BusinessWire India
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 30: In a significant step towards strengthening early learning outcomes across the state, ECHO India, a not-for-profit organization driving capacity-building in healthcare, education, and livelihood, in partnership with the School Education Department, Government of West Bengal, launched a statewide online capacity-building program on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Government of West Bengal, and aims to support teachers through structured, continuous professional learning.
The inaugural session of the program was jointly hosted by the School Education Department, Government of West Bengal, ECHO India, and SCERT, West Bengal hub team. The event was graced by the presence of Shri Arup Sengupta (IAS), In-charge SPD, Commissioner, School Education Dept, West Bengal; Smt. Ms. Chanda Ray, Director, SCERT, West Bengal; Dr. Anindita Ganguly, Director, Technical Education, Govt of West Bengal; Shri Arnab Sarkar, Deputy SPD, PBSSM, West Bengal; and Shri. Subrata Biswas, Research Fellow (Mathematics Dept), SCERT, West Bengal. Representing ECHO India were Dr. (Col) Kumud Rai, Chairperson; Mrs. Anuradha Rai, Consultant, ECHO Education; Dr. Sandeep Bhalla, Vice President - Projects (Health and Education) and Ms. Aditi Sharma, Deputy General Manager. Educators and officials from across districts joined the launch, marking the formal commencement of the program's first batch.
The ECCE program will be conducted in three batches and will engage teachers from all 23 districts of West Bengal. Designed as a virtual, collaborative learning initiative, the program focuses on strengthening educators' understanding of early childhood development and effective pedagogical practices. Key areas of learning include understanding early childhood and ECCE, child development, early years pedagogy, inclusion and diversity, development of learning environments, use of ICT in ECCE, and collaborative storytelling as a pedagogical tool.
The launch highlighted the growing recognition of the need to invest in early childhood education as the foundation of lifelong learning. Emphasizing this, Shri Arup Sengupta, IAS In-charge SPD, Commissioner, School Education Dept, West Bengal drew from his own life experiences to stress that early childhood is a delicate and formative stage, where young minds are shaped, and that teachers play a vital role in nurturing values, curiosity, and learning thereby shaping an entire generation.
Dr. (Col) Kumud Rai, Chairperson, ECHO India, said, "Early Childhood Care and Education plays a critical role in shaping lifelong learning and well-being. Through this program, we seek to support teachers with consistent access to knowledge, peer learning, and expert guidance. Our collaboration with the Government of West Bengal and SCERT reflects a shared commitment to building strong foundations for early learning by investing in educator capacity."
Speaking at the launch, Ms. Chanda Ray, Director, SCERT, emphasised the importance of continuous professional development for teachers working in early learning settings and highlighted the role of collaborative platforms in strengthening classroom practices at scale.
The program builds on the formal partnership between ECHO India and the School Education Department, Government of West Bengal, signed in February 2025 at the West Bengal Global Business Summit. The collaboration draws on ECHO India's growing engagement in the state's education ecosystem, including the KMC-CINI Early Childhood Education ECHO Program and the West Bengal School Health Program ECHO.
This initiative reinforces ECHO India's vision of "Moving Knowledge, Not People", enabling educators to learn from one another and from experts through shared practice and collective problem-solving, while remaining rooted in their local contexts.
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