Srinagar, Aug 06 (KNO): A two-day capacity-building programme for Anganwadi Workers (Sanginis) was conducted across four centres in Srinagar district under the Sanwarein Bachpan – Nurturing Childhood initiative, aimed at strengthening early childhood education through play-based learning and improved classroom practices.
The programme was organised jointly by the Directorate of POSHAN & ICDS, Jammu & Kashmir, and EduWeave Foundation.
In a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a spokesperson said the district-wide programme was held on August 5 and 6 at four designated venues—GGHSS Khanyar, GGHSS Kothibagh, SP Higher Secondary School, M.A. Road, and GGHSS Amira Kadal—enabling the participation of Anganwadi Workers from different ICDS projects across Srinagar district.
The spokesperson said the concluding session at SP Higher Secondary School, M.A. Road, was attended by Managing Director, Mission POSHAN & ICDS, Jammu & Kashmir, Sajad Hussain Ganai (JKAS), as the chief guest, while District Programme Officer (ICDS), Srinagar, Bureeda Majeed (JKAS), was the guest of honour. Senior ICDS officials, supervisors, representatives of EduWeave Foundation and participating Anganwadi Workers also attended the event. Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Sobiya attended the inaugural day of the training programme.
Addressing the participants, Ganai underscored the pivotal role of Anganwadi Workers in laying the foundation for children's learning and holistic development.
"He encouraged participants to adopt joyful, play-based and child-centred pedagogies that nurture school readiness and align with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage (NCF-FS)," the statement said.
The spokesperson said Bureeda Majeed highlighted the importance of continuous professional development for frontline workers and appreciated EduWeave Foundation's support in strengthening the capacities of Anganwadi Workers across Srinagar district.
"She stressed that regular mentoring and classroom support are essential for improving the quality of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) services across Anganwadi Centres."
The spokesperson said the two-day programme focused on strengthening the pedagogical competencies of Anganwadi Workers through interactive sessions on child development, play-based learning, classroom organisation, developmentally appropriate practices, early language and numeracy, joyful learning, assessment for learning and the effective use of teaching-learning materials. Participants also took part in demonstrations, group discussions, collaborative activities and hands-on practice to strengthen their classroom facilitation skills.
He said the training sessions were facilitated by ICDS supervisors who had completed an intensive Master Trainers' programme in April 2026, along with the EduWeave Foundation team. The cascade model has helped build a cadre of government resource persons capable of providing continuous academic support and mentoring to Anganwadi Workers, thereby strengthening institutional capacity within the ICDS system.
The spokesperson said the programme was conducted across four venues designated by the Chief Education Officer, Srinagar, reflecting convergence between the Education and ICDS departments. It added that the capacity-building programme forms part of the broader Sanwarein Bachpan – Nurturing Childhood initiative being jointly implemented by the Directorate of POSHAN & ICDS, Jammu & Kashmir, and EduWeave Foundation to strengthen foundational learning in Srinagar district.
The initiative promotes an integrated approach by bringing together schools and anganwadis to improve children's learning outcomes through capacity building, contextual teaching-learning resources, strengthened monitoring systems and enhanced community engagement.
"The successful completion of this programme marks another significant milestone under the Sanwarein Bachpan – Nurturing Childhood initiative, reaffirming the shared commitment of the Directorate of POSHAN & ICDS, Jammu & Kashmir, and EduWeave Foundation to strengthening early childhood education systems and ensuring that every young child in Srinagar receives a joyful, inclusive and developmentally enriching start to life," the spokesperson added—(KNO)