Rethinking early childhood education

• India’s employment problem is partly due to the “lottery of birth,” with one in five children born into poverty.

• The Heckman curve, an economic model, shows that every dollar invested in early childhood education yields a return of $7 to $12.

• Quality early education leads to four times higher earnings and three times more home ownership as adults.

• By age five, gaps in outcomes such as earning potential and quality of life are already evident.

• India’s ECE system faces three major challenges: inadequate instructional time, resource optimization, and parental involvement.

• Uttar Pradesh has hired 11,000 dedicated ECE educators for Balavatikas, and Odisha has launched Shishu Vatikas and Jaduipedi Kits.

• Parents are also a challenge, with many lacking guidance on supporting early learning. Empowering parents with simple, effective ECE practices can make a significant difference.

• By 2047, over a billion Indians will enter the global workforce, presenting an opportunity to reshape India’s role in the world economy.

• Strategic investments in ECE and parental involvement could help 200 million Indians escape the lottery of birth and give today’s young learners the chance to become tomorrow’s leaders.