Childhood Education and Learning Program Outline
Nepal's Comprehensive Early Childhood Development and Education Curriculum
Nepal has unveiled a comprehensive Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Education Curriculum, aimed at holistically developing children and preparing them for lifelong learning and well-being. The curriculum focuses on physical, cognitive, emotional, social, language, and adaptive competencies, integrating structured learning activities and play-based learning.
The ECD curriculum, published in Nepali, is a significant step towards making early childhood development and education rights-based and preparing children for school entry. The curriculum is designed to recognise that children learn best through play and physical activity up to the age of seven, supporting experiential learning and multi-sensory engagement.
Key aspects of the Nepalese ECD and Education Curriculum include:
- Holistic Competencies: The curriculum aims to nurture children’s physical health and motor skills, cognitive abilities, social and emotional skills, language development, and adaptive behaviors.
- Developmental Stages: The curriculum is designed around the understanding that children learn best through play and physical activity up to the age of seven, supporting experiential learning and multi-sensory engagement.
- Goals: The curriculum aims to promote comprehensive brain development and early learning skills, prepare children to successfully transition into primary education, reduce dropout rates by acclimating children to formal learning environments early on, and support children’s participation in organized learning programs, aligning with global education targets such as Sustainable Development Goal 4.2.2.
- Curriculum Components: The curriculum includes foundational skills in language, numeracy, and cognition, play-based learning and social interaction, values-based education to sensitize children to real-world issues, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) and hands-on activities to foster future-ready skills.
- Implementation: The curriculum is delivered through certified educators in group-based early childhood education programs that are structured but also adaptable to children's unique developmental trajectories.
While Nepal’s official ECD framework aligns with global best practices, it may include local adaptations to address contextual needs, supported by organisations such as Mitrata Nepal Foundation that integrate early childhood support with health, nutrition, and personal development services. This holistic approach ensures that education not only builds academic skills but also empowers children socially and emotionally to thrive lifelong.
The government of Nepal has made provisions for the all-round development of its citizens, including early childhood development. The Fifteenth Plan has developed a strategy to make early childhood development and education programs an integral part of school education. Article 39 (3) of the Constitution of Nepal ensures every child's right to early childhood development and child participation, while Article 39 (2) guarantees every child's right to education, health care, proper care, sports entertainment, and holistic personality development.
The Education (Ninth Amendment) Act 2028 envisages one year of education for children who have completed four years of age. The Early Childhood Development and Education Curriculum for the year 2077 is available for download as a PDF. The curriculum encourages the development of healthy habits, adoption of personal safety measures, and hygiene and social habits. It also promotes creative thinking and development of language and communication skills. The ECD curriculum emphasizes children's involvement in all-round development activities.
In summary, Nepal’s comprehensive ECD curriculum is designed to foster holistic child development by integrating foundational competencies across multiple domains, promoting early learning readiness, and supporting children’s transition to formal schooling through developmentally appropriate, play-based, and values-oriented education.
The Nepalese Education Curriculum, which focuses on early childhood development, aims to holistically nurture children's physical health, cognitive abilities, social and emotional skills, language development, and adaptive behaviors by incorporating elements such as play-based learning, value-based education, and STEAM activities. This curricular approach aligns with the government's strategy to make early childhood development an integral part of school education, encompassing rights outlined in the Nepalese Constitution, such as the right to education, health care, and holistic personality development.
Management of schools implementing this curriculum should prioritize the all-around development of children, including their education-and-self-development through learning experiences that promote healthy habits, personal safety, hygiene, creative thinking, and the development of language and communication skills.
