Montessori edu at five anganwadi centres in Chamarajanagar district

MYSURU: Free Montessori education has been launched in five anganwadi centres in Chamarajanagar district, with the support of the women and child welfare department. Children studying at five selected anganwadi centres in Kollegal taluk will be taught both English and Kannada at the pre-school level.
Zilla panchayat launched this new system at five anganwadi centres in Uppalageremole in Kollegal earlier this month. The other four centres are Uttamballi, Bastipura, Jinakanahalli and Hosa Hampapur.
An NGO has come forward with the sponsorship to appoint trained teachers to impart montessori education at these five anganwadi centres, apart from providing all necessary teaching material. As many as 100 children have enrolled for pre-school education in these five centres.
Shivaleela, the Kollegal taluk child department programme supervisor, told TOI that the child welfare department has taken this initiative with the support of the Amiga Foundation Interpump Group, which has helped rural children access the montessori system of pre-school education.
Amiga Foundation Interpump Group provides free montessori education to around 450 children in 20 anganwadis across India, including the five centres in Kollegal and two in B R Hills, Shivaleela said.
Children at these centres are taught art and craft in traditional methods, with a focus on helping them develop self-expression, boost confidence and self-esteem, patience, concentration and planning and organizational skills. This system also helps children develop their physical, cerebral, social, emotional and intellectual faculties.
According to this initiative, every child is nurtured on the basis of his or her desire for knowledge and understanding. Children are allowed the freedom to decide on the way of learning that best suits their needs and preferences, she added.
Speaking to TOI, S Poovitha, the CEO of Chamarajanagar zilla panchayat, said she had appealed to the parents to make best use of the system by sending their children to these facilities and avail the benefits of this model of pre-schooling.
This method of Montessori education is recognized globally for its ability to impart education to young learners as it involves all child centric-activities, including fun-learning, she said.