Bhubaneswar: The second meeting of the Panchashakha Shiksha Setu Sangathan was held today at Lok Seva Bhavan under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Anu Garg, who is also the Chairman of the organization.
The meeting comprehensively reviewed the various programs being implemented in schools, discussed the action plan for the coming year, budget provisions, and the overall functioning of the organization. Chief Secretary Anu Garg collected suggestions and feedback from local people and parents on how the Panchashakha Shiksha Setu Sangathan is contributing to the development of education in schools.
She also urged old students to participate more actively in the betterment of their alma mater.Commissioner and Secretary of the School and Mass Education Department, N. Tirumala, made a detailed presentation on the functioning of the organization. It was informed that under the “Old Students Connection Program”, more than 11.56 lakh alumni have been connected across the state so far and 80,334 projects have been implemented.
The alumni have contributed Rs 288 crore, against which the state government has provided a double matching grant of Rs 571 crore. These funds are being utilised for renovation of schools, construction of additional classrooms, multipurpose halls, science laboratories, libraries, kitchens, bicycle stands, furniture and other infrastructure facilities. A provision of Rs 80 crore has been made for this purpose in the next financial year.
In 2025-26, 20.6 per cent of old students have been connected with their schools. They contributed Rs 15.87 crore while the government provided a matching grant of Rs 31.58 crore.
Reviewing the performance of the Panchashakha Shiksha Setu Organization, Chief Secretary Garg suggested developing and updating the organization’s website so that alumni can easily send donations and access information. She emphasised the need to prepare a plan for improving the quality of education in schools along with infrastructure development. She also called for restructuring the management committee by including new members.
The meeting discussed the progress of several initiatives including the Chief Minister’s Education Award, Heritage School Program, Aspirational Curriculum, school beautification, safety arrangements through Women Youth Support Groups, and construction of central public halls. Issues such as regular repair and maintenance of schools, increasing Corporate Social Responsibility contributions, expanding alumni connectivity, and strengthening digital systems for program management were also deliberated upon.
Garg directed officials to create a system for rapid evaluation and impact assessment of the projects to ensure proper monitoring of quality and outcomes.
After the meeting, Chief Secretary Anu Garg appealed to alumni to actively associate with their educational institutions and become partners in the overall development of schools. She said that alumni from India and abroad can enrich schools with their experience, expertise and contributions, thereby helping create a conducive learning environment for future generations.
The meeting was attended by Member Secretary and Project Director of OSEPA Ananya Das, Chief Executive Officer Rajalakshmi Dash, members of the management council, and senior officials. All district collectors joined the meeting through video conferencing.
