Srinagar, 1 Nov (KNS) The Jammu & Kashmir State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Association of Social Workers (JKASW) and UNICEF, organized a Mega Launch Ceremony for the Orientation of ECCE AAYAs (Helpers) on Thursday, 30th October 2025 under the theme “Poshan, Pyaar Aur Parvarish – Nurturing Young Lives with Care.”
According to a press release issued ,The event marked a significant milestone in advancing Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) across Jammu and Kashmir. The presence of the Minister for School Education, Higher Education, Health & Medical Education, and Social Welfare, J&K, Sakeena Masood Itoo, as the Chief Guest, along with senior officials including Shri Ram Niwas Sharma (IAS), Secretary, School Education Department, Shri Shantmanu (IAS), Additional Chief Secretary & Director, SCERT J&K, Director General School Education, Kashmir, Joint Directors, and Heads of SCERT, reaffirmed the Government’s strong commitment to strengthening ECCE practices across the Union Territory.
In her address,Sakeena Masood Itoo emphasized the government’s vision to enhance early childhood care systems, highlighting the importance of trained and empathetic helpers in ensuring holistic development for every child, particularly those from marginalized communities. She appreciated the collaborative efforts of SCERT, JKASW, and UNICEF in building a strong foundation for quality ECCE delivery in the region.
The orientation session was facilitated by Babra Shabir (SCERT) and Ms.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelAmbreen Bashir (JKASW) under the supervision of Sheikh Gulzar Ahmad (SCERT. The focus of the program was to enhance the understanding of ECCE AAYAs regarding their roles and responsibilities in providing care, nutrition, and psychosocial support to young children in government pre-primary classrooms.
The cascading process of the training initiative has initiated with the capacity building of 65 Master Trainers (MRPs) across the Kashmir Division. These Master Trainers will in turn train 3,000 ECCE AAYAs across 10 districts through DIETs between 3rd November and 8th December 2025, with technical and logistical support from JKASW and UNICEF.
Since their appointment under Samagra Shiksha (2021–22), AAYAs have played a vital role in supporting pre-primary teachers and children. However they have not received formal orientation or training, often leading to unclear role definitions and the assignment of unrelated tasks.
With support from UNICEF, the program will be implemented in five phases across all districts of Jammu and Kashmir, with each district training 300 AAYAs in five batches of 60 participants. Two districts will conduct sessions simultaneously as per the jointly approved schedule by SCERT and JKASW.
This initiative represents a transformative step toward empowering ECCE AAYAs and ensuring nurturing, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate learning environments for every child in the foundational stage across Kashmir Division.(KNS)