Bhubaneswar: Presenting his department’s report card for the last four years before Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday, the Odisha School & Mass Education Minister Sudam Marndi said that his department is proud to commemorate its remarkable achievements, marked by the successful implementation of various innovative initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of education in Odisha. Under the visionary leadership of the Chief Minister, the state has revolutionised the educational landscape and provided students with greater opportunities for growth and success, he added.
Alluding to the accomplishment of various ideological objectives outlined in the state BJD’s election manifesto in 2019, Sudam Marndi, Minister, S&ME Department, emphasised that the state government has successfully fulfilled nearly all promises made in the domain of school and mass education. Marndi said, “The department has introduced a range of ground-breaking initiatives with the aim of revolutionising the educational experience for students across the state. These initiatives have focused on fostering academic excellence, promoting inclusivity, and preparing students for a rapidly evolving future. By taking stringent and closely monitored steps, Odisha has surpassed the national average in the realm of the education sector, showcasing outstanding performance in Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2020-21 and National Achievement Survey (NAS)-2021,” he quoted.
Allocation for Mass Education
The School & Mass Education sector has received a major allocation in the Budget for the 2023-24 fiscal with the state government earmarking Rs 22527.80 crore. During 2000-01, budgetary allocation under S&ME Dept was only Rs 1430.88 crores. Since then it has increased by Rs 21,000 crore from 2001 to 2023. Further, the percentage of increase in budgetary allocation from 2018-19 to 2023-24 is 55.97%. The government’s commitment to providing holistic and learner-centric education has been a driving force behind the rapid infrastructural makeover of educational institutions across Odisha.
Performance & Achievements
World-class infrastructure to translate the vision of Nua Odisha HST-5T – High School Transformation under the 5T initiative of the government has been completed for 3 phases in which 6123 no. of schools have been transformed. Smart classrooms, e-Library, science laboratories, drinking water and sanitation, sports infrastructure, and facelift of surroundings have been part of all HST-5T schools. By December 2023, the 4th phase of the HST-5T initiative will be completed and thereby transforming the entire High School ecosystem of the state. As part of academic transformation under HST-5T, e-content, 21st-century skills, and assessment reforms have been incorporated as futuristic interventions for aspiring children of Odisha.
Parents Teacher meetings are organised every quarter to see to ensure structured communication between parents and teachers.
Total Schools Developed
OAVs – As promised, a total of 315 OAVs (Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas) covering all blocks of Odisha, along with 313 academic buildings, 170 girls’ hostels, and 32 boys’ hostels, have been constructed and made operational across the state. The CBSE-affiliated model schools are providing quality education to meritorious children from rural areas, offering residential accommodation, transportation, infrastructural support, and state-of-the-art teaching facilities. As a result, within just seven years of establishment, OAVs have witnessed a whopping increase in student enrolment in both rural and urban Odisha. Adding to this remarkable achievement, OAV Ranibhol in Mayurbhanj and OAV Hatiota in Ganjam ranked among the top 10 schools in the Education World India School Rankings for 2022.
Breaking New Ground In Teacher Recruitment
In the largest ever recruitment executed at one go in Odisha’s history, the department has appointed a record number of teachers in the last 2-3 years. The groundbreaking feat has helped in improving the pupil-teacher ratio significantly in both elementary and secondary schools. With this new record, Odisha has set a benchmark for other states to follow, highlighting the importance of investing in education and creating a strong foundation for the development of its youth.
Odisha: Performance Matrix
Odisha has clinched the top ranks in the largest ever schools ranking survey with its progressive policies and reforming strategies. The state has improved its score in the performance grading index 2020-21(PGI), a unique index for evidence-based comprehensive analysis of school education systems across state/UTs, and climbed four notches to occupy the 10th slot at Level III (>850). The state has improved its scores in domains like infrastructure and facilities, equity, learning outcomes, quality, access to education, and governance processes and secured 877 points out of 1000 to make it to level III.
Major Schemes/Programmes
- Under 5T charters, the department has taken up High School Transformation Programme and transformed a total of 6123 high schools across the state in three phases. The transformed schools have been equipped with smart classrooms, e-library, modern science laboratories, advanced sports facilities, and state-of-the-art campuses. All the high schools of the state will be transformed under 5T high schools.
- House System will be introduced in both elementary and secondary schools with an aim to promote leadership and interpersonal skills among students, foster creativity, encourage healthy competition & enhance student engagement and participation.
