Certificate Course in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)

October - November - 2012

The course is conducted under the central government organization, National Institute of Open School. There is no age limit for the course that has to be completed within a year. Anyone who has completed the age of sixteen and hold an SSLC pass certificate can apply and pursue the course as correspondence.

This course is approved by the ministry of IHRD. The course certificate could be used for embassy attestation also. Mainly there are three theory papers and a practical examination. The study materials for the theory paper will be sent via post. There will be five days contact classes for both theory and practical examinations. The model question papers of previous years will be sent via post.

The examinations are conducted in every April and October. Kollam will be the main examination center. More information regarding hall ticket and examination will be available from Global Academy.

A course fees of Rs 6800/- has to be paid as two installments. An amount of Rs 3800/- has to be send along with the registration form and the remaining Rs 3000 /- has to paid within two months after registration. The aforesaid fees do not include the course fees.

For course registration, the candidate has to fill the form attached with this along with three attested copied of SSLC, five passport size photographs and a DD worth Rs 3800/- taken in favor of Global Academy, Cochin. This has to be send as registered post in the cover provided with this.

The National Open School (NOS) was established in November, 1989 as an autonomous organization in pursuance of National Policy on Education, 1986, by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. Open Schooling was originally experimented upon since 1979 as a project of the CBSE and was later amalgamated with the NOS. In October, 1990 through a resolution of the Government of India, the NOS was vested with the authority to examine and certify students registered with it, up to pre-degree level courses. NOS was renamed as National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) in the year 2002.

Objectives

1. To provide opportunities for continuing and developmental education to interested learners, through general education; life enrichment and vocational courses upto pre-degree level.
2. To provide consultancy services and to engage in model building in close collaboration with states and a variety of other agencies or institutions.
3. To serve as an agency for effective dissemination of Information related to distance education and open learning.
4. To identify and promote standards of learning in distance education system
   and open schooling through research and evaluation. To maintain standards of equivalence with the formal system, while keeping its own distinct character.

Need for an ECCE Course

The need for an Early Childhood Care and Education Course (ECCE) was recognized by the National Policy on Education (1986 and revised 1992). It is realized that Early Childhood Care and Education is a strong base for primary education. It is also an important input in the strategies of human resource development, as a feeder and support programme for primary education. It is an enrichment course for both working and non-working women. Further, in the context of 'Education for All', expansion of early childhood care and education activities to include family and communities, especially for the poor and the disadvantaged children in remote and rural areas, is immensely implied. Therefore, this programme aims at training rural youth, girls, mothers, SC/ ST with special focus on women to enable them to be Involved in pre-schools, balwadis, crèches and day care centers. in their own village/town or in the neighboring localities. It will thus help in achieving the national goal of 'Education for All' by orienting needed personnel for Early Childhood Care and Education. These days, the demand for pre-school education has increased tremendously.

Pre-school education and early childhood care is mostly offered in the unorganized sectors. Most of these institutions in the country are run by individuals, private bodies and NGOs. By and large, teachers and tutors are found to be under-qualified and untrained. Therefore, there is pressing need to provide opportunities to these personnel for adequate vocational training. Since they are unable to join regular institutions, it is necessary to provide required orientation and training through open and distance learning system. Hence this course is designed and offered by the National Institute of Open Schooling as a Certificate Course in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) as a vocational education programme at + 2 level through open and distance learning.

Course Objectives

1. To develop understanding of foundations of pre-school education.
2. To develop understanding of growth and development in early childhood (0-6 yrs).
3. To develop skills to manage an Early Childhood Care and Education Centre.
4. To provide guidance/knowledge for working effectively with parents and community for education of pre-school children.

Course Structure

The course in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) consists of the Vocational Package comprising of the following three subjects:

1. Understanding the Child (Course Code:439)
2. Early Childhood Care and Education - Principles and Processes (Course Code: 440).
3. Organizing and Managing an Early Childhood Care and Education Centre (Course Code:441).

Eligibility Criteria

Any person who has successfully completed secondary school examination (Class X) conducted by CBSE, NIOS or any State Board of Secondary Education is eligible to enroll for ECCE Course.

Duration

Duration of the course is one year. However, a candidate may complete the course within five years of registration as per rules of NIOS in force from time to time.

Medium of Instruction

The medium of instruction is English and Hindi.

Instructional System

• Self-instructional printed material.
• Audio and Video Cassettes.
• Assignments.
• Face to face counseling at Accredited Vocational Institutions (AVIs).
• Practical work at AVIs (Study Centers).
• On the job training wherever applicable/required.

Scheme of Evaluation

There will be Internal and external evaluation for certification as per details given below:

Theory - 190 marks 
Practical - 110 marks 
The practical work will be evaluated internally.

Certification

Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education will be awarded on qualifying in all the three subjects of the vocational package.

Course Fee

Fee will be charged only once. Course fee of Rs. 6800/ - in all, for the three subjects of vocational package will be charged from all categories of candidates.

Modalities for Offering the Course

AVIs (study centers) would enroll the candidates, administer the course and get the students examined by the NIOS for certification.

Course /Subject                 

Paper 1            -  Understanding the Child

Paper I             -  Early Childhood Care & Education Principles & Processes 

Paper III           - Early Childhood Care & Education Principles & Processes

Medium - English / Malayalam

 Duration - One Year

 Fees    - Rs.6800/-    

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