Child Education Program Focused on Early Development (ECD)
Nepal has launched a comprehensive Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Education Curriculum, aiming to foster cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth from early childhood until around age seven. The curriculum is structured around the crucial early years, recognising that children learn best through play, physical activity, and hands-on experiences.
The ECD Curriculum is accessible for download in both English and Nepali. You can find the English version at Early Child Development (ECD) Curriculum 2077.PDF, and the Nepali version at Early Childhood Education in Nepal pdf.
Various community and institutional schools and organizations have been conducting programs related to early childhood development in their own way. The curriculum places special emphasis on children's involvement in all-round development activities, development of healthy habits, adoption of personal safety measures, hygiene, social habits, creative thinking, and development of language and communication skills.
The curriculum targets multiple developmental domains such as language, numeracy, practical life skills, social-emotional learning, sensory-motor skills, and cultural understanding. It uses a blend of proven methods with an emphasis on Montessori-inspired practices tailored to local needs. For example, the Montessori Plus program integrates foundational language, cognitive, and numeracy skills with values-based learning (e.g., environmental awareness), social skill development, and future-ready competencies such as STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) activities.
The implementation includes Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) with corresponding teacher training (Basic and Refresher) to improve quality education delivery. Over 2,100 children benefit from ECED teacher training programs aimed at creating nurturing and developmentally appropriate learning environments.
Beyond curriculum content, the approach in Nepal often combines education with healthcare, counseling, and family/community engagement to support children's overall well-being and learning outcomes. The curriculum is supported by national-level standards (ELDS) and facilitated teacher training programs, run by government and partner organizations, ensuring the learning environment is joyful, nurturing, and appropriate to developmental needs. Coordination between educators, health professionals, and families is emphasized for comprehensive child development.
In summary, Nepal’s ECD and education curriculum comprehensively covers learning objectives for early childhood development by emphasising play-based, inclusive, and holistic education that integrates health and social support, backed by structured standards and teacher capacity building for quality implementation. The curriculum aims to lay the foundation for the holistic development of children and their learning, making early childhood development and education programs an integral part of school education and making it compulsory for all children.
- The curriculum, designed for schools and organizations, focuses on the development of language and communication skills, as well as social habits, creative thinking, and other aspects of education-and-self-development in a child.
- The Early Childhood Development (ECD) Curriculum in Nepal integrates STEAM activities, Montessori-inspired practices, and values-based learning, emphasizing management of nurturing and developmentally appropriate learning environments for children.
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