With government bodies shifting to the digital world, training for Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs), supervisors and anganwadi workers are also moving in the same direction.
To promote and access the country’s first e-learning programme for the above staff, members of the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD), a government agency in New Delhi under the Ministry of Women and Children Development, hosted a training programme for CDPOs here on Wednesday.
Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao inaugurated the event and asked CPDOs to show more sensitivity towards children and women in order to promote holistic development.
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P.Krishnamoorthy, Additional Director, NIPCCD, said that Tamil Nadu was chosen because there was good response from the state as soon as the programme was launched. He said that Madurai was accessible to all block-level CDPOs. “We received 277 registrations, highest in the country. Members were eager to clear their queries about the portal. So, we decided to host the initial access-enabling programme here,” he said.
A total of 45 CDPOs attended the first day of three-day initiative from across Tamil Nadu. M.Bharat Kumar, Regional Director, NIPCCD Regional Centre (Bangalore), said 10 or 15 people will be chosen to become ‘master trainers’ who will educate others in the block. This e-learning programme is complementary to physical training that is usually conducted for 45 days.
The online portal will help government staff understand areas including situation analysis, early childhood education, health and nutrition, community mobilisation, convergence across departments, organisational management and supportive supervision. Members who work with the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) will learn to cover managerial, administrative and financial functions. The online portal offers a 90-day training programme that can be completed at the convenience of each one’s home. Members would have to access notes, fill evaluation tests and pass them in order to clear the programme and receive a digital certificate.
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After the online training, staff would have to complete a contact programme at the regional offices where they would receive hands-on training. They can clear their doubts with regional directors during the last leg. There are four regional offices in the country with Bangalore being the centre for south India.
Dr. Krishnamoorthy hopes the programme is successful. CDPOs are eager to enhance their knowledge and be up-to-date with new education techniques.