SCERT Kashmir program boosts foundational literacy, early childhood education

Arif Rashid
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24 Dec 2025

Srinagar, Dec 24: SCERT Kashmir successfully conducted a two-day programme aimed at strengthening Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) and Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), bringing together education leaders and field functionaries from across the Kashmir Division. The initiative included a one-day orientation for Cluster Heads and Heads of Institutions on December 22, followed by the valedictory session of a large-scale Capacity Building Programme (CBP) for 3,000 AAYAs (ECCE Helpers) on December 23, held at SCERT Kashmir, Srinagar. The programmes were organised in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Association of Social Workers, with technical and financial support from UNICEF. Around 100 Cluster Heads, District Nodal Officers, Master Resource Persons, DIET faculty, and senior SCERT officials participated. The focus was on leadership alignment, role clarity of AAYAs, and effective governance at the foundational stage. Joint Director SCERT Kashmir, Syed Shabir Ahmad, highlighted the critical role of AAYAs in early learning and termed innovation at the foundational level as essential. Senior officials praised the CBP as a model government–NGO partnership, showcasing best practices and learning gains across all ten districts. Sheikh Gulzar Ahmad, Senior Academic Officer at SCERT-Kashmir, said the orientation complemented the recently concluded training programme. "This workshop strengthens the collaborative chain from training halls to classrooms, ensuring that ECCE implementation is effective, contextual, and sustainable," he said. Ahmad added that training over 3,000 AAYAs is expected to significantly improve classroom practices and learning outcomes in government schools, marking a renewed push for ECCE and FLN reforms in the region.