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Journalism of Courage
The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) initiative to transform all 211 of its Balwadis (pre- primary schools) has led to more than 6,000 young children receiving stronger, safer, and much more engaging early education.
In just three years, the initiative, driven by a focused Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) strategy, has delivered measurable improvements in foundational learning, with assessments showing a 20–24% jump in skills.
“Early childhood is the most critical stage of development, and our goal has been to give every child a strong and joyful start,” said PCMC Commissioner Shekhar Singh. “By investing in our Balwadis, training our teachers, involving parents, and adopting play-based learning, we are laying the foundation for a more inclusive and better-educated Pimpri Chinchwad.”
The programme began with a small working group of teachers, supervisors, and education professionals who redesigned the curriculum into activity-based modules. With regular monthly trainings, curated teaching materials, and strengthened teacher-student-parent relationships, the initiative scaled up rapidly. A cluster-based model with 16 master trainers and 9 supervisors now supports implementation across all Balwadis.
“With every cluster session, we’re seeing greater alignment in curriculum delivery and pedagogy,” added Yamuna Khandagale, Assistant Coordinator, Pre-Primary Department. “Teachers now plan their daily classes around each month’s theme and ensure quality education reaches every child.”
