CSO PRAISE ODISHA GOVERNMENT’S “SIKSHA SAMPARKA” INITIATIVE, SEEK ACTIONS ON REMEDIAL CLASSES AND SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE

Badal Tah,Odishabarta

Rayagada August 20- Members of Jana Jagaran Manch and Atma Shakti, two Civil Society Organisations(CSOs), have welcomed the Odisha government’s recent move to initiate ‘Siksha Samparka’ programme, a “chalk and talk” mode of learning. They said, “This will enable lakhs of rural & tribal children, who lack resources to avail online classes.” However, they have sought the government’s action to improve school infrastructure and implement remedial classes which are vital to impart quality education among children.

“We thank the Odisha government for their timely action as this has come as a result of our month-long campaign titled “Hamari Maang: Achha School, Sudharatmak Shiksha”.  Last month, we had written a letter to Chief Minister Mr Naveen Pattnaik urging to implement remedial classes and re-building of school infrastructure by 15th August. We are happy that the government has heard our voice as its first step. Therefore, we had more than 500 tagging Mr Pattnaik in praise of his government’s timely move”, said Mr Dibakar Sabar, Team Leader, Sri Anama Kousalya, Sri Surath Gopal, members of  Janajagarana Mancha, Rayagada.

“After Chhatisgarh, Odisha is the second state in this row to have heard our demand and taken actions,” adds Sri Bibhuti Bhusan Bindhani, Regional Manager, Atma Shakti Trust.

School and Mass Education Minister Mr Samir Ranjan Dash said, “To reach the left out students, who are not able to access e-learning, the department proposed that teachers will visit villages where there is a poor internet connection and teach the children at their doorsteps”. Dash explained that the situation is not appropriate right now to reopen schools. There are around 60 lakh students presently enrolled in Odisha schools out of which only 22 lakh have access to online education through various means be it Siksha Sanjog, Dakhyata, Subidya or Madhu App.

Under this programme, teachers can teach up to a maximum of 10 children from class-1 to class-VIII and 25 children for class-IX and X where all involved in the teaching-learning process will follow Standard Operating Protocols (SOP) of COVID19. The classes will run from Monday to Friday, and their assessments will take place every Saturday.

In addition to that, the education department will geo tag photos of the classes to monitor the process. As per the announcement, the classes will be held in public spaces such as village community centres and Panchayat office. Where children cannot attend such courses; they will have the option of audio calls.

“The Odisha government’s move is a step forward in the effort and an approach to break disparity and inequality in imparting lessons online. However, we also urge the government to start extra remedial classes for weaker students. Also, the government should improve school infrastructure as it is also necessary for imparting quality education,” told Ruchi Kashyap, executive trustee of Atmashakti Trust, an NGO that led the mission3-5-8 campaign for class-III, Class-IV & Class-VIII.

In a recent study on school infrastructural status done jointly by Jana Jagarana Mancha & Atma Shakti in 972 primary schools covering 152 gram panchayats in nine blocks of Rayagada, it was found that 98% schools did not have play ground, 73% with either no electricity connection or lights & fans, 70% with no boundary walls, 51% with no safe drinking water, 54% with no functional toilets, 29% with no functional kitchen spaces. This reflects the abysmal state of affairs in the context of infrastructural deficit in primary education in Rayagada district.