy for the war on poverty, the designers consulted institutions of higher learning. As a result, a variety of program models were developed in U.S. universities undergirded by theoretical constructs, paradigms and approaches that were subsequently incorporated into Head Start and other preschool programs for disadvantaged children. The ICDS program developed differently. The role of Indian universities in designing or conceptualizing ICDS was much smaller. Historically, the universities here have been involved in carrying out the program designed by NIPCCID. Thus, the universities have been used as an instrument for implementation rather than as a propelling force that would shape the entire, philosophy and approach of our ICDS program.

The fields of medicine, social work and home science are currently studying the effects of various program components such as immunization, health, nutrition, education and children's welfare. NIPCCID needs to coordinate more of these research efforts to provide a comprehensive and interdisciplinary database. Under NIPCCID's leadership, the far-flung universities of India need to collaborate in forging a non-compartmentalized database.

Bhavnagri: Early childhood professionals in the United States today are concerned about the following: developmentally appropriate practices, the value of play, a whole language approach, school readiness, the whole child's total development and parental involvement. However, these issues' importance and relevance are not fully understood or wholeheartedly accepted by all who work with young children. What are some of the early childhood education issues in India about which you are concerned?

Verma: We have very similar concerns. Our young children face excessive pressure to learn tasks that are far beyond their development. Teachers, parents and administrators are all responsible for bringing this pressure to bear. The child is expected to compete and excel, to "be out there," rather than to be happy, content, creative and whole. One of my major concerns today is the setting up of what are called "prenurseries," where children under 3 are taught formal academics. We now not only expect our 3- and 4-year-olds to read and write, but even send them to prenursery programs for children under 3 that train them for nursery school-admission written tests and oral interviews. Thus, today's young children are being tested and are forced into cramming information without comprehension. A major concern of mine and other Indian educators today is the excessive strain and pressure put on children for early learning in very formal school settings. We need, instead, to develop innovative programs.

I am also concerned by the increasing popularity of TV, which was introduced to our society only in the last decade. Our children are watching inappropriate programs. What concerns me most is that, as a result, they are not reading, spending any time alone to think for themselves or playing. Instead they only passively watch TV. Excessive exposure to TV is most prevalent among urban middle class children and the predominant images are of a consumerist urban lifestyle, which is then understood by all our children to be the only "model life style."

I don't want to paint an overly gloomy picture. Ours is a vast and complex country with many societal cultural and language differences, and with wide disparities between rich and poor. Therefore, it is difficult to plan appropriately for all of our young children. We are expending a lot of effort, however, to reach out to every child through a number of indigenous and innovative programs. We also have many, many devoted people in the field who are concerned about young children and are actively . working to ensure that our children get what they deserve to become contributing, productive citizens of our country.

The following notes are provided by the author in case readers are interested in some relevant sources.

Notes

1 Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. (1986). National policy on education: Programme of action. New Delhi: Author.

2 Ministry of Education, Government of India. (1964-66). Report of the Education Commission. New Delhi: Author.

3 UNICEF. (1984) An analysis of the situation of children in India. New Delhi: Author.

UNICEF. (1990). Children and women in India: A situation analysis, 1990. New Delhi: Author.

4 National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development. (1984). Perspective plan in child development 1980-2000. New Delhi: Author.

National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development. (1990). Statistics on children in India: Pocket book 1990. New Delhi: Author.

National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development. (1992). National evaluation of integrated child development services. New Delhi: Author.

5 UNICEF. (1993). Future: Development perspectives on children. Regional office, South Asia: Author.

6 Verma, A. (1979). Child development and child welfare: Research and policy. Indian Journal of Social Work, XLVII(1), 25-30.

7 Joshi, A., Mohite, P., & Verma, A. (1991). Early childhood education in india: The research scene. Perspectives in Education, 1(1), 3-13.

8 Saraswathi, T. S., & Kaur, B. (Eds.). (1993). Human development and family studies in India. New Delhi: Sage Publications.

Weiner, M. (1991). The child and the state in India. New Delhi: Oxford University.

Verma, A., & Mohite, P. (1991). Research in early childhood education: A trend report. in M. B. Buch (Eds.), Fourth survey of research in education: 1983-1988 (Vol. 2). New Delhi: National Council of Educational Research and Training.

National Council of Educational Research and Training. (1993). Children for education: A report of the meeting on child to child as a strategy for achieving the goals of education for all. New Delhi: Author.

9 The International Journal of Early Years and Education is published three times a year by Trenthem Books Limited, Westview House, 734 London Road, Oakhill, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Tel.: [phone].

Appendix: Addresses of institutes mentioned in the article

NIPCCID Haus Khaus Near Police Choki New Delhi

NCERT NIE Campus Sri Aurobindo Marg New Delhi

I.C.C.W. 3. Dindayal Upadhya Marg New Delhi

Children's Book Trust Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg New Delhi

Navaz Peshotan Bhavnagri is Associate Professor, Early Childhood Education, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.